Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Nintendo Download

Monkey Island and Musketeers, Card Games and Sudoku

Three WiiWare™ games anchor this week’s Nintendo Download. Gamers can buckle their swashes with both the first installment of a five-part Tales of Monkey Island series and a Three Musketeers platform adventure. Meanwhile, fans of card games will enjoy a half dozen classic options in HB Arcade Cards. On the Nintendo DSiWare™ side, beginners can learn the basics of sudoku with Sudoku Student.

WiiWare

Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 1
Publisher: Telltale Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Join Guybrush Threepwood, Mighty Pirate, in this first chapter of an epic five-part saga, filled with humor, romance and piratey swashbuckling. When a showdown with the demon pirate LeChuck goes up in flames, Guybrush gets marooned on a strange island. How will he escape? Where is Guybrush’s beloved wife, Elaine? And what’s up with the voodoo pox spreading through the isles? Jump into Tales of Monkey Island today to find out!

The Three Musketeers: One for All!
Publisher: Legendo Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Cartoon Violence
Price: 900 Wii Points
Description: The Three Musketeers have been imprisoned by the treacherous Count Xavier and his sinister lieutenant, Count Orsini! Well, almost – take on the role of Porthos, famed member of the Musketeers, to save the day in this swashbuckling platform adventure inspired by the classic novel. Swing the Wii Remote™ to launch blistering sword attacks on your foes, avoid fiendish traps and discover hidden collectables. Packed with frenetic fencing, heroic leaps and fun puzzles, this is one adventure no aspiring hero will want to miss.

HB Arcade Cards
Publisher: HB Studios Multimedia
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: HB Arcade Cards is a great collection of fun and easy-to-play card games. The collection of games included in this title includes: Rummy, Hearts, Euchre, Canasta, Cribbage and the always-classic Solitaire. Each game comes with an interactive tutorial to show you the rules and basic game play. You’ll need to be clever to outsmart your opponents, and you can even team up with a computer partner to play Euchre and Cribbage. You can play HB Arcade Cards using a Mii™ character from your Wii™ console, or play with one of our four new characters. HB Arcade Cards has lots of style and flare, and will keep you coming back for more. Remember, it’s never the same game twice.

Nintendo DSiWare

Sudoku Student
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Sudoku Student brings you the first Nintendo DSiWare sudoku experience with all the features you’d expect. For “students” of sudoku who are just getting their feet wet, Sudoku Student comes with a full tutorial. Once you’ve completed the tutorial, jump into simple and easy-going sudoku puzzles. Designed for entry- to beginner-level players, you’ll find just the right amount of challenge to keep you hooked.

Nintendo Download

Monkey Island and Musketeers, Card Games and Sudoku

Three WiiWare™ games anchor this week’s Nintendo Download. Gamers can buckle their swashes with both the first installment of a five-part Tales of Monkey Island series and a Three Musketeers platform adventure. Meanwhile, fans of card games will enjoy a half dozen classic options in HB Arcade Cards. On the Nintendo DSiWare™ side, beginners can learn the basics of sudoku with Sudoku Student.

WiiWare

Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 1
Publisher: Telltale Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Join Guybrush Threepwood, Mighty Pirate, in this first chapter of an epic five-part saga, filled with humor, romance and piratey swashbuckling. When a showdown with the demon pirate LeChuck goes up in flames, Guybrush gets marooned on a strange island. How will he escape? Where is Guybrush’s beloved wife, Elaine? And what’s up with the voodoo pox spreading through the isles? Jump into Tales of Monkey Island today to find out!

The Three Musketeers: One for All!
Publisher: Legendo Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Cartoon Violence
Price: 900 Wii Points
Description: The Three Musketeers have been imprisoned by the treacherous Count Xavier and his sinister lieutenant, Count Orsini! Well, almost – take on the role of Porthos, famed member of the Musketeers, to save the day in this swashbuckling platform adventure inspired by the classic novel. Swing the Wii Remote™ to launch blistering sword attacks on your foes, avoid fiendish traps and discover hidden collectables. Packed with frenetic fencing, heroic leaps and fun puzzles, this is one adventure no aspiring hero will want to miss.

HB Arcade Cards
Publisher: HB Studios Multimedia
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: HB Arcade Cards is a great collection of fun and easy-to-play card games. The collection of games included in this title includes: Rummy, Hearts, Euchre, Canasta, Cribbage and the always-classic Solitaire. Each game comes with an interactive tutorial to show you the rules and basic game play. You’ll need to be clever to outsmart your opponents, and you can even team up with a computer partner to play Euchre and Cribbage. You can play HB Arcade Cards using a Mii™ character from your Wii™ console, or play with one of our four new characters. HB Arcade Cards has lots of style and flare, and will keep you coming back for more. Remember, it’s never the same game twice.

Nintendo DSiWare

Sudoku Student
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Sudoku Student brings you the first Nintendo DSiWare sudoku experience with all the features you’d expect. For “students” of sudoku who are just getting their feet wet, Sudoku Student comes with a full tutorial. Once you’ve completed the tutorial, jump into simple and easy-going sudoku puzzles. Designed for entry- to beginner-level players, you’ll find just the right amount of challenge to keep you hooked.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Nintendo Download

Art, Cards and Crystals Have Gamers Seeing Spots

Looking for a big name to bolster your downloading agenda this week? We’ve got two words for you: FINAL FANTASY®. The latest additions to the ever-growing WiiWare™ game library include the new FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: My Life as a Darklord™, plus a fast-paced poker title and a brain-teasing party game that everyone in the household can enjoy. Also this week, the Nintendo DSiWare™ service welcomes a slick new installment in the Art Style™ series, mixing extraordinary sounds and visuals to create a captivating puzzle game.

WiiWare

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Step into the royal shoes of the Darklord’s daughter as she installs traps and monsters inside her tower to fight back the endless waves of invading adventurers in this world-conquest RPG. Known as Artifacts, these monsters and traps are your only hope in keeping the adventurers from destroying the Dark Crystal on the top floor. Fly your tower across the land and conquer every stage on your way to dominating the entire world.

Battle Poker
Publisher: Left Field Productions
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Battle Poker is a family-friendly card game with up to four players battling against the clock to make the best five-card hand possible. Battles are played across multiple rounds, and points are scored for each round based on the quality of the hand. Each player uses a Wii Remote™ controller to point and click on a standard deck of cards on the screen. The first click flips the card over, at which point it can be grabbed by anyone else. You’ve got to have fast fingers and eyes to grab the cards you need before someone else snatches them.

5 Spots Party
Publisher: Cosmonaut Games
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Have fun with the entire family and compete in three different play modes. 5 Spots Party is a game of skill for all ages based on the popular game of finding five differences. The goal is to find the greatest number of differences in the pictures shown. In the party modes, you must compete with other players and find as many mistakes as possible. In the 1-Player mode, you must find the differences before time runs out in order to beat the game’s highest scores. How far do you think you can go?

Nintendo DSiWare

Art Style: ZENGAGE™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Do you dream of relaxing with a great puzzle game? Art Style: ZENGAGE revolves around sliding cells (squares) to match colors with cores (beads) located on the board. Clear each stage by matching all of the cores and cells. As you progress through the game’s 100-plus stages, you’ll encounter cells with special characteristics, such as immovability, which further add to the challenge. To truly master ZENGAGE, you must keep your mind sharp and employ careful strategy to complete stages in as few moves as possible. Combining wistful graphics and mesmerizing sound, ZENGAGE creates a surreal world that should be experienced by all puzzle gaming fans.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Xbox 360 sales superior, other consoles inferior

Edge is reporting that the NPD group reports (that's a lot of reporting) that the 360 has so far outshined the PS3 in 2009. Sales of Microsoft's console have totaled 240,600 units to 164,700 PS3's shipped so far this year.

The Wii is still ahead of everybody in the sales department at 361,700. It should be noted though that that is down from last year -- which is something that I hope wakes Nintendo up a little. The DS is such a great platform and gets (deservedly so) a lot of attention from the big N, but there needs to be a larger influx of quality games on the Wii. They're just waaaay to few and far between for my liking.

But that's neither here nor there, congrats to the Xbox for keeping the sales train a chuggin'.

EDIT: It should also be said that the NPD says that [prototype] was the sales king for software in June. If you haven't checked the game out yet, I really recommend doing so -- there was a decent deal of negative press about it at release but it's a really solid title with a great story, excellent controls, and some nice graphics too. Personally, I think it's head and shoulders above another free-roaming superhero actioner that may have been released around the same time... *cough*cough*inFamous*cough*cough*

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

If you're gonna be in the city, why not play some Wii?

Just in :





Nintendo is transforming New York’s famed Military Island in Times Square into an urban island getaway to celebrate the launch of the Wii Sports Resort™ video game. On July 23, anyone who visits this Manhattan landmark will be treated to a mini-vacation, complete with a sandy beach, swimming pool and tropical lounge — all smack dab in the middle of the city — plus a chance to play Wii Sports Resort in advance of its U.S. July 26 release date. Based on the imaginative Wuhu Island locale featured in the game, this interactive oasis will also offer game demonstrations, giveaways (while supplies last) and a bar serving tropical non-alcoholic drinks.



Wii Sports Resort is the next phenomenon in active-play gaming and the first Nintendo game to feature the control enhancements of the Wii MotionPlus™ accessory. While enjoying resort-themed in-game activities such as swordplay, basketball, table tennis and archery, players will experience the unique motion-sensing controls of the Wii system with greater precision and accuracy than ever before. Just as the original Wii Sports™ attracted millions of casual and nontraditional players to the world of video games, the new Wii Sports Resort delivers an inclusive, interactive entertainment experience that consumers of all ages can enjoy.


Sounds pretty fun actually. Nintendo's been doing some nice stuff lately, especially for NYC. Nice to see a little love.

If you're in Manhattan on Thursday, July 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. make sure you check it out and let me know how it was. I'll be working so it's a no go for me. The addy is 7th and Broadway between 43rd and 44th streets.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

The Summer of Arcade has arrived

Major Nelson just posted up a list of this years games that'll be part of the awesome 'Summer of Arcade' promotion on Xbox LIVE.


July 22: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™: Turtles in Time Re-shelled 1200 Microsoft Points
(Ubisoft Singapore®/Ubisoft®): Cowabunga dude! Marking the franchise’s 25 anniversary, everyone's favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game is back with a brand new look in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled.” The arcade classic has been revamped with all new 3D graphics, but the same classic beat 'em up gameplay.


July 29: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 1200 Microsoft Points
(Backbone Entertainment/Capcom): One of the most popular fighting games of all time, “Marvel vs. Capcom 2,” arrives worldwide on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Choose from 56 legendary characters from Marvel Comics and Capcom history, including Ryu and Wolverine. With online multiplayer over Xbox LIVE and enhanced HD graphics, decide your own dream team in the ultimate tag-team fighting experience.


August 5: Splosion Man™ 800 Microsoft Points
(Twisted Pixel Games/Microsoft): Fools they were, to tread where knowledge should stay forbidden. For what emerged was not a man - it was a Splosion Man. "And all who saw him were sploded, for he was the fire and they were but meat." Able to splode himself at will, the Splosion Man launches his way through levels as an uncontainable force. From Twisted Pixel Games, developer of the award winning The Maw™, Splosion Man will keep you on your toes as you play through more than 50 single-player levels and 50 multiplayer levels. Nominated by GameSpy, Gamespot, IGN, and 411mania, this meat-riddled splosion-fest took several Best of E3 awards including Best Platformer and Best Downloadable Game.

August 12: Trials HD 1200 Microsoft Points
(RedLynx/Microsoft): Nominated for GameSpy’s Best Downloadable Game of E3 award, “Trials HD” is guaranteed to get our heart racing.” Put on your helmet, and rev your way through “Trials HD,” a full-featured, physics-based motorcycle racing platformer in stunning HD graphics. Tear up more than 50 tracks and test your metal in two unique game modes: Race and Skill. Create, share and download an unlimited number of free tracks with the level editor, and customize your rider to fit your personality.


August 19: Shadow Complex 1200 Microsoft Points
(Chair Entertainment and Epic Games/Microsoft): Winner of numerous Best of E3 awards including Best Downloadable Game from 1UP, IGN, GameTrailers and G4TV, “Shadow Complex” is the next evolution in downloadable games. “Shadow Complex” marries the quality and depth of a full retail title with the stunning visuals of Epic Games’ industry-leading Unreal Engine 3, and a classic side-scroller. Set in the world of Orson Scott Card’s best-selling novel, “Empire,” Shadow Complex provides more than 10 hours of in-depth gameplay and introduces a compelling universe.



There are some real winners in there, TMNT and Shadow Complex first and foremost. I'm wondering why Battlefield 1943 isn't grouped in with them. Not that it's needed, it just seems... off.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Nintendo happenings at the 30 Rock store

Just came in -

Already beloved by gaming fans around the world, the charming and powerful Starfy will celebrate the launch of his first game in the United States, The Legendary Starfy for Nintendo DS, at a unique retail event inside New York’s Nintendo World store. Making his debut appearance at the Nintendo World store, Starfy himself will be available for photo opportunities with fans of all ages in a special underwater-themed area. The July 11 celebration will also feature face painting and chance for attendees to play The Legendary Starfy and win fun Starfy prizes.

Released in the U.S. on June 8, The Legendary Starfy places its charming, five-pointed hero at the center of a wild adventure as he completes a series of challenges that highlight his incredible bravery and impressive underwater moves. Nintendo’s newest standout character, Starfy is one fierce friend that everyone will want to meet.



It sounds like it'll be a lot of fun for the kids and anybody who likes Starfy - *cough*cough*me*cough*, especially that Starfy will be there in person. He is legendary you know.

If you're interested in checking it out, head over to the Nintendo World store @

Nintendo World store
10 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020

Saturday, July 11, 2009
1-3 p.m.


There's gonna be prizes!

Nintendo Download

BIT.TRIP CORE Brings WiiWare Library to 100 Games and Counting

Another year of American independence isn’t the only thing we’re celebrating this week. With new releases, including the hotly anticipated game BIT.TRIP CORE, Nintendo crosses the 100-game mark in its ever-growing WiiWare™ game library, a milestone that ought to keep fans ooh-ing and ahh-ing long after the Fourth of July. Other WiiWare offerings this week will have players bursting bubbles and racing in chariots, whether solo or with friends. Nintendo DSiWare™ welcomes a new Art Style™ title and a unique auto racing game, while a classic Commodore 64 title will have Virtual Console™ users tearing it up California style.

WiiWare

BIT.TRIP CORE
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 600 Wii Points™
Description: BIT.TRIP CORE continues the BIT.TRIP saga in this retro-arcade-style game. BIT.TRIP CORE adds up to an exciting action/rhythm game that’s best played while zoning out on the tunes and letting the visuals swallow you whole. The experience is inspired by games from the ’80s, but with a modern twist. The game play is entirely new to the series, leaving the single-axis controls of BIT.TRIP BEAT behind in favor of the ability to control two axes. If the difficulty gets you down, grab a friend and play cooperatively with two-player multiplayer. Make it to the end and you’ll have journeyed one step further to completing your BIT.TRIP.

BUST-A-MOVE Plus!
Publisher: TAITO
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: BUST-A-MOVE Plus! is a simple but hugely addictive puzzle game in which you must try to burst a multi-colored mass of bubbles with your very own bubble launcher. Every time you make a group of three or more bubbles of the same color, they pop. There are two game modes available: 1P Puzzle (players tackle the game’s 135 stages in pursuit of a new high score or best time) and Battle (players take on friends or computer-controlled opponents). If that doesn’t satisfy your passion for popping, there are a total of 270 extra stages waiting for you in the two add-on-content packs, available for purchase on the Wii™ Shop Channel. BUST-A-MOVE Plus! is simple to get into and deep enough to keep you coming back for more.

