Crystal Defenders seeing an April release

A recent press release concerning Square Enix's upcoming titles coming to downloadable services reveals that Crystal Defenders R1 "will be available for download in April". Within the PR, they also highlight some of the new features of the WiiWare versions, citing interface improvements and WFC Support for leaderboards The WiiWare version includes several improvements to the interface and a new design optimized for consoles. The press release doesn't specify if this will be a worldwide release in April but it certain seems to indicate such. Still no details on whether or not the 1,000-Point price tag in Japan will carry over to the other regions, and that's a burning question on the minds of many.

13th April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Evasive Space releases.... in Japan?

Wow... If a company ever wants to show that they don't plan on releasing their games in a region anytime soon, this is the way to do it. Rather than seeing a release in Europe first, it seems like Evasive Space has arrived in Japan first back on April 7th. You can't help but question High Voltage's decision to release it in Japan first.

13th April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Boxart Update (NA): Personal Trainer Walking

Take a look at the NA localization of Personal Trainer: Walking! Looks quite good if you ask me. Quite colourful and easy on the eyes. The main thing that will catch people's eyes, though, are the fact that Mii's can be incorporated which goes back to the secret option in the Mii Channel that was uncovered that allows you to "Connect to DS", insinuating Mii transfers to the DS/DSi. Interestingly, enough, the game also has Wi-Fi Support. It'll be interesting to hear more on what this WFC Support will specifically entail for the player.

13th April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Klonoa Game Page opened!

Namco Bandai Games has opened up a sub-page specifically for the upcoming North American release of Klonoa on the Wii. The site shows off some of the features of the game, but there's nothing really new save for the unveiling of the Wii-exclusive "Reverse Mode". Feel free to take a quick look.

13th April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Boxart Update (NA): The Conduit

Take a look at the latest update for The Conduit's boxart. The game will be seenig a release sometime very soon before the end of the second quarter in North America. High Voltage seems to hold a lot of promise for the game and judging from recent interviews, they seem pleased with how they've approached certain things, including the online multiplayer aspect. However, some previews of recent date have stated that they aren't too impressed with the generic, stale gameplay. For example, they've used some words as "boring", "uninspired", and "forgettable" to describe The Conduit. These statements are sure to irk those who are looking forward to this game very much. Here's a portion from their hands-on preview. Be sure to read the rest of the article to see all of their thoughts. While this may be only one person's/site's opinion, it still should concern those who are putting so much hype towards this game. Here's an excerpt from NGamer's preview:

• It's true the Wii doesn't have a great many shooters, but does that mean we should reward any old tat that comes along simply because the genre's better examples aren't available for the platform? We don't think so. The truth is that while The Conduit may be marvellous on a technical level, underneath it seems to be the same old corridor-traipsing gunfest you've seen many times before - and it's not really much fun. Still, maybe something will change before release day...

That's funny. Something similar was said about Onslaught.... Irregardless of that fact, the game seems to have enough new aspects to serve a purpose on the Wii, especially with the online multiplayer aspects not to mention marking itself as the first third-party game to use the Wii Speak accessory. Hopefully because of thsi game, other developers will finally follow suit.

13th April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Rock Band could come to DS

Product Developer at Harmonix is looking towards the feature and claims that although their focus right now is the upcoming PSP title, they don't plan to rule out potential on the DS and it could see a Rock Band iteration in the future. It'll be interesting to see how they approach the title. We saw how Guitar Hero was tailored to suit the DS and that required the DS Slot. One can't help but wonder how they'd incorporate Mic, and Drum Support and if they'd use the DSi's capabilities maybe for character customization and that sorta thing. One big question would be if they'd plan to incorporate DLC.

• We are looking carefully at the DS, and certainly aren’t ruling out developing for it in the future. However, for right now, our focus is on Rock Band Unplugged as a PSP title.

Sounds promising, no? What would you like to see?

13th April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Eduardo the Samurai Toaster coming soon to WiiWare!

A portion from a recent interview reveals that Eduardo the Samurai Toaster has been completed, is ready for release and is currently waiting on Nintendo to announce a release date and pricing details for them.

• We’ve finished the game, and are awaiting Nintendo to go through their cert-sorta process.

Will you be giving the game a try when it comes out? I predict it'll be priced at either 800 or 1,000 Points. According to their blog post, they seem to be hoping strongly for a May release.

• Eduardo is done, and now it's just a matter of time before it sees release. Cross your fingers for May...

13th April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Nintendo Download (NA) - April 13th

Today's update sees the release of the recently-announced Mixed Messages on DSiWare as well as another Master of Illusion Express game entitled Shuffle Faces, Pop-Up Pirate (renamed to Party Fun Pirate) on WiiWare, and even the long-awaited Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure on the Virtual Console. Pop-Up Pirate has been out in EU for a while now so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Billy's consideration of the game can be found on the Games Index page. Mixed Messages was recently announced just last week so it's nice to see it come out so quickly, not to mention the fact that Activison has now been officially considered as a third-party developer for DSiWare. It'll be interesting to see if they plan to expand their efforts towards WiiWare as well. It's also nice to see Pitfall finally make its appearance on the Virtual Console. You can see the press release below.

11th April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Steel Penny Games responds to Bruiser and Scratch sales

Jason Hughes over at Steel Penny Games has updated their site with a recent blog post discussing how they've reacted to the sales of their WiiWare game, Bruiser and Scratch, which released in NA back in 2008. What do they have to say? How did Bruiser and Scratch do? Well, to put it frankly, not very good. Here's what Jason said:

• "Bruiser & Scratch has been available on WiiWare for a while, and as expected, we haven't been blown away by sales figures.  Partly, this is our fault for allowing the game to ship when it wasn't Crash Bandicoot... [W]e should have made a chintzy 2D version of the game, cut the characters, cut the story, and basically shipped it 6 months earlier... Also, if we'd released earlier there would be less puzzle game exhaustion on the part of the user base.. by the time we came out, there were more than enough puzzle games on WiiWare to go around.  The initial reviews skewered us, and that's all she wrote."

It's very discouraging to hear this kind of news especially when the game deserved some praise for what it did. It's a shame, really, but let's hope that this hasn't totally discouraged them from making future WiiWare releases.

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Majora's Mask coming to EU/AU in a few hours!

I was right! The VC releases WOULD get better with the DSi's release! I can easily see this coming on Monday for NA. Finally some justice for us not in Japan!

This week, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask [is] ready for you to download... The acclaimed sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arrives on Virtual Console! Link must wield the power of several magical masks to save the land from destruction – and he has only 72 hours to do it! Majora’s Mask is an epic, gripping race against time that should belong in every fan’s collection.

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Drill Sergeant Mindstrong announced for WiiWare

XSEED, the developer that brought us Retro Game Challenge for the DS, is taking a try at WiiWare with their newly-announced game, Drill Sergeant Mindstrong, which seems to be a Brain Training game with a unique premise. I must say, this is the first time I've ever heard of a military-based brain training game. The game will even throw insults around at you too - albeit, that could be a turn off for some. If you spend too long on a certain activity or if you make one too many mistakes, then the Sergeant's anger levels will increase to the point where he'll throw insults and even issue punishments and the like. The game is slated to appear sometime in April.

Interestingly, the whole idea of the Drill Sergeant not being "afraid to embarass players" is reflected in its ESRB rating. Notice that the game has been given an E10+ rating recently for Mild Language and Violence. Now, take a gander at the summary they've compiled for the game:

"This is a collection of mini-games (i.e., party games) in which players train and compete in math, rhythm, and reflex/timing drills guided by a trainer named Sergeant Mindstrong. Mini-games include shooting numbered targets according to the sergeant’s instructions; performing timed salutes and “at ease” cues; and marching in time while holding realistic-looking rifles. Each mini-game contains the word hell in the title (e.g., “Hell Roll Call” and “Hell Calculation”), and the drill sergeant sometimes provokes the players by using insulting nicknames (e.g., “Meathead, “Arm Pit,” “Sugar Buns,” “Sissy,” etc.)."

This game could probably be seen as offensive for some so we'll have to wait and see on that one and of course, wait to see if the gameplay holds up enough to warrant a purchase. $10 says this'll be 1,000 Wii Points just like Brain Challenge.

IGN: Drill Sergeant Mindstrong for WiiWare >>

Read the full press release here >>

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Boom Blox: Bash Party will boast a big unlockables system

The game is shaping up quite nicely and one thing that's clear to anyone who's been following the recent impressions for the game is that the game has a lot of content. Over 400 levels, online integration, and over 20 multiplayer modes/games to participate in, there's a lot on the table for the sequel! Games Radar has recently revealed a new tidbit about Boom Blox that may be new to you. 

Each single-player level now also contains a hidden block related to the game's new form of currency, BoomBux. Whichever medal you win at the end of each round now determines how many BoomBux you make, and your wallet can also be bolstered by discovering and knocking over the hidden BoomBux Blox in each level. BoomBux will be used primarily for unlocking single-player content, allowing players to bypass any particularly hard areas that they get stuck on. EA was careful to note that since the game is meant for parties, all multiplayer content will be unlocked from the beginning.

GamesRadar: Boom Blox Bash Party Impressions >>

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

MySims Racing will have customizable vehicles

EA's latest press release for MySims Racing reveals a few more tidbits about the game - no, online still hasn't been confirmed officially (although one or two sources did say it was planned). The first interesting detail we learn is that the game seems to be a racing game that's not simply karts or cars. The game sports a big vehicle selection ranging from trucks, to SUV's to normal cars. In addition, this press release has also made mention of the idea of being able to customize your characters and their respective vehicles. You can choose between Performance Upgrades such as Engine parts, Handling adjustments and secret, "Special" parts. You can also choose between Styling Upgrades, choosing between different bumpers, wheels, ornaments and decorations andother things of that nature. Paint Shop will enable you to add certain decals to your vehicles in the same vein as essences from the original MySims. You're also able to customize each MySim's hair, eyes, voice and other attributes like in the original game. Overall, I'd say the game is shaping up quite nicely but it will be nice to get a confirmation of online play. Also, doesn't this image bear a strong resemblance like to Mario Kart Wii?!

Read the full press release here >>

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Wake-boarding game in the works?

IGN recently reported on an interesting development that took place during the GDC conference last week - the mention of a wake-boarding game on Wii. I think it would work very well on Wii. I wonder if it WMP support would enhance the gameplay and make it more seamless. Here's what they reported:

• They got to talking about the platform and then the suits asked for more information on a wake-boarding game, which they said they were very interested in. One of the shy guys explained that it was designed specifically to work with the Wii Balance Board, which seemed to impress the men across from him. It was a very enthusiastic conversation and I wish I could have eavesdropped longer, but I had to get up and get to that interview. As I walked out of the bar, I noticed that Disney Interactive was holding an event on another side of the floor. Don't know if the wake-boarding game is related, but could be. It'll be interesting to see if anything comes of it.

Sounds great to me. Hope it's not just some idle talk and actually comes about at some point.

IGN: GDC Developments >>

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Hideo Kojima has an unannounced project in the works

Hideo Kojima, the the creator of the Metal Gear Solid series, was featured in an interview recently. When asked what his next project is, he simply stated that work on a new project was well under way and that an announcement would be made at E3. Any speculation as to what this could be? There's a big chance it's Wii-bound.

• What type of project do you want to work on next?" While no concrete name, genre or details were given, Kojima did say that work was indeed underway and that "An official game announcement will be made at E3."

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Transfer online data from DS/DS Lite to DSi!

Worried about DS online data with the DSi's release? Fret not! IGN confirms in their recent podcast that you can move whatever Wi-Fi data you have from the DS to the DSi which I think is awesome. I was getting worried, myself but it's clear that Nintendo kept those kind of things in mind which is great to hear!

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

SDHC Support not extended to Wii games

Seems like the recent SD Card update (which now allows for SD Cards up to 32GB in size) does not carry over to other Wii games. N-Sider tests this theory out with Animal Crossing: City Folk by trying to save a picture to an SD Card and all it gives back is that an "unknown device" has been inserted into the SD Card slot. Think they'll update games to include this support?

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

RUMOR: Zelda: Spirit Tracks to feature DSi enhancements?

In a recent MTV Interview Reggie dismissed the thought of Spirit Tracks being a "DSi enhanced" game by simply stating that nothing will be revealed until it's announced at E3. With that in mind, a recent tip-off has sprung up on Pocket Gamer that alleges some interesting tidbits of things you can do with the camera function of the DSi.

Zelda [Spirit Tracks] will feature Link in full-on train-driving mode, but if you own a DSi you'll be able to take snaps of real-life trains and import them into the game. The skin will then be wrapped around Link's locomotive, and hey presto - you'll have a custom set of wheels to chug around Hyrule in. We're unsure how exactly this technology will work out. Will you be able to scan in any object? Imagine Link chugging around in a cheese grater, for example. It's a promising feature, regardless, and we can't wait for an excuse to don our anoraks and get trainspotting - all in the name of Nintendo.

I'm labelling this as a rumor for now until more details surface but if this is true, it'll certainly make for an interesting feature.

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Nintendo Power: Latest Review Scores - May 2009 (Issue 241)

The latest review scores have come in from NP's latest issue and you can read about some of the highlights here. The most noteworthy ones are as follows: For Wii, Excitebots Trick Racing was awarded an 8.0, Major Minor's Majestic March was awarded a 6.0, Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars (Director's Cut) was awarded a 7.0 and most noteworthy of all, Klonoa received a high 9.0! For DS, not too many notable ones other than the obvious 9.0 that was given to both GTA Chinatown Wars and Rhythm Heaven. Interestingly, they awarded a 4.0 to Dokapon Journey which is a big deal since they awarded Dokapon Kingdom (the Wii iteration) an 8.5 back in another issue, which is a shame.

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Original Space Invaders coming to VCA next month in Japan

Taito has plans to support the VCA and so, to start things off, they plan to release the original Space Invaders on the VCA in April over in Japan. This is the same month when they plan to release Bubble Bobble Plus as well. When you consider how many different Space Invaders games are on the VC, it may seem like just another money-making scheme to release yet another Space Invaders game for fans.

2nd April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

DSiWare Launch Titles Revealed for North America

Nintendo has finally confirmed the DSi launch titles for North America's DSi Shop and after many sources claiming different things about what Nintendo had planned to release, it's good to see that they've finally decided what they plan to release on the day of. 

• WarioWare: Snapped!
• Bird & Beans
• Brain Age Express: Math
• Master of Illusion Express: Funny Face
• Art Style: AQUIA 

There were a few other games that were stated to appear on and off but it looks like they didn't make it in (e.g., Art Style: D-Code/Code 10). It's safe to assume that they may release those same titles in the next Nintendo Download update. Thoughts on the selection?

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

More Mystery Case Files in the works for DS; could be Wii-bound

Looks like Mystery Case Files is just getting warmed up. As a new, exclusive series, it seems like it's doing quite well on the DS and as such, it's only logical that they'd consider making more games. Notice some interesting tidbits from a recent interview. 

C3: Point-and-click games have so far proven to work very well on Wii. Are you currently considering bringing with MCF or something similar to either Wii or WiiWare? 

BFG: Nothing is planned yet, but we are always exploring options and looking for ways to bring our brand of entertainment to the world. If it aligns with our vision for our properties, we will definitely pursue it.

Also worthy of note is that Wi-fi features were, in fact, considered at one point! Take a look at this excerpt:

C3: Did you consider including any sort of Wi-Fi features, either for downloading new content or a Vs. challenge for finding items quickest? (If not, please explain why) 

BFG: Absolutely. We had all sorts of ideas for multiplayer that included Wi-Fi. When we started experimenting with multiplayer features, we quickly learned that players enjoyed the camaraderie of having opponents in the same room. The experience over the Internet is different. It feels more like a massively single-player experience?I know that I'm playing against other players, yet I don't necessarily interact with them. There really was something entertaining about participating in a scavenger hunt with everyone in the same room. So, we decided to focus on that. 

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Not all planned features appeared in Punch-Out! (Wii)

Interesting. Next Level Games reveals some interesting tidbits about the game's development in a recent interview. Apparently, the game is stacked with content to the point where some other features they had planned to include (like what, pray tell?) didn't make it in!

• There is a lot to unlock! There are for example, characters, new ring environments, challenges, victory animations,etc. …there are lots of challenges outside the ring. Some tutorials, training sessions, etc. We packed the disc to the brim and there were a few things we had to leave out because there wasn’t any space left. We are the first internal Nintendo dev team to come across this problem with the Wii’s dvd, so you are [definitely] getting a lot.”

It's great to see another Wii game have so much content! You can't help but wonder, though, as to what they wanted to include.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

KAOS Studios/THQ working on a secret project

Looks like THQ has something in the cards that they plan to reveal soon (maybe at E3) and it seems to be Wii-bound. Kaos Studios seems to be hiring for new positions and one of the qualifiers is that "Wii or PS3 online experience" is a plus among other things. Here's the complete job listing:

Job Requirements:

• Design and help implement Multiplayer specific systems for game titles(S).
• Prototype game concepts and architectures, working closely with the development team.
• Creating new systems, extending existing components for the Unreal 3 engine.
• Programmers must be able to follow the technical direction of the Lead Programmer, and help assist other programmers as needed.
• Understanding of the fundamental networking architecture and client-server models.
• Previous experience writing game network code using TCP/IP and UDP stacks is a PLUS!
• Experience handling bandwidth, latency and synchronization issues is a plus.
• Experience developing on Xbox360, PS3, Wii, PC or previous generation platforms is a plus.
• Solid C/C++ skills.
• Positive attitude.
• Strong work ethic.
• Willingness to adapt.

Education/Relevant Experience:

• Game Programming.
• Xbox Live Programming a plus.
• Wii or PS3 online experience a plus.
• Computer science or similar degree, or comparable experience.

Sounds juicy! THQ has now been added to my list of developers with secret projects in the works, the others being Capcom, SEGA, EA, Ubisoft (the mysterious "Rabbids Go Home") and a few others. Also notice that the game seems to have a multiplayer focus and could be an online affair!

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

New tidbits on Boom Blox: Bash Party

Some new tidbits on BBBP's online capabilties have surfaced over on Kotaku. Check out what they had to say about the game's Wi-Fi integration:

• Players can quickly hop onto the server and browse through the levels with a number of different sorts, including how often a level was played, how high its rating is and when it was created, he said. And every game mode in Bash Party has a download option. When you drop into the option you can click on any of the levels to play them without having to worry about saving them to your Wii. If you do like a level, you can then choose to download it to the console. Rahimi said that the console could store hundreds of the levels in its memory with each level only a few K. He said the game won't support saving levels to SD cards because that feature came along too late for the developers to use. The development team also plans to support the serves by creating and uploading their own levels after the game launches. The developer designed levels will be free, but he wasn't sure yet if they would be released individually or as packs.

It's great to see the game get such a big focus on multiplayer and online, too! It's nice to have a big game that focuses so much on user-created content in the same vein as something like Blast Works: Build, Create, Destroy. It's just too bad SD Card support couldn't be incorporated.. but maybe it might not be too late! We'll have to wait and see.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Japanese Songs were considered for Rhythm Heaven

Some have been complaining about the English dub of Rhythm Heaven but take a note at what someone on the development team said in a recent interview. It looks like they did consider it at one point:

• We actually talked about whether it would be feasible to put the Japanese songs as an unlockable in there, and the team was really into the idea. But memory constraints on the DS cart made it not possible.

That's great that they at least considered it. Maybe now people won't moan as much about not being able to experience the original songs in the Japanese dub.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Majora's Mask coming to Virtual Console next month in Japan!

Japan is getting The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask in their next VC update! Wow. Not only is it an N64 game (something lacking and in need of more games on the VC) but it's widely regarded as one of the best Nintendo games ever made. But that's not all. Some have overlooked the fact that this is one of the many N64 games that require the Expansion Pak in order to work... which means that Nintendo seems to have overcome this obstacle especially now with the SD Card Update. This could, in turn, mean more N64 games may be on the way now that size isn't as much of an issue anymore. In addition, certain titles have now become much more likely to appear. For instance, 1UP mentions a few in their blog entry regarding this news item:

The addition of this title to the VC lineup means there's hope for games like Super Mario Kart (which included a special DSP chip), Star Fox (which included the famous SFX chip), and Yoshi's Island (which put the advanced SFX2 chip to brilliant, if unconventional, use).

This can also be extended to other games, including Donkey Kong 64 - a game that I am personally dying to see appear on the Virtual Console. Things are looking up this year and once the DSi launches, I have a good feeling that VC Releases will improve.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Bonsai Barber was inspired by Friends

Bonsai Barber was inspired by a TV Show! Wow. Not only that, but Friends, too. Here's what the producer had to say:

It's supposed to be like a TV show -- Friends is like one of our models for this game. A bunch of people can sit in a living room and enjoy Friends. If people are laughing, they're laughing together, and that brings people together into a group.

Other details on the game can be found within the interview posted below.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Tecmo supports WiiWare with Atsu 12 Game Furi Furi Party

Tecmo's first WiiWare game recently arrived on the Japanese catalog - a game that was previously not known at all. "Atsui 12 Game Furi Furi Party" is a 500-Points party game that has a variety of mini-games that use the Wii Remote in different ways - some have you shaking or pressing a button as fast as possible. The game features online leaderboards where you can compare your scores Worldwide. It's highly likely that this will see light in North America (obviously with a new name) especially with the online Leaderboards.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

NoA has little control over localizing games

Check out this quote from a recent interview. It helps put things in perspective with regards to game localizations.

The number of Japanese titles that don't make it over has been a burning question in a number of folks' minds, so I asked about how that works. Denise told me Nintendo of America actually has very-little-to-no say about which titles escape Japan to go worldwide; NCL makes all decisions when porting games to new regions.

