While North America is still waiting for its first chance to lay fingers upon Yuji Naka's idiosyncratic brainchild, Let's Tap, a recent ESRB rating is hinting at the American release of Prope's second "Let's" project -- a WiiWare title by the name of Let's Catch. We'll give you one guess as to what the core gameplay mechanic involves.If you thought the gameplay in Let's Tap was bizarre, brace yourselves -- according to the ESRB description, Let's Catch features short sessions of "outdoor catch," where players participate in conversations with their computer-controlled partner. These conversations can apparently take a turn towards the topic of romance, with NPC's matter-of-factly stating things like, "I've decided to never think about chasing a married man again." Thanks, but we think we'll leave the computerized relationship chatter in more capable hands fins.[Via Sega Nerds]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Nintendo's latest Iwata Asks interview puts the surprisingly small Rhythm Heaven team in the universally awkward position of being interviewed by their employer. The five-person team turns out to be every bit as quirky as the game. Project lead Kazuyoshi Osawa, for example, said he "agonized" over the DS control scheme for about six months. Apparently, he wasn't exaggerating -- other team members noticed. "Yeah, he was in grueling agony for quite some time," said Kou Takeuchi. Osawa said that Masami Yone helps him cheer up by sending him pictures of kittens (an unauthorized use of company e-mail for which the two were semi-jokingly admonished by Iwata).Oh, and there's also a lot of discussion of the Game Boy Advance, arcade, and DS games and their development, including details of producer Tsunku's involvement. But the adorable interaction between the team is the real draw here.
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With the launch of the Nintendo DSi and its DSi Shop downloads coming next week, you might be seeing some changes to your usual Wiikly Wares posts. For now, let's just enjoy what little time we have left and think about the good times we've had. Virtual ConsoleSuper Punch-Out!! (SNES, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Little Mac is back in this SNES sequel to one of the most beloved NES titles of all time. As Little Mac, you'll need to bob, weave, and pummel your way through old foes and new opponents alike. Just watch out for Hoy Quarlow. Apparently, he's allowed to box with a big wooden stick.WiiWareBonsai Barber (Nintendo, 1 -4 players, 1,000 Wii Points): Nintendo's WiiWare game combines the intensity of landscaping with the personal responsibility of barbering, as you tend to the 12 demanding customers of your local town. Each day, 5 of these customers will arrive looking for that perfect style. Good luck with satisfying a strawberry boffin, a daredevil carrot, a cactus cowboy, and a suave banana with top-secret clearance (we think he's an undercover plantain).Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lamentably, in the current console generation, Nintendo decided to turn away from the popular strategy of juicing the visual capabilities of its hardware to eye-searing levels. YouTube user renebarahona recently gave us a taste of what HD Wii would have been like by cranking up the visuals of a few titles to 720p using the Dolphin emulator on PC. We've got two examples, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, posted after the break (be sure to turn on HD mode).We're not advocating the shameless emularceny of Wii titles, though it is interesting to see how these games look with a bit extra graphical endowment. To use a standard rate of exchange, it's about the visual equivalent of three GameCubes duct-taped together -- maybe even three-and-a-half. We're not quite certain.[Via IGN]

Continue reading Wii emulator boosts visuals to 720p HD

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