Heracles Chariot Racing
Publisher: Neko Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: The famous Heracles has taken on a challenge like none he has ever faced. Our hero will have to beat his opponents in a race across mythological kingdoms and be the first to reach the top of Mount Olympus. You can play as Heracles and help him return the sacred trophy, or play as one of the other varied mythological characters from Satyr to Poseidon and claim the prize for yourself. Race through three racing cups across 10 courses set in five mythic landscapes. Use awesome fantasy weaponry to defeat your opponents: tridents, fireballs, Zeus’s lightning rods and more. Get your friends together for intense two-to-four-player split-screen multiplayer action in Championship, Single Race or Battle mode.

Virtual Console

California Games
Original platform: Commodore 64
Publisher: Commodore Gaming
Players: 1-5
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Welcome to California, home of the most radical sports in the world. You’re about to hit the beaches, parks and streets of the Golden State to go for trophies in everything from surfing to bike racing. California Games gives you the hottest sports and the most aggro competition. You even have to pick your own sponsor. So pull on those kneepads – you’re about to get into the most fun you’ve had since Mom hid your skateboard. California Games is going to take you from surf to the turf, from the pipe to the parks.

Nintendo DSiWare

Art Style: BASE 10™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Art Style: BASE 10 is a game of numbers. Your goal is simple: create combinations equaling 10 by sliding numbers around the playing field. Move them horizontally or vertically, but be careful not to create an unusable non-number in the process. Choose from one of three modes: eliminate a set amount of numbers as quickly as possible in ZEROSUM MODE; get rid of prearranged groups of numbers in as few moves as possible in PUZZLE MODE; or continue removing numbers until your game is over in INFINITE MODE. In addition, you can challenge an opponent to a two-player wireless battle in VS MODE and see whose number-crunching skills reign supreme. If you think you’re a master with numbers, the straightforward yet challenging world of Art Style: BASE 10 gives you the opportunity to prove it in a unique way.

Asphalt 4: Elite Racing
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: For the racing elite, the world is their racetrack. Choose among 28 dream cars and motorcycles from the world’s most prestigious manufacturers. Then race your way through eight of the most renowned cities, fully rendered in 3-D. Control your speed machine with either standard or touch-screen controls for precision driving. Photos taken with the Nintendo DSi™ Camera can be used as your personal icon or can appear throughout the various environments, including the garage where you can customize and tune your vehicles. From New York to Shanghai, Paris to Dubai, you’ll weave a course through busy streets in six kinds of races plus four-player Multiplayer mode. Avoid police, demolish competitors and pass the leader to win. You’ll need to floor it at every straightaway and push every drift to the limit to stay one step ahead and become the ultimate VIP of urban racing.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Club Nintendo goodies ahoy!

Fresh from my email box:


Club Nintendo Thank you for achieving Elite Status at Club Nintendo
Congratulations! You reached Gold or Platinum status by the deadline of June 30th, 2009. Thank you for being a Nintendo fan and for providing feedback on products at Club Nintendo. We are finalizing details on our Gold and Platinum Special Rewards, and will have an announcement within the next month. When the announcement is made, you will receive an email requesting that you login to your Club Nintendo account in order to redeem your Special Reward. If you are a member of a Club Nintendo Family account, your Account Administrator will have to accept this Special Reward. We will then distribute rewards before the end of the calendar year. Thank you again!
Nintendo



Wonder what they're gonna be?

PS3 slim is real after all?

The much rumored (and denied) PS3 Slim looks like it might just be a reality after all.

Engadget is reporting that the Slim will be out by July, which would be this month. Which would be odd since there hasn't been any hype whatsoever for it.

Looks real to me though- I guess we'll see. By the way, 120 Gigs on that little guy? Very nice.