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    The Conduit Wii case mod much cooler than actual game

    October 6, 2009 - 6:45pm


    If you own more than one console, there's a sizable chance that you found The Conduit underwhelming. A commendable effort, sure, but not the world-rending behemoth we were all hoping for. That said, if you own multiple consoles, you probably also have enough money to afford a sweet custom rig. Thus we present a custom Wii dedicated to High Voltage's good ol' college try.

    While it might appear to be little more than a Wii with a face painted one side and a logo plastered on the other, the real magic happens when you turn it on, causing it to light up so very prettily. See it all in the detailed (and vaguely sensual) video after the break.

    [Thanks, John]

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    EEDAR: 37% of Wii games went unreviewed in early 2009

    October 6, 2009 - 4:30pm


    In his latest "debriefing" on IndustryGamers, EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich suggets that the average score for Wii games may be improving because a significant portion of titles aren't being reviewed. Strictly comparing January to June, in both 2008 and 2009, the analyst group graphed the total number of titles released for the three major platforms and the percentages of those titles that were not reviewed (see above). The number at the bottom of each bar represents the number of titles released for the platform in the stated time period; while the percentage at the top corresponds to the quantity of those titles that was not reviewed.Divnich recognizes that "while the Wii has experienced a rise in average review scores (from 60 to 66 in one year), this has come at the benefit of critics ignoring some titles that could have possibly dragged down the Wii's average." However, it's possible that such reviews could have also raised the average score -- we know, that's unlikey, but still. Additionally, the report notes that the unreviewed Wii games weren't "core-targeted titles," which also holds true for unreviewed games on Xbox 360 and PS3.Divnich maintains that Wii games are getting better, but he concludes, "It is just coming at the cost of not reviewing the increase in casual and low-budget titles." He believes that a similar issue could appear occur with respect to PS3 and Xbox 360 as the consoles' casual demographics increase in conjunction with the continued growth of their install bases.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    New Games This Month: October 2009

    October 6, 2009 - 4:00pm


    The autumnal onslaught continues, but its efforts to overwhelm us have redoubled this month. Uncharted 2 and Brütal Legend on the same day? What do they think we are? Game-playing machines? (No, not Billy Mitchell. Like, literal game-playing machines.) The big releases, like the aforementioned titles and Forza 3, are dropping every week, so how badly will your wallet be bruised?
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    Bear witness to these Crystal Bearers images

    October 6, 2009 - 3:30pm

    GAME Watch has rounded up the known details of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers's story and setting, including the disappearance of the Yukes and the existence of the Crystal Bearers, a few people with mysterious psychic powers. There's also apparently one crystal "idol" for each species. There's a lot more in the writeup, but after TGS, we're hoping to take a short break from squinting at Japanese text really hard.Luckily, the really relevant part of the article is the huge assortment of screenshots, along with concept art like the piece seen here. Crystal Bearers is out November 12 in Japan and December 26 in North America.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Japanese Nintendo downloads: Bravo for Bunnies

    October 6, 2009 - 2:15pm

    Okay, so the two WiiWare games this week were actually released last week. Once again, no WiiWare games are out this week, allowing us the luxury of highlighting the content that didn't make it to the site previously. And how could we let a NEVES sequel or a game based on Toei Animation and Sanrio's Sugarbunnies go by without mentioning them? The Sugarbunnies game manages to out-cute Cooking Mama by setting its cooking minigames in a cartoon bunny world.As for Virtual Console, we're really beginning to tire of the standard 800 point price for arcade games. Bravoman is cool, but New Rally-X? Really? You shouldn't even pay eight bucks for a New Rally-X arcade machine.

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    Nintendo sells 2.2 million DSis, says Walmart is biggest customer

    October 6, 2009 - 1:15pm


    During a recent interview with CNBC, Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime addressed the Wii's recent price drop (surprise: it's seen positive results) and the company's strategy for the upcoming holiday season. The manufacturer is counting on a strong showing for its DSi handheld, with Reggie revealing that 2.2 million units have now been sold, presumably in North America alone. Of course, Nintendo couldn't have possibly sold that many handhelds without the help of retailers and according to Reggie, Walmart has been the biggest customer. We're not surprised -- Walmart is supernatural, after all.

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    Play as your Mii, or a professional skater, or a professional skater's Mii in Tony Hawk Ride

    October 6, 2009 - 12:45pm

    Remember when we thought every Wii game was going to let you play as your Mii? And then remember when that didn't happen and the inclusion of Miis into every third-party game was a Big Deal? This news about Tony Hawk Ride makes us nostalgic for both of those times.Developer Buzz Monkey and Activision have received the mysteriously elusive permission from Nintendo to include Mii support, allowing users not only to play as their own Miis, but as included Mii likenesses of the pro skaters featured in the game. So if the in-game Tony Hawk avatar doesn't have a big enough head for you, there's a built-in solution.In addition to the extra Mii features, Tony Hawk Ride on the Wii will include two exclusive levels. Usually, motion controls are enough of an exclusive feature for a game's Wii version, but this time, of course, that isn't the case, and it looks like Activision has found interesting ways to compensate. Enjoy some footage from the Wii game after the break.While both Guitar Hero World Tour and 5 included Mii modes, Xbox Avatar support was new for the latest GH game. We've contacted Activision to determine whether Avatars will find their way into Ride as well.

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    DJ Hero's full track list revealed

    October 6, 2009 - 10:45am


    Activision Blizzard has dropped the list of all DJ Hero's block-rockin' beats that players will be mixin' for mad points. The full catalog on the disc consists of 93 tracks covering several genres of music -- the kids (both young and old) aren't likely to be disappointed.DJ Hero releases on October 27 and October 30 in North America and Europe, respectively. Expect DLC tracks soon after (and maybe a sequel soon after that). Check out the full scratchable set list after the break and let us know what you think.

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    VC in Brief: Final Fantasy (NES)

    October 5, 2009 - 11:45pm

    Final Fantasy (NES, 1 player, 500 Wii Points)We say: A classic that everyone should at least try once
    The first Final Fantasy needs no introduction. It's a timeless classic and influential in countless ways, so it definitely deserves a playthrough. We'd say more, but there isn't really much else to say about one of the most important games ever.
    Every week, we like to check out what's new on the Virtual Console. We offer these videos as a sort of taste to help you decide whether or not you would want the game in question. We also toss in our own two cents because we're pushy jerks.Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Hands-on: Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce (360/PS3), Samurai Warriors 3 (Wii)

    October 5, 2009 - 10:30pm

    I played two games in Koei's prolific Warriors series at TGS: the Wii-exclusive Samurai Warriors 3, and the PS3/360 port of the PSP's Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce. The two games were as different from one another as two Warriors games could be, though, of course, both games stuck to the Warriors foundation of controlling a historical war hero as he or she beats several thousand enemy soldiers on a crowded battlefield. Both seem like high-quality entries, each offering compelling reasons for lapsed combatants to return to the fight.

    Continue reading Hands-on: Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce (360/PS3), Samurai Warriors 3 (Wii)

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