Wii News

Man rocks us to the core with a Koopa Troopa electric guitar


We were just about to label 2009 the "Worst Year Ever in the History of Time," but ... but then this happened. From the depths of Reddit come a quintet of images of an unnamed musical engineer's latest project: An electric guitar shaped like a Koopa Troopa. We're so glad these pictures exist, because we're not sure our mind's eye could imagine something as fantastical as "an electric guitar shaped like a Koopa Troopa" without some sort of visual aid.

Check out the Reddit entry to see the fruits of this unnamed magician's labor. Whoever you are, if you're reading this, please send a video of you playing this thing. Ideally to Iron Maiden's "The Trooper."Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Trauma Team characters detailed by Atlus, a real doctor


Atlus has introduced the full compliment of the six staffers that make up its upcoming Trauma Team. I asked my wife, an actual doctor, to provide me with some insight on each specialty.

My take: Playing as this guy sounds like the other Trauma Center games, except I think they all had names and CR-SO1 is not a name. I'm assuming that, as in previous games and in real surgery, he'll be able to draw a magical sign that slows down time.
Dr. McElroy's take: There is no magical healing gel and we never make the sign of the pentagram over our patients, especially not in this part of West Virginia.

Continue reading Trauma Team characters detailed by Atlus, a real doctor

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Luigi's Mansion + Castlevania = Mansionvania: Vacuum of Sorrow


We'll have to file this one under the "Games That We Wish Existed" category, as the screen you see above is little more than a pixelart mash-up of Luigi's Mansion and the Castlevania series. Masterfully created by Shane Gill for his PixelJoint page (and spotted by the folks at Tiny Cartridge), the piece is the living embodiment of what we wish the DSiWare service played host to more often.

Alas, we don't believe we'll be seeing "Mansionvania: Vacuum of Sorrow" landing on Nintendo's digital distribution service anytime soon -- but we can at least point to it next time someone asks what we'd like to see available for download. "That! Go make that! That 2D pixel game with the vacuum-wielding Luigi! And enough with the calendars already!"

[Via Tiny Cartridge]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Finally, a Naruto photo app for DSiWare

When you bought your DSi, you may have told people you were interested in downloadable Art Style games and augmented reality apps, but we know you were preparing yourself for the day you'd get to digitally insert your face into Naruto character portraits. Well, your dream will come true soon, when Takara Tomy releases Nari Chara Naruto Shippuden in Japan.

The app seems pretty simple: choose your Naruto image with a blanked-out character face, choose (or shoot) a DSi-snapped photo, and just like that, you and Sasuke are best friends forever. You can also add effects, holiday messages, and turn your photo into a slide puzzle!

[Via Siliconera]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Amazon deals: peripheral sale; $20 credit for $80 purchase


Have your peripherals gotten dirty, like, just plain filthy? Well, don't touch them! You could catch something. Instead, consider buying clean ones during Amazon's peripheral sale. Controllers, adapters, wires, and even Microsoft Points cards are included, with discounts ranging from 10-25 percent off regular prices. The sale doesn't appear to have a clear end date, so you could have any number of days to take advantage.

In a separate promotion, Amazon is offering a $20 credit toward a future video game purchase (made by March 31) when spending at least $80 on select software. This promotion ends January 2, and the credit will be applied directly to your account after the items ship. Only one credit per household. Void where prohibited. Don't stare directly into the sun. Always tip your waitress.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rock Band Weekly: Paul McCartney, Blink-182, Psychedelic Furs, Ramones


Paul McCartney, in a non-Beatles outing, rings in the new year for next week's Rock Band Weekly update. The 67-year-old rocker (good on him!) will have the company of a Blink-182 pack, along with individual tracks from The Psychedelic Furs and The Ramones. Ringo might be in there too, but nobody would notice either way -- poor Ringo.

Check out pricing and track details for the console releases after the break.

Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Paul McCartney, Blink-182, Psychedelic Furs, Ramones

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Modern Warfare 2 reigns over UK charts for seventh week


Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 may have only sold 2,000 more units than FIFA 10 during the week ending December 26 in the UK, but it was enough for Infinity Ward's unstoppable shooter to hold the top spot for a seventh week. Meanwhile, with no high-profile releases following the solstice, the rest of the chart appears to be a dance of all the other titles moving up and down a couple notches.

Assassin's Creed 2 climbs back up two spots to third, with the next four spots occupied by Wii titles. Wii Sports Resort, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Wii Fit Plus and New Super Mario Bros Wii hold spots four through seven, respectively. The only real mover is James Cameron's Avatar, which used those long blue legs to reach eighth place.

Source -- Call of Duty is in 7th heaven [Chart Track]
Source -- All formats chart [Chart Track]Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rumor: Picross 3D in Europe this February

Picross 3D for DS was one of the titles announced by Nintendo at E3, but not dated or mentioned again, like Line Attack Heroes, Monado: The End of the World, and, until recently, WarioWare DIY. According to posts on Cubed3 and NeoGAF, the puzzler will be out on February 5 -- in Europe. Though http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/games/nds/picross_3d_13620.html">Nintendo UK still lists the date as "TBA", Cubed3 reports that Nintendo has confirmed the February 5 date.

Picross 3D, developed by HAL Laboratory, is based on the familiar Picross puzzle, in which players make marks in squares based on clues about how many in each row or column should be numbered. But Picross 3D starts with cubes instead of squares, with each mark chipping away at the cube to reveal a voxel-based 3D object.

There is no release date, rumored or otherwise, for North America, though the game was announced for release here.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

College Humor writes a complaint to Mario Bros. Plumbing


We've all seen Super Mario Bros. parodies before -- some that even make Mario a pretty sick and deranged dude. Been there, done that. But, what makes this College Humor video so special -- aside from its unusually grody depiction of the brothers Mario -- is its surprise ending. We won't spoil it for you, so you'll have to click on over if you want to check it out.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fast Draw Showdown shows up on WiiWare Jan. 5

Do you hate mid-90s FMV game actors? Do you love light gun games? You're going to be thrilled about this upcoming WiiWare release from Digital Leisure. This Monday, you'll be able to shoot several of those actors in Fast Draw Showdown on WiiWare.

Originally released to arcades in 1994, Fast Draw Showdown is a series of -- what else? -- showdowns against various Old West stereotypes, culminating in a match against real-life quick draw expert Wes Flowers. There's a trailer after the break -- if you pretend to shoot at everyone on the screen, it'll be just like playing the game!

Continue reading Fast Draw Showdown shows up on WiiWare Jan. 5

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments