Softpedia News - Nintendo

EA Montreal Will Focus Less on Developing Wii Titles

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:31:02 GMT

It seems like the decision made by Electronic Arts to fire 1,500 people has even greater ramifications than just unemployment. Most of the remaining studios can't help but feel insecure after the massive layout, and, with a constant blade being pressed against their throats, they have to make some cutting of their own. Every software that isn't seen as a sure profit is slowly becoming less and less a priority and more and more a disposable concept.

The first studio to rethink its approach on future game development is EA Montreal. The company responsible for Army of Two has announced that it will start focusing more on block-buster titles for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and that the development for the Wii will see a great decrease in interest. "The Wii market is a little bit unpredictable these days," EA Montreal's GM, Alain Tascan, said, when talking to Edge.

"We're going to see how Christmas is going to do and while with the Wii we have had very successful titles, we are going to focus on big, blockbuster-type titles. It doesn't mean that we are going to abandon the Wii, but as a studio we want to be ready for new challenges." Just a few weeks ago, EA boss John Riccitiello pointed out that third-party Wii software was doing very poorly in sales, so we can only see EA Montreal's stateme... (read more)

Nintendo's Download List Grows Again

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:30:00 GMT

Last week, Nintendo made a bold, new mode and introduced demo versions for Wii games, but, this week, it's back to its old shenanigans. Four new games have been added this week for download in the WiiWare section, and the first one is BIT.TRIP VOID. The retro rhythm title continues the trend of the previous installments, but adds a little twist to the gameplay. A new control layout will allow players to move freely across the screen, with color, and the lack of it, still being the lead gameplay mechanic. The game is priced at 600 Wii Points and, with a four-player co-op, this Aksys-published title will provide several hours of entertainment.

The second game to hit the WiiWare is My Little Shop, another title in the successful Harvest Moon franchise. As in previous ones, you'll have to manage a farm, deal with the crops and trade them for all sorts of new items. The shop will allow you to further invest in your farm or buy decorations and other nifty things for your slice of heaven. There are plenty of mini-games that make use of the Wii Remote, like chopping vegetables or rolling eggs down mazes. The game is published by Natsume and comes in at 1,200 Wii Points.

The next title up for grabs from the download list will challenge your mind, as well as your courage. Little Tournament Over Yonder will have you organ... (read more)

The Nintendo DSi LL Is Bigger than the PSP Go

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:11:00 GMT

The Nintendo DSi LL has arrived on the Japanese market on November 22 and initial numbers suggest that the new hardware version is having an impact with customers, smaller than that of the Nintendo DSi but bigger than that of the Sony made PlayStation Portable Go. For the initial two days, the new console has moved 103,524 units and it will likely become another success for the Japanese company.

In its initial two days, the original DSi, which introduced two cameras to the handheld, has managed to move 170,000 units while the PlayStation Portable, which has ditched the UMD drive and will be getting all its content via digital distribution, has only managed to sell 28,000. The DSi XL is set to arrive on Western markets early in 2010. Its main advantage is a bigger screen, which will likely attract older gamers to tthe Nintendo handheld. The package also contains a bigger stylus, to make it easier to operate the touchscreen interface, and the viewing angle has been improved as well.

The Nintendo DSi XL is priced at 20,000 Yen, which is the equivalent of about 220 dollars, which is more than the normal DSi price of 18,900 Yen. Nintendo has stated that it plans to continue selling and supporting the DS Lite, which is the oldest of the handhelds, alongside the DSi and the new XL.

In the battle of the h... (read more)

DSi Bundles with Preinstalled Games Coming to the United States

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:41:01 GMT

Nintendo has announced that it plans to release two bundles involving the Nintendo DSi in the United States. On November 27, in time for Black Friday, the Japanese manufacturer will offer interested buyers a Metallica Blue and a White version of the Nintendo DSi handheld, which will include 20 dollars worth of software preinstalled. The company is saying that supplies will be limited for the special offer.

Cammie Dunaway, who is the executive vice president of Sales and Marketing of Nintendo of America, has stated “These limited-edition bundles come packed with some of the great Nintendo DSiWare games and applications that have made Nintendo DSi such a big hit with shoppers young and old. The special price and pre-installed titles make the bundles a huge value for the holidays.”

The Metallica Blue DSi bundle is set to include five Mario featuring DSiWare titles, like Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again, Dr. Mario Express, WarioWare: Snapped!, Mario Calculator: Mario and Luigi, and Mario Clock: Mario Clock. As the names imply, these are not all strictly videogames with the Clock application being especially useless.

The White DSi bundle is set to focus mini games that can improve the brain paths of users including: Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Expr... (read more)

Social Aspects Key to Monster Hunter Tri Success

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:23:00 GMT

The Monster Hunger series is a huge hit in Japan, both on the Nintendo Wii and on the PlayStation Portable, but it seems that the cross over appeal which would also assure its success on Western markets has been lacking until now. Capcom is saying that Monster Hunter Tri, coming in March 2010, will make it big in the United States mainly because of the huge appeal of its social interactions.

Ryozo Tsujimoto, who is the producer on Monster Hunter Tri, has told Gamasutra that the team is working on introducing as many game elements which require communication, some of them not obvious at first glance. For example he says “You don't see the monsters' health, so it's very hard to tell when a monster is ever going to die” and that will “get people talking to each other because you're like, 'Is he going to die?' 'Oh, I don't know!' You really get people talking. So, in that sense, having it realistic in that way in an analog sense, I feel that having no gauges and being realistic gets people more together, and that's a good thing”

There's a similar apparent lack of information related to the properties of the weapons players can use and related to the monsters they can find. This will also encourage talking amongst players and will enhance the profile of Monster Hunter Tri as var... (read more)

Nowadays, Shigeru Miyamoto Would Not Be Hired by Nintendo

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:18:00 GMT

The goals of any respectable, young Japanese high-school graduate is to enter a famous and renowned university, like the Tokyto University, and then to go on and be recruited by a respectable and powerful company. It may not sound like all that different from the rest of the world, but Japan has a bit of a cult of the “salary man.” The mild, mannered, uptight man-in-suit is portrayed as the role model of its society. With proverbs like, “The nail that stands out gets hammered back into place,” the rebel spirit isn't something very tolerated by Japanese companies. Even the less conventional ones, which rely to some degree on creativity and individuality, seek the “salary man” stereotype.

This has spread to that much of a degree, that even game developers and publishers, considered pretty much one of the sanctuaries of otakus, the deviants of Japanese society, alongside the anime industry, are starting to be very selective of their staff. It's no longer considered unappropriate for a respectable, young individual to come and work in such a place, on the contrary. More and more “upstanding citizens” with impressive educational backgrounds are forming lines outside Nintendo's recruitment office.

“Nintendo has become one of those companies tha... (read more)

Big Wii Vitality Sensor News Coming at E3

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:31:02 GMT

One of the weirdest moments of 2009 was the reveal of the Nintendo Vitality Sensor by the Japanese company, at this summer's E3 trade show. The company said that the new device would be able to read the pulse of a player and could translate that into some interesting gameplay mechanics, some of them based around the emotions which the gamer might exhibit while enjoying the experience offered through the Nintendo Wii. The device seems like a supremely weird proposition, but Nintendo is forging ahead with its plans for release next year, when the first game compatible with it is shown off.

Reggie Fils-Aime, who is the president of Nintendo of America, has told Kotaku that “We will show off the Vitality Sensor with software. I'm not going to give you any more hints beyond that.” So be prepared to see a host of videogame which will tap into the rhythm of your heart between June 15 and 17 of next year, when the E3 trade shows is set to take place. Some reports suggested that the first game supporting the Wii Vitality Sensor would be offered in time for Christmas 2010.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the creative mind behind the most successful videogames marketed by Nintendo, like the Zelda and the Mario series, is apparently very interested in the new device and he might even surprise gamers by integrating it int... (read more)

A Smitten Fan of Love Plus Has Married His Virtual Girlfriend

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:35:00 GMT

A lot of people out there have stated that they simply love video games, and considering some of the quality products out there no one can blame them. But few individuals would feel comfortable enough to take their love to the next step and actually marry their beloved game. It may not be considered “kosher” for people of the same sex to get married, but it seems like one can get away with marring their handheld. Don't let your imagination fly off the hook, we're talking about Nintendo's DS and its dating sim, Love Plus, the game that has Japanese social and emotional outcasts feel there is someone out there that understands them.

Some three weeks ago, we saw that the game even managed to impress Hideo Kojima as he saw it sweep the employees of his company off their feet. Now, this dating sim that takes a slightly different approach to the genre has really managed a feat worthy of recognition. Last week, in a church in Guam, a priest had the opportunity to join, in what should be holy marriage, a man and his virtual girlfriend. The couple held a reception for the wedding yesterday, and everyone could watch, since Nico Nico Douga decided to broadcast the event live. The media was also invited, and pictures of the couple's history were shared with everyone. By pictures, we mean, of course, ... (read more)

Wii Music Sequel Is in the Works

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:21:02 GMT

Wii Music, which was released last year, has not been one of the biggest hits for Nintendo. Titles like Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit are still selling well, while the music simulator for the Wii seems to have faded into obscurity and slid out of sales charts. But its creator might not yet be prepared to let go of the idea to simulate a variety of music instruments in a videogame that uses motion tracking.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the man who has created hits like Zelda and Wii Fit, has told the Official Nintendo Magazine that Wii Music “was a really unique game, and even today, we are receiving several different offers from people in the field of music education,” adding that “I think it still has great potential.”

Miyamoto repeated what he previously stated about Wii Fit Plus, saying any further iteration of Wii Music must be seen like a version 2.0 of a software rather than as a sequel, as the developer would add “some features to improve the overall experience,” creating an enhanced version that would rely on the same core mechanics.

Currently, the music simulation business is dominated by the Rock Band brand from Harmonix and MTV Games, and by the Guitar Hero franchise from Activision. The two are launching about one title a year and also put out a variety of downloadable conten... (read more)

First Phoenix Wright Ported to the Wii Will Arrive in January 2010

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:02:00 GMT

The last game in the Ace Attorney saga to be announced by Capcom was Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, and it was given official disclosure back in June. It had as release date for the DS February 16, so, when it was announced, everyone thought that they'd have to wait eight more months before they could get back to the courtroom drama. But that's only half true, as Capcom has announced that an Ace Attorney addition to the franchise will arrive before that.

Yesterday, Capcom stated that the first three of Nintendo's DS Ace Attorney games would be brought over to the Wii. The titles will be in a downloadable format, as WiiWare, and the first one will be available in January 2010. The original Phoenix Wright of 2005 will be scaled down for the Wii, but the additional content will be eventually supplied. The game will cost 1,000 Wii points, or $10, and will include the first four cases found on the handheld. The fifth one will be provided in May for a mere 100 Wii points, or just $1.

In March, the Wii will get the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Justice for All, while the third game, Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations, will become available on the WiiWare in May, most likely at the same time as the fifth case of the first Phoenix Wright. Justice for All, as w... (read more)

Famitsu Talked to the Developers of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:04:00 GMT

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey was officially announced for the US, but there's still a long way to go until March. In Japan, the game was launched almost two months ago, so there are a lot of pieces of information regarding the actual gameplay. But the Famitsu magazine wanted to hear the developer's side of the story, so it invited producer Kazuma Kaneko and director Eiji Ishida to a powwow. The first question the magazine asked was probably one that sat on the top shelf of our minds as well.

Asked why the developer chose to release the first installment in the future Shin Megami Tensei series on the DS, Ishida said that it seemed like the best choice, considering its resources. "The first thought was to make a large-scale on the RPG, which can be done with a relatively small dev team. From there, Kaneko wrote a pitch to make a DS game in the Shin Megami Tensei series, the game that got him to join the company in the first place."

"I think one of the best things about the DS is the way it demands your concentration as you hold it in your hands," Kaneko explained. "It fits well with SMT, which is all about monster data and so forth. Since the new game's for the DS, we wanted it to be fresh and we wanted to open it up for new users, so we tried to make things simple. People alw... (read more)

The Next Zelda Game Has a Surprise Installed for Us

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:30:00 GMT

This year, E3 saw Nintendo drowning the crowd in Super Mario titles. The convention offered us some insight into the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2 or Bowser's Inside Story, but other Nintendo names have been shy to come on stage. The Legend of Zelda had a brief and stage-fright-covered performance with the Spirit Tracks for the DS, but even that had been already unveiled a few months earlier during the 2009 Game Developers Conference. However, it seems like E3 was just saving itself for some news outside of prime time with the Zelda franchise.

Shigeru Miyamoto teased that only a console game was "targeted" for 2010, but wouldn't say another word about it. What Nintendo's creative gem first let trickle at the Electronic Entertainment Expo producer Eiji Aonuma turned into a dam-release yesterday. UK's Official Nintendo Magazine exchanged a few words with Aonuma and several details regarding the yet-unnamed 2010 Zelda surfaced. One of the first things he assured us of was that the new Zelda title would fully support the Wii MotionPlus controller add-on.

"I hope that we can show you something at the E3 show next year, and it is something we are hopeful will be surprising," Aonuma said. Since it will be a surprise, he can't really spoil it for us, but he did say that the developer pla... (read more)

Wii HD Is Not Nintendo's Next Step

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:31:02 GMT

With Project Natal confirmed as being real and coming in late 2010 and with Sony officially stating that it intends to release the motion tracking add on for the PlayStation 3 at some point during the spring of next year, the biggest hardware-related rumor in the videogames industry is that Nintendo is secretly working on creating a Wii HD home gaming console, which will retain the same motion-powered abilities as its predecessor while introducing High Definition graphics on par with the offerings of the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3.

But it seems that simply upgrading to HD is not something Nintendo is interested in doing. Regie Fils-Aime, who is the president of Nintendo of America, has told Kotaku that an HD Wii is “not the way we at Nintendo do things. The way we at Nintendo do things is, you know, when we will move to a new generation, it's because there are some fundamental things the console cannot do.”

Fils-Aime has not mentioned what new features he would like to see Nintendo introduce in its new console but apparently a graphical power upgrade is not something appealing to the manufacturer and publisher.

The Nintendo boss has also said that he is disappointed in videogame developers focusing on graphical capabilities when they decide the platforms on which to release their titles. He b... (read more)

EA Sports Active More Workouts Offers More Fitness Routines

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:31:00 GMT

EA Sports has announced that the newest in its line up of fitness videogames, called EA Sports Active More Workouts, is now out in stores in North America and is slated to also arrive in Europe on November 20.

The new title, which has been created by the team at EA Canada, is set to enhance the exercise line up offered by the series and provide more customizable workouts to all those interested in keeping fit and watching their weight. EA Sports is touting that More Workouts is the result of a collaboration with Bob Greene, a physiologist who specializes in exercise and currently serves as the personal trainer of TV personality Oprah.

EA Sports is saying that there are now 35 new exercises players can try out and any of them can be partnered up with old ones to create new routines serving every need a player might have. The game also comes with pre-sets that focus on an upper body or a lower body work out and also on cardio training. For the first time in the series, More Workouts is set to allow players to emphasize routines targeting the abdominal muscles, with Curl Ups, Crunches and Punches offered to all those who want to reduce the size of their belly.

The 6 Week Challenge is now tougher than ever, allowing fitness-oriented gamers to actually get themselves into impressive shape... (read more)

New Super Mario Bros. Wii Could Have Had an Online Multiplayer

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:01:01 GMT

New Super Mario Bros. Wii has been released and Nintendo's President, Reggie Fils-Aime, is glad to brag the game's multiplayer. The way he sees it, the title was designed to fulfill everyone's needs, regardless of gaming experience or cultural background. "I really do believe that New Super Mario Bros. Wii will satisfy even your most jaded, even your most competitive player," Fils-Aime said. "I'll tell you, there's nothing like playing New Super Mario Bros. with three of your friends. You're picking each other up and throwing each other into the lava pits and the crevasse. This game is the most fun."

But he does carry some regrets concerning the game, and, if it had been up to him, he would have made it a little bit different. The main thing he feels the game lacks is an online multiplayer, but "this was a decision made purely by the developers," he added. "They believe this experience, in the same room, to be elbowing your friends and family members as you're playing the game [is ideal]. It was really their decision. I personally would have loved for it to be online capable as well, but having played the game, I really can't fault it for not being online multiplayer."

It may be true that the Wii doesn't really shine when it comes to online multiplayer, but it's not like it's completely i... (read more)

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Might Be More than You Can Handle

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:14:00 GMT

It seems like it's not just gamers that feel the nostalgia of the old titles. Nintendo misses all the verbal abuse along with the following praise it received from the nerve-wrecking games from the days of the NES. Stuck on the Wii, the latest titles the gaming giant released were mainly aimed either at a younger audience or at a more casual market, and their difficulty was manageable, to put it mildly. But the company misses the reputation it had of delivering some the most difficult games around.

One of its games to pick up the pace is the New Super Mario Bros. Wii that has quite few sections that are a bit too difficult for the casual players. And, from recent statements, it seems like Super Mario Galaxy 2 will follow the same trend and prove to be a more challenging game. Talking to Shigeru Miyamoto, Official Nintendo Magazine found out that the SM Galaxy 2 might just be hard enough to require the Super Guide. "Well, as far as the challenge of Super Mario Galaxy 2 is concerned, I think it's going to be a really challenging game, but whether or not we are going to incorporate the Super Guide, I just cannot tell," Miyamoto said.

He further added that, "In general, wherever and whenever appropriate, I think we will want to incorporate that kind of thing, but I cannot commit to anything specif... (read more)

Nintendo's Weekly Downloads Include Five Demos for the Wii

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:24:00 GMT

Nintendo just recently announced that it planned to release game demos for the Wii and it has already made it happen. This week's list of downloads from Nintendo also includes fives demos for the Wii console. The first one on the list is also accompanied by its full game and it's the Pokemon Rumble. The title is pretty much a generic Pokemon game, with proxy battles of your ball-caged creatures, which supports a co-op for up to four players to take out the more powerful bosses. You'll be able to defeat by yourself the simpler enemies, and, in true Pokemon-fashion, you'll be able to add some of the defeated munchkins to your own collection. Nintendo's game is available for 1,500 Wii Points, while the demo is up for free.

The next available demo is the one for Aksys's BIT.TRIP BEAT, a retro take on the rhythm-game genre. It offers a co-op for up to four players with old-school graphics, 8-bit soundtrack and a difficulty level to take them back to the days of button mashing. The third demo is that for FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord, a world-conquest role-playing game with a Dungeon Keeper flavor. As the daughter of the Darklord, players have to move their flying tower across the map to conquer other territories, while filling their fortress with all sorts of traps to keep away all ... (read more)

The Nintendo DS Has a Broader Appeal than the iPhone

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:41:01 GMT

Apple has recently launched a broadside towards the Nintendo DS and the PlayStation Portable, saying that the iPhone and the iPod are platforms better suited to mobile gaming because of their tactile driven interface and because of the huge number of videogames, most of them priced below five dollars or even offered for free. Of course, Sony and Nintendo wasted no time in fighting back but Nintendo seems to be the most pressed to offer a strategy for facing the threat of the iPhone.

Reggie Fils-Aime, who is the president of Nintendo of America, has told CNBC in an interview that “Consumers have only a limited amount of time for entertainment, so we compete with Apple. We compete with your program; we compete with books and magazines; we compete with everything people do for entertainment. From that standpoint, we're battling it out minute by minute.”

But he says that the depth of the Nintendo experience is what separates it from others, “What we do is, we provide a full meal in terms of a game you could play for hours on end - very deep very enriching - and that's why our handheld business has been doing so well all year long.”

Nintendo is stating that the DS offers titles for all types of gamers and that it allows for complexity which cannot be replicated on the App... (read more)

Nintendo Still Has an Edge

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:46:00 GMT

Nintendo is the biggest winner of the current console generation, with its Wii home console managing to consistently beat the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 when it comes to sales, despite having less storage space and a less powerful graphics engine, thanks to the impressive and forward looking motion tracking controllers it has created.

But now the Japanese manufacturer and videogame publisher is set to announce that its profit will decline year over year and more and more voices are saying that Nintendo is no longer the leader when it comes to creating surprising new experiences that can easily be picked up on by any player.

As part of an investor briefing, Satoru Iwata, who is the president of Nintendo, said that “I cannot understand at all why some people come to think that Nintendo has lost its edge as soon as they hear such news that other companies are newly applying for motion sensing technology. If fun and interesting software to take advantage of the technology could be created that easily, a number of other titles which are more fun than Wii Sports must have been already launched for Wii. Why in real life are not so many?”

Both Sony and Microsoft are gearing up to release motion controllers in 2010, with Project Natal and the motion tracking wand coming in spring and fall, respectively. But N... (read more)

The First Silent Hill Will Arrive on the Wii on December 8

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:26:00 GMT

A new Silent Hill is going to be out and in gamers' hands on December 8, as Konami has announced a new installment in the series. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories will be brought to the Nintendo's Wii, but PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable users will have to hold their breath a little longer. Unfortunately, at the rate the games usually get delayed, along with Konami's generic statement that the title would be "following shortly," these Sony gamers might end up all black and blue.

In the company's eyes, Shattered Memories isn't really a remake or a simple port to the Wii. It would rather see it as a far more artistic accomplishment, and has titled it a “reimagining” of the original game. Still, dogging Harry Mason, the game's story will have players trek through the unsettling town of Silent Hill, in search of Mason's daughter.

The “reimagining” part of Shattered Memories will be brought by what Konami promises to be “an interactive user interface,” as well as a different approach to the puzzle system. Most likely, they will both imply, in one way or another, something that goes out of its way to make use of the Wii's motion controller.

Reminding us that, in 2008, Silent Hill: Homecoming was released for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3... (read more)

Keroro Gunso Will Get Its Own RPG

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:01:02 GMT

The development team of Tales Studio has started working on an original RPG with a more unique cast. The upcoming Namco Bandai Games title will have as leading men, so to speak, the characters of Sgt. Frog, better known as Keroro Gunso. Based on Mine Yoshizaki's anime and manga, Keroro RPG: The Knight, The Warrior and the Legendary Pirate will leap their way into Japan's DS somewhere in 2010. All of the five members of the fearsome and savage Keroro Platoon will be part of the game.

These ankle biters, frog-like aliens have come to Earth in order to invade, enslave and subjugate the innocent and peaceful inhabitants of the planet, but, for some reason, they keep getting distracted from their mission. Usually, it's either some shining object that distracts these dedicated soldiers, but, most of the time, it's their own incompetence that keeps them from conquering even a water pond, let alone the planet. This time, the Keroros have been ensnared by a gaming console and have somehow managed to get themselves stuck in the games inside. The frogs will have to navigate three different worlds in order to return to the planet they so miserably fail time and time again to conquer.

Each different world in the RPG will have a different theme, these being a medieval, samurai and a pirate one. These mysterious worlds aren't com... (read more)

Kirby: Squeak Squad Hints VI (DS)

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:52:00 GMT

All is good in Kirby land as he enjoys his delicious picnic, but all that goes terribly wrong when someone snatches his strawberry cake. It turns out that, once again, the villain behind this insidious deed is none other than his eternal foe, King Dedede. He wastes no time in pursuing him and, along the way, he meets with the Squeak Squad, a notorious band of thieves. After Kirby defeats King Dedede, his precious cake is stolen by the Squeak Squad that believes it can "grant you the ultimate power." The whole story starts all over again, and Kirby has to retrieve his high-priced possession.

Players need to use Kirby's ability to copy things to get through the puzzles. Just like in most games, Kirby can inhale and swallow certain enemies and retain their abilities. This time around, the Squeak Squad also features an interactive environment, as Kirby can freeze water and use storm clouds to electrify metal rods.

The items in the player's inventory are stored in Kirby's stomach that is shown on the touch-screen. The stylus is also used to roulette thorough his special abilities that can grant special ones, available only via this random selection. The title was published by Nintendo Co., Ltd. and developed by Flagship Co., Ltd., HAL Laboratory, Inc. It's a platform-action game that was release... (read more)

A Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Game Seems to Be Inbound on the Wii

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:50:00 GMT

As proof that it takes just a little bit of creativity and an innovative spark to give birth to something successful, Capcom's courtroom adventure game has proven to be a genuine hit. The title has build around itself a serious fan base, whose cries and pleas have turned Ace Attorney from a standalone title on the DS into a full-fledged game series. After the first Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Capcom provided fans with more opening stamens in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for all in January and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations in 2007 and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney in 2008. All games saw good sales in both Japan and in the West, which have convinced the company that it's time to make a bigger investment in the game.

The next addition to the franchise will be Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, which is expected to be released on the DS in February 2010, but it looks like Capcom has another Ace Attorney up its sleeve. The Wii game "Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney" for players aged 14 and up was approved by the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle on October 29.

The USK, or Self-Monitoring of Entertainment Software, as its English translation would go, is Germany's software rating board. Besides the title and the platform, the Wii, the German ratin... (read more)

Harvest Moon Hints XIV (DS)

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:26:00 GMT

As the first Harvest Moon title to come to the DS, the game will have players manage the well-being of a farm. They'll have to tend to the livestock and grow all manners of crops. Their farm can be upgraded to handle new tasks, like holding additional livestock or a more elaborate kitchen to cook their food. The local mine can be used to extract the needed material to upgrade their farming tools.

But things will only become more complicated, as the Harvest Goddess has been turned to stone and banished. Gamers will have to bring her back to "Forget-Me-Not-Valley" by finding all the 101 Harvest Sprites.

They'll be able to choose one of the 14 potential brides, including a mermaid and the ones from "A Wonderful Life Special Edition." Harvest Moon DS also features some casino mini-games.

Most of the gameplay takes place on the upper screen, while the lower one is mainly used for the inventory, status screens, and saving. The title was published by Natsume, Inc. and developed by Marvelous Interactive, Inc. It's a role-playing game-simulation and it was released on the DS on September 12, 2006.

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Oven

Apple Pie: Apple + Egg + Butter + Flour;
Baked Corn: Corn;
Baked Yam: Yam;
Buckwheat Ball: Egg + Flour + Buckwheat ... (read more)

Just 35% of Wii Consoles Are Internet Connected

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:48:00 GMT

We like in a much interconnected world. Nearly all videogames released on the PC, the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and the PlayStation 3 from Sony heavily emphasize their multiplayer features, and cooperative play is seen as something standard for most gaming experiences.

But it seems that the connectivity revolution has not yet reached the Nintendo gaming platforms as the president of the company has recently said that just 35% of the Nintendo Wii home consoles are Internet enabled with the figure going down to 20% for the Nintendo DS handheld.

Satoru Iwata is saying that the percentage of connected gaming devices spikes when Nintendo announces new videogames with online capabilities and when fresh channels are introduced; otherwise, online connectivity seems to be declining. One problem that owners of the Nintendo consoles have is actually figuring out the setting needed for the Wi-Fi Connection and more of them are going online when it is offered free by other companies.

The degree of connectivity affects the possibility of introducing digital download-only content to users but the Nintendo president is not too worried about that. Iwata told investors that “In 20 years or so, I might say it will have probably changed. But in 5 years or so, I do not totally agree. […] Habits of life do ... (read more)

Tales of Vesperia Could Be Brought to the Wii

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Mon, 9 Nov 2009 21:31:00 GMT

After being announced that it will come to the PlayStation 3, it seems like Tales of Vesperia will arrive on Nintendo's Wii as well. The rumor was started by Rikiya Koyama, a popular Japanese voice actor. According to him, Namco Bandai plans to once again release the game to a new platform and try to salvage something from the fiscal year that has it bleeding money from every gashing wound that it calls a budget. In fact, the entire gaming industry of Japan has seen an unfortunate turn of events throughout this year, not just Namco.

The actor wrote on his blog that, “Tales of Vesperia is coming out on one thing after another: Xbox 360, then PS3, and now upcoming, goes on sale even on the Wii. More shortly, the feature film anime version is also opening in theaters (But I'm not in it...), and after that, there's also a CD.”

Now, the possibility that this is just a misunderstanding clearly exists, in part due to the general nature of artists to be less than accurate about information, but also because of the Tales of Graces game. The two games with similar names could be easily mistaken for one another, especially by someone who doesn't have a lot of experience with them.

The confusion could be easily made by anyone, but that doesn't mean that this information can't be backed up by a l... (read more)

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers Didn't Do So Well in Famitsu's Eyes

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Thu, 5 Nov 2009 10:49:00 GMT

Back at the Tokyo Game Show in September, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers got everybody riled up, as it announced itself as a game that "truly [stood] out both on its choice of platform and within its series." But, in hoping to overcome the lesser game that Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time proved to be, it might have worked too hard and strained something. The Wii game received a not-so-impressive score from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.

As the last Crystal Chronicles title to come out of Square Enix's front gates, the game didn't manage to impress the Japanese critics. All it could muster were 30 points from the maximum of 40, as the four different reviewers who fiddled with the game awarded it grades of 7, 8, 7 and another 8. In themselves, they may not sound so bad, but the magazine does have a bit of a habit of taking Final Fantasy games to heart and usually applaud them.

One reviewer said that, "The story, woven by a cast of colorful characters, is extremely fascinating. The way the story develops, along with the unique characters and world setting, is brilliant. There are lots of little details to everything." Still, the title also stood out for slightly unrealistic features. "The telekinesis setup is fun -- you g... (read more)

WiiWare Games Will Get Demos

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Thu, 5 Nov 2009 07:40:00 GMT

Nintendo has announced that it plans to begin offering demos for a selected few titles distributed via the WiiWare service, which brings downloadable titles to those using the Wii. The idea is that if more people can get a taste of the experience offered by those games, then more of them will pay up and get the full version. The demo program will apparently begin later during the month of November and there's a chance that Japanese players will get the demos ahead of those in the West.

Satoru Iwata, Chief Executive Officer and president of Nintendo, has told investors that most of the customers who access the WiiWare and the DSiWare services already know exactly what they want to play and buy.

This means that they enter the virtual stores, make their transactions and then exit, without browsing other games and without learning more of the other offerings that Nintendo has prepared. The offering of demos could actually bring more traffic to both WiiWare and DSiWare, thus more publicity to the titles launched.

Gamasutra is estimating that those titles released on the Xbox Live Arcade tend to get, on average, between 50,000 and 100,000 sales, while those released on the PlayStation Network get, also on average, from 35 to 75,000 units sold.

The contrast with WiiWare is clear, with average releases on the N... (read more)

Next Zelda Will Use Motion Plus for Sword Fighting

Softpedia News (Andrei Dumitrescu) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 21:41:02 GMT

Zelda is one of the biggest franchises Nintendo has under its belt and it makes sense for it to use the best technology the company has to offer. So, a lot of people already believed that the next Zelda videogame for the Nintendo Wii would make use of the Motion Plus add-on for the Wiimote to offer a better gameplay experience.

But only now has Nintendo actually talked about how the Motion Plus will be used and how it will change the experience.

Shigeru Miyamoto, who is the lead producer on the Zelda series, stated at a Question & Answer session in Tokyo that “In this, we're using MotionPlus to make you feel much more like you're actually fighting while holding a sword in your hand,” adding that “In the previous game, you aimed at things by pointing at the screen, but this time we'll use MotionPlus to create a much more convenient targeting system and a more pleasurable playing experience.”

What Nintendo has not yet made clear is whether the upcoming Zelda videogame for the Wii will actually require Motion Plus in order to be played. Ever since the add-on was introduced, a lot of titles have used it to enhance gameplay but none made it mandatory in order not to split the player base of the Nintendo home console.

Given the popularity of the Zelda series and t... (read more)

Miyamoto's Next Game Could Cough Out Hair Balls

Softpedia News (Florian Totu) — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 09:11:00 GMT

Shigeru Miyamoto first started working for Nintendo in 1977 and gave birth to the first real masterpiece of gaming for the company in 1981, in the form of the original Donkey Kong. Since then, the game designer became responsible for other legends of gaming like the Super Mario franchise, The Legend of Zelda game series and the Metroid Prime one, just to count a few. The game designer found the inspiration for his games mostly in his childhood and later experiences, as The Legend of Zelda can find its roots in his explorations of the caves and woods found around Kyoto, as a child.

Now, another one of his new game concepts might have just spilled out as a likely project at a recent Questions & Answers held by Nintendo's “thinking man.” Japanese gaming news site Andria Sang revealed that, during the session, when asked by an investor about his future projects, Miyamoto said that he was focusing on DS games that could also be played outdoors, as a more social activity.

He ended his comment by stating that, “I've recently been caring for cats. That is all.” What may sound like a random remark from the “mad scientist” has been revealed by the company's President, Satoru Iwata, as a solid lead. “He just gave a big hint,” Satoru said regarding Miyamoto's remark... (read more)