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    Dead Rising: less chopping, no jumping

    January 19, 2009 - 9:07pm


    More and more, it seems like Dead Rising for the Wii is not a harmonious port, adjusted to a new engine to improve the controls and to allow a new set of fans to enjoy the experience of knocking zombies down with bowling balls. Instead, it looks like Dead Rising is being pushed into the Resident Evil 4 engine with few to no adjustments to suit Dead Rising itself, even if they would make sense for the gameplay. According to the latest issue of Nintendo Power, Frank can no longer jump -- though we don't know if that includes attacks that require jumping. Does that mean weapons and items on certain ledges and overhangs will no longer be there, or will we have a special "action" button? Less tolerable still might be the changes to the items and melee weapons. Despite the Wii port's focus on the fun of poking zombies in the eye with broom handles and the like, with Chop 'Til You Drop, you can only carry one melee weapon at a time ... and the game will have fewer items overall.That means most of your serious weaponry will be given over to guns. But it opens up a lot of questions, such as: what counts as a melee weapon under this system? Can you only carry (the horror) one small chainsaw at a time? Does that mean you'll automatically drop that chainsaw if you pick up one of the big table umbrellas to knock aside a bunch of zombies? And how, exactly, does that increase the fun factor of the game? Guns were great in certain instances in the original, but even an increased emphasis on shooting (and better controls for it) can't possibly compare to whipping through a crowd with Adam's chainsaws. The combination of chainsaws and zombies might well make up this blogger's vision of the perfect afterlife.Some of us are trying to stay positive, because any Dead Rising should be (or at least, could be) fun, but Capcom, you're not making it easy. Perhaps, once played, all fears and worries will be assuaged, but at this point, we're looking at a totally different game ... and not sure it sounds all that fantastic.

    Russia: last stronghold against Nintendo domination

    January 19, 2009 - 8:10pm

    While Nintendo and the Wii are super-successful all around the world, they won't crack Russia. At least, that's the opinion of Inna Bukatina, head of international licensing and acquisition for publisher GFI. The reasons for Nintendo's lack of market dominance in the country include such hurdles as an older population who is less familiar with computers than their peers in other countries. This is a big problem for Nintendo's 'expanded audience' focus.Another issue: Russian gamers' preference for multipurpose devices that provide multiple formats of entertainment. "For example, a PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Portable can be used for games, or films, and so on." So that's where that strategy works!

    VC Monday Madness: MUSHA

    January 19, 2009 - 7:15pm

    MUSHA (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)Wii Fanboy says: download it!
    MUSHA is a great shmup. It's fast, fun, and very challenging. There's plenty of crazy weapons and the difficulty level makes things engaging throughout. It's a very solid shmup and a great way to drop 800 Points.
    Each week, we here at Wii Fanboy like to check out the latest Virtual Console releases in our VC Monday Madness feature, in the hopes that you can make the most sound decision possible regarding purchasing retro titles from the Wii Shop Channel.

    Sega: Mature-themed games the way forward

    January 19, 2009 - 6:15pm

    Click for more MATURE-THEMED imagery.
    Sega, the company that put Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games in two million British homes, has seen the future on Wii -- and it's not minigame-shaped.Rather than follow the herd, Sega intends to aim squarely at a part of the market it feels is being neglected: mature-themed Wii games. Sega's Alan Pritchard and John Clark both hope that the company can capitalize on what they perceive as a lack of "hardcore titles" on Wii, and to be fair to Sega, they're putting their money where their mouth is, by publishing House of the Dead: Overkill, The Conduit, and MadWorld.On the subject of MadWorld, the publisher has promised that Platinum Games' bloody, stylized action game is a Wii exclusive. A small fuss was kicked up after the game was listed by the OFLC as "Multi Platform," but Sega has already reassured several sites that MadWorld isn't making eyes at other consoles.

    Sega: Mature-themed games the way forward

    January 19, 2009 - 6:15pm

    Click for more MATURE-THEMED imagery.
    Sega, the company that put Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games in two million British homes, has seen the future on Wii -- and it's not minigame-shaped.Rather than follow the herd, Sega intends to aim squarely at a part of the market it feels is being neglected: mature-themed Wii games. Sega's Alan Pritchard and John Clark both hope that the company can capitalize on what they perceive as a lack of "hardcore titles" on Wii, and to be fair to Sega, they're putting their money where their mouth is, by publishing House of the Dead: Overkill, The Conduit, and MadWorld.On the subject of MadWorld, the publisher has promised that Platinum Games' bloody, stylized action game is a Wii exclusive. A small fuss was kicked up after the game was listed by the OFLC as "Multi Platform," but Sega has already reassured several sites that MadWorld isn't making eyes at other consoles.

    Nintendo: 99% of 2008 industry growth is all us

    January 19, 2009 - 5:19pm


    In this tough economy, it's nice to see that gaming has been relatively untouched, saved for all of those layoffs. Despite the weak economy, people are still buying games. Why? Well, if you ask Nintendo, it's all because of them.Throughout 2008, Nintendo sold 10.17 million units in the U.S., claiming to be the first company to sell 10 million consoles in America in a single year. We're not sure if that, combined with DS sales and software, is enough to claim that you're 99% responsible for industry growth. But, Nintendo certainly has more money than anyone else, so we guess they can say whatever they want. We'd hate for them to pull another Alderaan if we questioned them. [Via Joystiq]

    Don't get between Wesley Snipes and Wii

    January 19, 2009 - 4:26pm

    While attending Sundance, the actor caught up with the MTV Movies Blog and talked briefly about, you know, movies. Turns out he isn't in town for that so much, instead showing up for what he assumes is some last haven for the Wii console. A kind of sanctuary for the Wii or something. Good luck finding that Sony Wii, guy. Just remember to pay for it. You don't want to be in any more trouble. Check out the video past the break.

    Mini Ninjas provide stealth kills in convenient travel size

    January 19, 2009 - 3:31pm

    The DS's Ninjatown will now have some competition in the adorable-ninja department, although Io Interactive's Mini Ninjas is more I-Ninja than Ninjatown. The action-platformer, announced for just about every currently-available gaming platform except PSP and phones, features a chibi assassin named Hiro and his traveling companions, as they travel to the Fortress of Doom to defeat the Evil Samurai Warlord. There's something kind of funny about setting ninja as good guys versus samurai! The game is due out Fall 2009 in both North America and Europe, published by Eidos. Head into our gallery for totally cute screens, and check out the also-cute (but surprisingly badass, and surprisingly panda) trailer above!

    The saga continues in latest Kororinpa trailer

    January 19, 2009 - 2:35pm

    Hudson has dished out a new trailer for its upcoming puzzle game, Marble Saga: Kororinpa. As one might expect, it's full of tilting levels and rolling balls. That's pretty much how it goes in the world of Kororinpa. Of course, the game will support the Balance Board, so we're anxious to see how that all works out. How about you all?Marble Saga: Kororinpa is set for release in North America this spring.

    Guitar Hero: Metallica includes extra pedal so you can try to be Lars Ulrich [update]

    January 19, 2009 - 1:39pm


    A listing for upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica has popped up on GameStop, along with an interesting bonus for pre-ordering the game. According to the site, the game will include a bonus drum pedal, along with a splitter, which will allow would-be rockers to drum with dual pedals if you order early. You know, just like Lars Ulrich.The listing is for the Xbox 360 version of the game, but it's a safe bet to expect this for Wii. It's a multiplatform game after all and if one version is going to offer dual pedals, we doubt it would be excluded from the other versions and a bonus exclusive to the Xbox.Update: Added further clarification that this is a pre-order bonus.[Via Joystiq]