Home

    Wii News

    VC in Brief: Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars (SMS)

    March 9, 2009 - 7:45pm

    Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars (Sega Master System, 1 player, 500 Wii Points)We say: do not downloadAlex Kidd: The Lost Stars hides a very basic and redundant gameplay formula beneath its outer coat of bright pixels and wonderfully imaginative enemies. It's a game that hasn't held up too well over time, and will likely serve as nothing more than a reminder of one's childhood for a few minutes. Skip this one.
    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

    Suikoden Tierkreis pre-order customers obtain not-so rare bonuses

    March 9, 2009 - 6:45pm

    Pre-ordering Suikoden Tierkreis will net gamers the not-so rare combo of an art book and soundtrack at Amazon or GameStop. Tierkreis (the German word for Zodiac) is another in a long line of Suikoden role-playing titles from publisher Konami, this time offering players a unique online experience. The mode allows Tierkreis players to trade items and characters and battle exclusive online monsters to obtain rare (phat) loots. Suikoden Tierkreis hits the Nintendo DS on March 17. Seriously, few things entice consumers like the art book / soundtrack combo. If only the rest of the competitive retail world realized bundling collectible tchotchkes could drive more business, we'd always pre-order our beer.[Via Go Nintendo]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Bleach 4th: Flame Bringer announced in Japan, 3rd Phantom coming to US

    March 9, 2009 - 5:45pm

    Sega has announced a fourth DS Bleach game, called, appropriately enough, Bleach DS 4th: Flame Bringer. The first two DS games were fighting games developed by Treasure, and the third is an internally-developed tactical RPG. So basically we have no idea what Flame Bringer will be. The official teaser site isn't telling! We'll find out when Sega decides to release any gameplay information at all. We're guessing "RPG," since Treasure just did a Bleach fighter for Wii.And on the subject of its predecessor, GameStop http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=73893">reveals that The 3rd Phantom is coming to the US! We expect that the September 9 release date is a placeholder, although any Sega release on that date would be very cool.[Via Siliconera]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    This week on the Nintendo Channel: Celebrities, Mac and Cheese

    March 9, 2009 - 4:45pm

    Another Monday means another Nintendo Channel update, and this week we've got a boatload of new video content, as well as some new DS content to love. On the demo side, there are two piping hot samples, one of which is Personal Trainer, and the other TrackMania DS. Check the full list of demos after the break.On the video side, there's plenty of new content to watch. You can check out some footage from Pokemon Platinum, as well a nice developer chat with the folks behind World of Goo, and some footage from Sega titles House of the Dead: Overkill and MadWorld.

    Continue reading This week on the Nintendo Channel: Celebrities, Mac and Cheese

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Spore Hero: details on the Wii's Spore spinoff

    March 9, 2009 - 3:45pm

    EA is finally bringing Spore to the Wii, sort of: Spore Hero is coming this fall, but, of course, it won't be exactly the same as the PC game. Spore Hero, as revealed to MTV Multiplayer today, is a heavily motion control-dependent adventure based on the "creature" stage of Spore. The same creature editor from the original is present in Hero, allowing players to create new life with the Wiimote's pointer.Players will now directly control the creature in "a series of quests and adventures in a kind of open world that you can take at your own pace." New parts can be added that will translate to new motion-controlled moves. Some moves, like jumping, will open up new areas to explore. EA is currently "taking a look" at MotionPlus for Spore Hero, for improved sensitivity for the motion-based gameplay.This sounds a lot like the DS's Spore Creatures -- whose sequel, Spore Hero Arena, is still scheduled for a fall release on DS.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Come look at Go Play City Sports

    March 9, 2009 - 2:45pm

    These screens of Majesco's Go Play City Sports, part of the series that also includes Go Play Lumberjacks, provide an unintentionally hilarious counterpoint to all the news related to the "Change4Life" ad campaign. That print ad decries gaming as a harmfully sedentary activity; this game simulates going outside and playing.Of course, Go Play City Sports isn't just a "sit on the couch" experience: the collection, which includes stickball, kickball, handball, jump rope, shootout soccer, and rooftop hockey, supports the Balance Board, in addition to the usual frantic hand-waving. Four players will be able to pretend to go out into the street this fall.
    Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Now Playing: March 8-14, 2009

    March 9, 2009 - 1:44pm


    Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:Last updated: Wednesday, 9:40 am

    (Note: All platform release lists are posted after the break; use "Continued" button below.)

    Will we survive a second straight month of Friday the 13th? Something Evil is bound to be unleashed ... so stock up on green herb. In the meantime, we're faced with one of the most difficult decisions of the New Year, as two amputation-themed titles are released this week. Which will win over our steady hands: MadWorld or the long awaited game adaptation of Grey's Anatomy?

    Continue reading Now Playing: March 8-14, 2009

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

    MadWorld: Just Hot Enough for TV

    March 9, 2009 - 1:00pm

    Sega is taking a somewhat rare step (for a third-party Wii game) in its advertising campaign for MadWorld: a TV commercial. We hardly ever see ads for Wii games on TV, and Sega has been responsible for two lately: this one, and the previous House of the Dead: Overkill spot, which also mentioned MadWorld.Despite its graphic violence (which can only be hinted at on television), Platinum Games' brawler is an excellent candidate for a TV campaign: we believe that the amazing high-contrast graphical style alone can sell copies, and thus putting it in front of more people is a great thing. We also think that not all Wii owners are in the audience for game blogs, and as such may not have even known that they needed MadWorld. And now they will!

    Continue reading MadWorld: Just Hot Enough for TV

    Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    UK executes largest ever seizure of game copying devices

    March 9, 2009 - 11:47am


    Nefarious game thieves may find it just a bit harder to feed their habit in the UK: Investigators just conducted the largest seizure of copying devices in the area's history. After discovering large numbers of DS devices being imported into the country, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association shut down the operation, which included "a fully operational production line" and a history which indicated it was worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.Sorry about the tough break, crooks. Looks like you'll have to buy your copy of Jelly Belly Ballistic Beans at a store, just like the rest of us.
    Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Wiikly Wares: Gradius Rebirth, Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars

    March 9, 2009 - 11:15am


    With the release of a glorious, space-faring shooter this week, we're subtly reminded just how much the Wiiware service has in common with the limitless and largely unexplored realm of outer space. Though there are several bright spots, most of it's just a cold, empty void. And you shoot everything in it.WiiwareGradius ReBirth (Konami, 1 player, 1000 Wii Points): A retro and peculiarly capitalized side-scrolling shooter, Gradius ReBirth tasks you with dodging death and blasting all manner of deformed space monstrosities. Reminder: Bullets are bad for you!Virtual ConsoleAlex Kidd: The Lost Stars (Sega Master System, 1 player, 500 Wii Points): This is the one where Alex Kidd is searching for the twelve zodiac signs. It's easily confused with the one where he's searching for Matthew Fox and Terry O'Quinn.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments