GamerNode: Latest Wii News

February 11th Virtual Console releases

Sometimes Virtual Console releases have a common theme between them, and sometimes they don't.  Today, it's obvious that they go together like peas and carrots.  One centers around farming, and the other is a fantasy shooter featuring a badass knight in magical armor who blasts elemental magic at his enemies.  So, today's theme is clearly the elements.

Harvest Moon for the Super Nintendo was the starting point for Natsume's classic franchise, which hasn't taken much of a break since it got started in 1996. Lords of Thunder takes the shooter genre and gives it a whole new look. There is nary a reference to outer space in this game, but there is a flying knight who's on a quest to...you know...destroy evil, and stuff. Both are great games, and definitely worth a look.

Read on for the officia...

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Use your Gamecube controller in Mario Kart Wii

Earlier, I reported on Famitsu magazine's latest bundle of new details about Nintendo's second big Wii title of this year, Mario Kart Wii.

If you missed it, or are to lazy to go back to that story, then here's the scoop: Mario Kart Wii will feature 32 tracks, 12-player online multiplayer, and boost-granting mid-air tricks.

What wasn't mentioned in the other story is that players will apparently be able to use Gamecube controllers to steer their mascot-stuffed go-karts. This revealing scan from the pages of Famitsu shows a big, green A button and small, red B button in the game's on-screen menu. Being that the Wii-mote and nunchuk are made of white and clear plastics, I think it is safe to assume that these indicators refer to the colorful Gamecube controller, which is a nice option. Var...

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Spielberg game named, due in May - first trailer i...

The first game to come out from the epic duo of Electronic Arts and Steven Spielberg is slated to hit shelves in May, and the two announced yesterday that it will now unfortunately be known as Boom Blox. Boom Blox is an exclusive puzzle game for the Wii that will have "more than 300 levels, a cast of more than thirty wacky characters, and an easy-to-use in-game editor."

Here's more info on the game from EA's press release:

"Fun for kids and the entire family, BOOM BLOX offers action-packed interactive activities that takes Wii play to a new level of creativity and fun with single player, co-op, and versus gameplay. Players can experience the visceral gameplay - perfectly suited for the Wii's interactive motion-sensitive controls - through brain-twisting challenges. They can interact with ent...

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No online worlds for the Wii

Rumors once floated on the internet of a MMO game based on Animal Crossing. It has the qualities of a MMO, but how exciting could it really be? Nintendo president Satoru Iwata was questioned recently about if any type of online gaming for the Wii will be released in the future and here is what he said.

"The virtual-world services out there now still aren't at a place where we'd like to join in, and certainly not to the point that we'd want to jump into competition with everybody else. We'd rather focus on doing things that nobody else would do."

He continues to say, "so even if we were to make a virtual-world-like product, we'd be sure to make it something that nobody would call it a product similar to another company's offering." What is with Iwata and this infatuation with these"gimicky t...

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Mario Kart Wii to have 32 tracks, mid-air tricks

That Famitsu magazine sure is a treasure trove of information today! In addition to our earlier report regarding the cast of Street Fighter IV, the Japanese publication also has quite a few new details regarding Nintendo's Mario Kart Wii.

According to Famitsu, the game will include 32 tracks, 16 of which will be brand new. The rest will be remakes of courses that have appeared in previous Mario Kart games throughout the years.  Players will be able to race on them in the game's 12-player online multiplayer mode, as well as in 4-player split-screen match-ups. Nintendo is even including the option to play as your very own custom Mii avatar.

Probably the most interesting news is that Mario Kart Wii will also feature...mid-air stunts!? These will apparently join the good old-fashioned power ...

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SuperVillain working on two Wii games?

According to the folks over at Kotaku, SuperVillain Studios may very well be hard at work on two unnamed Wii titles, at least one of which they hope to have on store shelves by the end of the year.

The subject matter of the two titles is currently unknown, but judging by the developer's past efforts, I feel it's safe to assume that one of them will be some sort of downhill bandicoot racing sim, set in a medieval-themed fantasy world (they did work on Crash of the Titans, Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam, and Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony, after all).

The company has reportedly been increasing their numbers lately, building the manpower necessary to complete these two projects in a timely manner.

Whatever these mystery games turn out to be, GN will be sure to keep you posted.

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February 4th Virtual Console releases

After last week's solo show, Nintendo's Virtual Console is back to deliver two new classic games to the gaming community. This time around, we have an anti-terrorist commando squad in an on-rails cursor-based FPS and a traditional things-fall-from-the-sky-into-a-box-while- players-try-to-manipulate-them-properly-in-order-to- succeed sort of puzzle game that adds a few new strategic elements to the formula. Neither game is exceptionally breathtaking, but if you've got Wii points to burn, feel free to do some downloading.

Read on for the official descriptions from Nintendo:

OPERATION WOLF™ (NES®, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Use of Tobacco and Violence, 500 points): A group of desperate terrorists is keeping hostages in their jungle fortress. As a member of the elite tactical squad Operat...

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Smash Bros Brawl final smash montage

If you're having trouble waiting for Super Smash Bros Brawl to hit the streets, then the following video won't exactly make your task any easier. This four-and-a-half minute clip is a collection of final smash maneuvers, as performed by over a dozen of the game's combatants. All of these attacks are pretty impressive, but a few of them seem exceptionally deadly (i.e. the Samus Aran gigantic beam of death). Enjoy.

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Rock Band confirmed for Wii

Crammed within the EA's back-to-back news bulletins about game delays and financial results was the brief word that Rock Band will be heading to Wii. While a release date wasn't given, John Riccitiello, CEO of EA, hinted at a "coming launch" of the Wii version of Rock Band, so it could be sooner than we think.

Apparently this was hinted back in April 2007 when Alex Rigopulos, CEO of Harmonix, hinted that Rock may be heading to Wii.

At the time, he said, "We will, at some time, bring Rock Band to every platform. I think the Wiimote is something that holds enormous promise."

Interestingly enough, a Rock Band-like game is already heading to Wii called, appropriately enough, Wii Music. Unfortunately, it's heading to Japan sometime this year so a worldwide release may be further off than Rock Ban...

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How much would you pay for Smash Bros Brawl?

Would you pay $240? Well that's the price that some folks are willing to pay according to this ebay auction. The recent mass sellouts of SSBB in Japan are leading to the same acts of extortion seen during console launches. I don't blame the guys for trying to make an extra buck.

This seems like a big misunderstanding to me or something. I can't help but think that maybe the inside of the case is filed with cocaine or something and this is all part of a giant smuggling ring. The drug smugglers probably sniveled at the genius of their plan thinking, "No one would ever pay this much for a videogame, no one will ever figure out our plot!" But they obviously didn't know any Nintendo fanboys.

Seriously folks, is one month of waiting really so bad that it's worth it to pay an extra $200 (shipping ...

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Super Smash Bros. Brawl shortages are real

For all the innovation that Nintendo can kick out, how is it that the company still can't handle a simple problem such as having enough units of a product to sell come launch day?

If the lack of Wiis wasn't bad enough, there are now reports coming in that the launch of Super Smash Brothers Brawl is hitting the import scene hard. Sites like PlayAsia are only promising between fifteen to twenty-five percent of the original pre-orders being filled--with a rumored wait being well into February.

Other sites are saying the lack of games is not as bad as it may seem, and the delay of units may only stretch until the weekend.

Let's hope. Now I like Nintendo, but this is getting ridiculous. The shortage of Wiis is understandable because from what I hear, making hardware is not the quickest thing t...

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Third-party developers shouldn't fear the Wii

Even though the Wii has been selling like hotcakes, some fears arose that only Nintendo is enjoying the success of the console, while third-party Wii game developers are getting the short end of the stick; recently, these comments were echoed by Codemasters' CEO Rod Cousens.

But never fear, Nintendo responded to these claims that Nintendo's first-party games are nabbing all the spotlight; over on Developmag, the big N use the reasoning that since they have both hardware and software development teams under its roof, collaboration between the two teams was inevitable.

"When we develop new hardware at Nintendo, we do so as collaboration between the hardware development teams and the software development teams. Our software sales percentage is currently high because our internal teams know the ...

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Nintendo dismisses Mario Kart rumors

Nintendo Wii fans are in need of a good Mario Kart game for their beloved system, but unfortunately they'll have to wait until Q2 2008 rolls along. An Australian based Nintendo Wii website recently released new information on the game, which Nintendo was quick to debunk.

NMag, an Aussie-Nintendo Gamepro magazine claimed that Mario Kart Wii would feature 32 courses - half of which will be brand new, half old favorites. 

The magazine also believes that both Baby Peach and Boo will appear as drivers, the ability to "snake" will make a comeback, an online Battle Mode feature and controls similar to those in Excite Truck. According to a Nintendo spokesman, "Nintendo has not announced any further information on Mario Kart. We've spoken to the magazine and it's just pure rumour and speculation on ...

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Make your own Wii Zapper. Impress your friends

Okay, maybe you're one of the many who feel the crunch of the constant burden of having to shell out money to buy accessories for your game consoles. Well one entrepreneurial design/art student has found a way to beat "The Man" by designing his very own DIY Wii Zapper.

It may take you an afternoon or so to put this project together but think of the possibilities of showing this little device off and gaining the respect and adulation of your friends and family. In reality, maybe that won't happen but you will have a pretty nice conversation piece next time your buddies come over to play Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles or Manhunt 2.

Chung Dha, the designer of the homemade Wii Zapper, used readily available materials to construct the Zapper. If you really want to try this out, the templates...

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Is using the Wii for exercise in school just an ov...

Schools using videogames in their curriculum is nothing new. Plenty of schools have used DDR as an alternative to PE on days with bad weather, and who doesn't remember playing classics like Math Blaster and Oregon Trail back in elementary and middle school? What is new, though, is the sudden idea several schools have had to use the Wii as an alternative to PE.

Recent studies have shown that playing "active games" such as the Wii increases the liklihood of children participating in physical activities. Due to that, the Department of Health has begun plans to introduce the Wii in schools to help combat childhood obesity. According to the Campaign for Real Education, though, this is nothing more than a gimmick move. "It looks like another gimmick," said Nick Seaton, chairman for the Campaign ...

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This is why you European folk can't find Wiis. Als...

European gamers are always going on about how US and Japanese companies always screw them over. Whether it be prices, later release dates, or games happening to use a word which is surprisingly offensive in England, it happens all too often. Well, Europe, you can't complain any more, because you guys have bought 6 million Wiis. That's right: Europe has purchased more Wiis than Japan. Software-wise, Wii Play is the big winner with 2.3 million units moved, while Mario Galaxy and Twilight Princess have both sailed away with 1.3 million. Mario Party takes up a close fourth, having sold a pathetic 1 million. Get your head together, Mario Party, or you're being left behind!

If that wasn't enough for you, approximately 20 million DSs have been sold in Europe, along with roughly 8 million copies o...

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January 28th Virtual Console release

Another Monday, another Wii Virtual Console update. This time, though, there's only one game being added to Nintendo's channel. On the bright side, it's actually a good one! (And strangely fitting, given the fact that it snowed here overnight...)

No, I'm not talking about Ski Free--I'm talking about 1080 Snowboarding. The ol' N64 snowboardin' hit makes its way to the VC after years of being completely forgotten as one of the funnest and most rented N64 titles. The full release details are below.

1080° SNOWBOARDING (N64, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii points): Hit the slopes for some serious shredding in one of the first truly realistic snowboarding games ever created! Start in the lodge and select from five characters, each with his/her own particular attributes and special tr...

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Check out a ton of SSBB Japanese demo videos

Did you like Cloverfield? Looking forward to Smash Bros. Brawl? If you answered yes to both, you're going to love queensaki's videos of the Japanese demo version of Brawl! Filmed with a shaky handcam that would make Hud proud, the videos show some fights, and other stuff! queensaki's been adding videos for Brawl for a few weeks, but judging by the names, TV and picture quality, the batch added yesterday seem to be the first actually filmed by queensaki. Either that, or the videographer at Nintendo is really, really wasted while at work.

You've got Kirby vs Ike, Bowser vs Dedede, Pokemon Trainer vs Link, Ike vs Dedede, and even some hot Kirby on Kirby action.

If you want to check them out and don't get motion sick easily, you can find them all on queensaki's Youtube profile page.

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Brawl's story mode penned by the guy behind FFVII

In the latest installment of Iwata Asks with SSBB lead Masahiro Sakurai, Sakurai and the Nintendo president talk about Brawl's single story mode, The Space Emissary; more specifically, the storyline included in it.

Sakurai mentions the difficulties he first faced with the idea (there are a bunch of varying characters in the game, after all) as well as his own initial aversion to the idea of a singleplayer story mode. After realizing he wanted to use the side-scrolling aspect from the previous Smash Bros. game as a start-off point, Sakurai once again faced the challenge of figuring out a way to make the characters coexist, and to make a story make sense. Enter Kazushige Nojima, the man behind the story in games such as Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts.

"At that point, I decided to ask Kaz...

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Nintendo doesn't want gamers to be bored

In what is sure to shock Nintendo haters worldwide, Nintendo president and CEO Satoru Iwata said, in a recent interview over at wii.com, that "If all our games mirror games like Wii Sports or Wii Fit, our gamers would soon grow bored."

We here at Gamernode apologize for not being on the scene at the time to make sure he didn't have his fingers crossed, wasn't being tied down by Nintendo fanboys demanding less shovelware and more first-party content or wasn't some robotic monstrosity created with the sole purpose of spinning a web of lies to the oh-so-gullible gaming public.

Iwata must be the Nintendo representative to a new 12 step program. "It started simple. One game packed-in with the system *snicker,* well, we charged extra for it and no one really noticed. People loved the minigame...

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