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.

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.

Is that headline a bit critical of Band Hero? No. Is that headline very critical of Band Hero? Absolutely.

The demo for Band Hero hit the Xbox Live Marketplace a few hours ago, and though it’s getting rather mixed impressions, through and through, Band Hero is a family game, with family songs, targeted at a family market. Of course, with artists such as Taylor Swift, Maroon 5, and Jesse McCartney heading up the set list, you didn’t need me to tell you that.

But that’s not to say the setlist is a stinker; In fact, I really like it. Obvious mainstream appeal aside, songs like “Black Horse And Cherry Tree”, “Let’s Dance”, and “Kung-Fu Fighting” make me want to at least give the game a try, when it comes out Nov. 3rd. If this seems like your type of thing, or you’re just looking to quench your music game, button-mashing thirst, hit up XBLM and download the 3-song demo now.

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.

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.

In an interview with Kombo, PopCap Games’ PR director Garth Chouteau has noted that the highly acclaimed Plants vs. Zombies will follow its cousin Peggle onto other platforms: XBLA, PSN- even the DS and iPhone. Chouteau is quoted by Kombo on the matter:

…Peggle for XBLA is a good example of a game that we took that was popular on the PC and we spent probably twice as long as anyone else would have figuring how to make that game really good for Xbox and Xbox Live Arcade, and I think you will see that with Plants Vs. Zombies–I don’t know the exact order in which that game will make its way onto other platforms, but it’s certainly been successful enough, quickly enough, that we’re looking at other platforms and deciding where we’ll take that game next…

Since PvZ was such a success, both commercially and critically, it can only be good news that it can come to a bigger audience. I only hope that they make a DS version as good as Peggle DS.

Check out this new trailer for Game Arts’ Super Smash Bros.-style fighter Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up featuring Raphael and Casey Jones taking on a Foot Ninja and an Utrominater, whatever the hell that is.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up is scheduled for a fall release on the Wii, as part of the TMNT’s 25th anniversary, along with a remake of the side-scrolling arcade title TMNT: Turtles in Time, which will hit Xbox Live on July 22 and later this summer on the Playstation Network.

Contrary to my usual anti-Activision diatribes, I’ve been pretty positive about Guitar Hero 5 ever since the setlist was announced in May. As a huge fan of Vampire Weeekend, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Dylan, I can’t complain about the partial setlist, but I can complain about this- Activision sent out the Guitar Hero 5 box art today, and it’s, well, bad.

You can make your own judgment on the box art after the jump, but I think it’s too plain. Usually, I like minimalism, but when the minimalism is akin to Googling “trunk” and plastering your logo on the picture you find, you should probably just go with the usual box art shenanigans. Plus, what’s with all the text?

According to the Google translation of a Belgian gaming website 9 Lives, the king of pop (should that be capitalized?) has a new game coming out in the near future.

It seems that Michael Jackson is gearing up for a comeback and a new video game for the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 is part of that comeback. No details are known at this point, but let’s hope it’s a sequel to Michael Jackson’s Moon Walker. I loved that game.

Go Nintendo

Why have I never played Cave Story? Why, internet community? I promise I will now. Cave Story will be released on WiiWare “soon.”

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!

That’s a real headline, folks. I haven’t even gotten to the joke yet.

I love England. I mean, I was born there, and you’ve got to love a place that places so much importance in a figurehead that doesn’t really have control over how the government operates. (I forget- are we talking Britain or America here?) And THQ loves England too. So much that they’ve decided to give the Queen of England her own Wii- plated in solid gold.

Of course the Queen’s no stranger to gifts. About a month ago, Obama gave her an iPod. But giving the queen a Wii, nevertheless one plated in gold, and a set of THQ-branded Big Family Games is kind of weird. I don’t imagine she’ll be playing it very often, but if she ever does, I’m sure we’ll be hearing about her reaching PRO status in Wii Tennis on BBC News.

There’s the joke. I can’t even upstage the idea of presenting the Queen of England with a golden Wii and a copy of your own game. It’s like real-life advertising. Kudos, THQ.

Source: Switched

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

At first glance, the above trailer looks like nothing more than a game that requires you to tap on a box faster than your friend. At second glance, it looks exactly the same, but around the third view, Let’s Tap starts to look a little intriguing. But don’t watch it four times- you’ll lose all interest.

Let’s Tap for the Wii is Sega’s newest entry into the Games That Will Get Boring Really Fast genre, and boy will it excel in that. With the world’s most rudimentary control scheme, and only 5 different games, this seems more like a WiiWare title than a full-fledged $50 Wii game. Plus, if they plan to charge me for that little white box, there will be hell to pay.

It’s not like the trailer’s very exciting either- the deadpan expressions on everyone’s faces don’t help to sell me on the game as much as it does creep me out. I plan to reserve full judgement until the game is released on June 16th though- every game deserves a chance. Hit the jump for the box art Sega sent out too.

LEGO Rock Band has been officially announced today, after plenty of internet rumours and speculation. The game will ship in “Holiday 2009″ for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and DS. Harmonix and TT Games will be working together for all versions of the game, and Rock Band Unplugged developer Backbone Entertainment will join in the fun for the DS version. Hit the jump for a little more info and a few confirmed tracks (The Final Countdown is in there).

• Blur: “Song 2″
• Carl Douglas: “Kung Fu Fighting”
• Europe: “The Final Countdown”
• Good Charlotte: “Boys and Girls”
• Pink: “So What”

Warner Bros. have issued the following statement, too:

“LEGO Rock Band combines the multiplayer music experience of Rock Band with the fun, customization and humor of the LEGO videogame franchise packed with brilliant chart-topping songs and classic favorites suitable for younger audiences.”

So LEGO Rock Band is to be aimed at youngsters. Makes sense, but since when do youngsters need a LEGO version of Rock Band to get your plastic guitar all sticky? They do it fine with the normal version.

As I’m sure you audiophiles know, the annual Coachella music festival is going on right now, with both world famous and seldom-known acts performing on the grand Coachella stage. Today, Paul McCartney played a pretty lengthy set of songs, with “Got To Get You Into My Life” in the middle of it. McCartney’s fans were surprised, though- during “Got To Get You Into My Life”, the backdrop had videos of The Beatles: Rock Band playing over it.

As if hearing Paul McCartney’s dulcet tones at Coachella wasn’t enough, this is actually the first time any footage of The Beatles: Rock Band has ever been shown. Although you couldn’t see any note charts, the footage, which seemed to be of the Beatles in the Rock Band background styling. It’s definitely enough to get the most diehard of Rock Band and Beatles’s fans blood pumping, but be forewarned that the game still has that $250 price tag. Is it worth it?

Hit the jump for the video, though it’s not of the greatest quality, since it’s was filmed by a fan in the crowd.

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Atari has already made it pretty clear that the PS3/Xbox 360 and Wii versions of Ghostbusters: The Video Game are different stylistically, and this new trailer makes it absolutely clear. That’s not to say that the Wii version is uglier, because I personally like the style. Even Dan Akroyd said he prefers it to the other version:

Honestly, I love the way we look in the Wii platform, because it resembles the animation that was done in “The Incredibles.” Anybody who looks like an Incredible is automatically a superhero. And I was so pleased that they shaved off at least 60 pounds from my current bulk. The boys look good. We resemble the actors who were in the first movie.

I can’t wait to play this game when it hits retail June 16th, though I’ll still have to see some footage of the Xbox 360 version to make a decision between the two.

My love affair with Klonoa is absolutely no secret- I played Lunatea’s Veil back in 2002, and have been looking forward to the series’s revival ever since. Of course, when Namco-Bandai announced the new Klonoa last October, I was at a crossroads. Sure, the game is a remake of  the Playstation’s Door to Phantomile, but remakes don’t always work out well. On one hand, Klonoa’s new design is kind of stupid. His new ears make his species even more questionable, and those of you that are fans of the old Klonoa will probably be distraught at his new, shiny look. On the other hand, the cel-shading is still great, and it’s still Klonoa!

Namco-Bandai recently announced that the game had gone gold, and with it, they released a new trailer for the game. Sure, it plays out more like a commercial, with an annoying voiceover and over-excited kids, but the best part is that Klonoa looks exactly the same. With any luck, this game will be absolutely fantastic, and my inevitable review will be positive, but I guess we won’t know until the game comes out. By the way, that happens May 5th, and the game’s a Wii exclusive. Hit the jump for the gallery of screenshots!

12►

Nintendo has dated and priced the Wii’s new motion-sensing accessory, Wii MotionPlus, for this June.

The new add-on is said to take the Wii’s motion-sensing to another level, with some developers claiming that moving from the traditional Wii controller to MotionPlus is like jumping straight from VHS to Blu-ray.

Wii MotionPlus will release in the US on June 8th at a price of $19.99, with Europe getting the contraption four days later (prices have yet to be announced outside of the US.)

The Nintendo developed game Wii Sports Resort will be hoping to make the most out of the accessory, coming to the US on July 26th and Europe on July 24th. The game will include a single MotionPlus add-on bundled in for a total price of $49.99

“Everyone who has played the Wii can remember the moment they first discovered its intuitive controls and realised that this was an incredible new way of experiencing video games,” said Nintendo of Europe PR executive, Laurent Fischer.

“Wii MotionPlus will create that feeling again, taking gameplay to a new level of realism. And with Wii Sports Resort, people will get the chance to immerse themselves in a hugely fun set of games that are designed to make the very best of this exciting new technology.”

Harmonix and PDP have announced that they will be shipping a kick pedal and double bass pedal adaptor pack for $24.99. The pedal is compatible with all iterations of Rock Band (every console), as well as Guitar Hero: Metallica and Guitar Hero: World Tour.

This is great for those who are either really good at the drums, or those who like to be frustrated by even greater difficulty. It’s a good deal considering that you might have had to shell out for a new drum kit to play the Expert+ mode in GH:Metallica. Oh, and don’t forget, folks, Guitar Hero:Metallica has the Zungre Seal of Approval™.

Sure, we already knew it was coming thanks to the leaked cover of May’s Nintendo Power, but today Konami sent out the press release for the newest Silent Hill game- the first for the Wii- Shattered Memories.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories seems to be more centered on puzzles this time around, as according to Destructoid, it has absolutely no combat. Nope- you just run away from enemies. On the plus side, it won’t have any load times. On the “I don’t know if this is good, bad, or just really stupid” side, the Wiimote will act as a cell phone anytime you get a call.

I’m sure this will excite many fans of the horror genre, or even just the Silent Hill franchise, but as Ripten’s resident scaredy cat (I still jump whenever I find the flashlight in the Highlights magazine search) I will staying far away from this game. Have fun with that game guys, I’ll be over here in the corner watching Noddy’s Toyland Adventure reruns. Hit the jump for the press release.

Konami Announces Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for Wii™, PlayStation®2 System and PSP® System

Popular Survival Horror Series Resurrects True Terror With
Debut on Wii

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – April 6, 2009 - Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. today unveiled the latest iteration in the popular Silent Hill franchise scheduled to launch this fall on Wii™,  PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. Featuring an interactive user interface, improved puzzle system, and a psych profile that changes the experience based on the players’ gameplay choices, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories conveys the most fluid and realistic gameplay of the series to date.

“Silent Hill: Shattered Memories returns to its roots in this re-imagining of the original Silent Hill with the most interactive and frightening installment of the decade-old series,” said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “With a deep storyline, eerie music and a psych profile that watches its players and evolves to expose their innermost fears throughout the game, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is sure to evoke fear in both franchise newcomers and longtime survival horror fans.”

In this terrifying survival horror experience with an all-new soundtrack by acclaimed series composer Akira Yamaoka, players follow Harry Mason, the maladroit protagonist who is searching for his missing daughter, Cheryl. While Harry wanders the snowy streets of Silent Hill searching for clues of her disappearance, he must face twisted creatures from the depths of his frozen nightmares.

In the Wii™ version, players will be drawn into the mysterious town using the Wii Remote™ as a flashlight and cell phone as they search for clues. The cell phone can also be used by players as a user interface which acts as a story telling device, map, camera and much more, providing seamless flow with no interruption in gameplay. Additionally, through a very unique feature in the game, an advanced psych profile watches and adapts to players’ actions to acclimatize Harry and the people he meets, the places he visits, and the enemies he encounters to create an intense and gripping experience like never before.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is scheduled to launch this fall for the Wii™ video game system from Nintendo, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.

I often lay awake at night, wishing that some independent developer would make a HD 3D platformer with a main character that looks like a mix between Mega Man, Astroboy, and Viewtiful Joe, and also explodes.True story. Thanks to Curve Studios’s Explodemon!, I’ll be able to get those 8 hours of sleep a day I so desperately need.

Explodemon! is a platformer by the guys that made the Buzz! Quiz series, and from the looks of it, there is definitely some Mega Man inspiration going on here. Though the game looks like another 3D platformer, it clearly has some boss fights, which are set up in the same way that the Mega Man X series’s fights are. It seems weird that this game is releasing on WiiWare, PC, and PSN, but not XBLA. If I can recall, this is the first time XBLA has been shunned in favor of both WiiWare and PSN.

Explodemon! is definately a game I’m going to be following, because it looks really interesting, in a retro, Japanese homage kind of way. The game has no set date, but Curve Studios has assured us it will be released this year.

Source: Joystiq

Everything we’ve heard about Brütal Legend has pointed to a Xbox 360/PS3 release coming this Fall, but according to 1UP, that might not be the case anymore. When 1UP questioned Double Fine’s Tim Schafer about a pulled GoNintendo article announcing Brütal Legend for the Wii, he hesitated a bit- and then asked his handler how to properly answer the question. His response? “We are making an Xbox 360 and PS3 version of Brütal Legend.”

Though he never outright said that Brütal Legend was coming to the Wii, he also never said it wasn’t. The fact that he had to hesitate, ask for the response, and then respond without any absolutes such as ‘only’ or ‘not’. Although it’s possible that they don’t plan to make the game for the Wii and he was just trying to be careful, it’s also possible that the Wii version could be handled by a different company.

Oh, Tim. I’ve got some advice for you. Hit the jump, brah!

Source: 1UP

Schafey, this is your ol’ pal Demi here. I’m saying this as your friend, alright? Be careful about what you say. It will always end up on the internet, and will always be formed into a rumor. If you could go back in time and do this over, here’s exactly what you need to do:

1UP: Mr. Schafer, what do you have to say about the rumors of Brütal Legend coming to the Wii?
Schafer: The what?
1UP: The Wii.
Schafer: Huh?
1UP: The Wii. Nintendo Wii.
Schafer: Wha? The Wii?
1UP: Yeah, the Wii.
Schafer: Like, the royal we? The public? It’ll be coming to the public this fall.
1UP: *laughs* No, the Wii, like the console.
Schafer: You need to be consoled? What’s wrong? Wanna talk about it, champ?
1UP: I’d much rather prefer to talk about that rumor.
Schafer: Well, personally, I don’t like it, but it’s not necesarily a bad phone.
1UP: No, no, not the LG rumor, th-
Schafer: LG Rumor, wait, what’s happening to LG? Are they going under? Man, I hate this economy! Gotta go, Sonny, I’ve got some stock to sell!
1UP: No, Mr. Schafer, just gimme a yes or no on this que-
*Schafer hops on his handler’s back*
Schafer: HI HO SILVER, AWAY!
*Schafer leaves singing the The Lone Ranger thing*
1UP: F*ck you, Tim Schafer.

All you Wii gamers looking to catch a deal or two, get your wallets and one-click purchases ready because Amazon.com is holding a Wii Gold Box event tomorrow, March 31st. On the official Gold Box forum, the Amazon Gold Box team posted:

All Wii Games, All Day. Make sure to visit the Gold Box on March 31 for six great Nintendo Wii video game deals. Happy gaming.

Tomorrow’s the day, so make sure you check them out and see what kind of deals they have to offer. You never know if they’ll have MadWorld on the cheap.

Source

Since the advent of the Wii, it’s been constantly criticized for the lack of formal HD. Of course, with some third party component cables, it can play at a measly 480p, but nothing truly impressive. Well, some shrewd hackers found a workaround for this “issue”, provided you’re willing to complete a few sketchy steps. Above is the video for the HD version of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

As a note of caution, we here at Ripten don’t advocate piracy in any way, any steps taken to modify your console are of your own risk, blah, blah blah. With a Dolphin emulator for the Wii, and a legal backup of Wii games, YouTuber renebarahona managed to emulate Wii games to their full HD extent. Want more? Hit the jump for videos of Mario Kart, Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles, and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom in HD. There’s even more at his/her YouTube channel.

Source: Kotaku

Here’s a video directly from the Game Developer’s Conference with someone demonstrating how to play the new Punch-Out!! for the Wii. The person playing makes it seem pretty easy to get use to, which is great news because you know how motion controls can easily be a hit or miss.

But remember you don’t actually have to use the motion controls with either the Nunchuk or Balance Board, but could instead just flip the Wii Remote sideways and play old-school NES style. I’m overly excited to finally dust off my Wii and put it to good use when Punch-Out!! for the Wii comes out May 18.

If I was at GDC, then I could say that I was at the Nintendo keynote, but instead, I’ll just report some news that I found as if I was. The Wii’s Virtual Console service will soon include arcade games as well as the myriad of other retro platforms it supports. The four available now are:

* Gaplus (Namco Bandai): 600 Wii Points
* Mappy (Namco Bandai): 500 Wii Points
* The Tower Of Druaga (Namco Bandai): 500 Wii Points
* Starforce (Tecmo): 500 Wii Points

Space Harrier and Solvalou are on the way as well. Although British arcades when I was wee didn’t have obscure games like this (at least not the ones near me), I have hope that the addition of arcade games will allow the Virtual Console to be even more comprehensive.