Well, that's comforting to know... sort of. At least now we know not to blame Nintendo of American anymore because that's what people have been doing non-stop these days.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Leftover consoles from Circuit City not properly erased

Since Circuit City is closing down, they are trying to get rid of a lot of their items that they couldn't get rid of before the store's closure. One facility bought some of them but the directive was that the company would get pre-owned 360 and PS3 consoles in working condition. Interestingly enough, 96% of 360's and 81% of PS3's were broken or in poor working condition. In addition, a "large quantity" of them still had personal information stored on them! Photos, videos, downloaded games, contact information and friends lists, and even Credit Card information used for digital downloads! Check out this little excerpt from the article:

• The facility discovered this while repairing the damaged consoles. They'd fix them, turn them on, test their network connectivity, then suddenly start receiving friend requests, chat requests, game invites, etc. What's more, with the user details still recorded on the system, they could have easily purchased game content on an unsuspecting former owner's credit card.

That's terrible! Anyone who trades in or sells a system should always be sure to erase all of their personal details and such ebcause clearly, some stores won't take the initiative to do so and you'll only suffer the consequences later - such as recieving a massive credit card bill for retro games off of XBLA or the PSN that you never bought to begin with! 

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Gammack Entertainment announces Penguin and Friends

Gammack Entertainment has announced their second WiiWare title to follow in the footsteps after Friends and Friends Party. The game is based on an old Board Game entitled, "Hey! That's My Fish!". The newer rendition of the aforementioned game has been dubbed "Penguin and Friends". It's great to see a developer focus more on the Board Game genre on WiiWare and I can't wait to see more developers support it further. Here are some details posted on the official site that should give you an idea about the game:

• You can become the fishing king! The penguins are hungry and need your help to feed themselves. Catch all the fish you can before someone steals them from you! In this product based on the acclaimed boardgame ‘Hey! That's My Fish!’, strategy is fundamental. Keep moving ahead of the other penguins so that you don’t get trapped and try to get to the ice flows that hold more fish. Between 1 and 4 players can play ‘Penguins & Friends’ at the same time – providing they can handle the polar cold. The board is made up of ice blocks that have a set number of fish (1, 2 or 3) under them. The ice blocks are hexagonal and form a structure like a beehive. The starting position of the ice blocks can change, creating different game boards. Each player has a set number of penguins (according to the total number of players in the game and the size of the board) which serve as markers. To begin, the penguins are placed one by one on the board (only on the boxes holding a fish) and in turns. In each turn, one player places one of his or her penguins (placing the penguins intelligently at the beginning is an essential part of a good game strategy). Once all the penguins are placed on the board, the first player starts to move and the game begins. The games advances as the players catch fish, eliminate ice blocks and – this is very important – trap the other players on ice islands. The game ends when no player and no penguin can move. At this point, the fish are counted. The player with the most fish wins!

We'll have to see if the gameplay will hold up. The game's been rated by the ESRB recently which could indicate that the game is on its way sometime soon but only Nintendo knows. The game's been rated E for Everyone with no additional descriptors.

• This is a puzzle game in which players move penguins around a hexagonal game board to collect fish that are scattered throughout. After there are no more reachable spaces on the board, the player with the most fish wins.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

New first-party title added to the WiiWare service

Asoberu Ehon Tobida-Suguroku! is the name of a new first-party title that just got added over in Japan. The gameplay itself seems very akin to Family Pirate Party or even Monopoly. The game has a pop-up picture book style and for 1,000 Points, it seems quite good! 

There are some screens that you can check out below. I sincerely hope this comes to North America as I would definitely get it.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Kimi to Boku to Ritai getting localized for North America

This is great news. The new WiiWare title in Japan from last week has been confirmed for localization for North America and possibly other regions as well! The quote comes from a 1UP interview that hints at the fact that the game is well under way to being finished for localization.

• Pretty soon. The localization has been a little difficult even though the game itself doesn't have a lot of text. Once you start playing it, Ritai should feel intuitive, because the motions are very simple. But I was afraid that people would be put off by such a new concept, so the tutorial is quite detailed. There's a lot of explanation provided to avoid any possible confusion. And there's lots of different languages to work on, like German, French and Spanish as well. But it should finish development next week. After that, it's up to Nintendo of America to set a release date.

I'm predicting an April release (if not, May) since we got Bonsai Barber towards the end of March and Lonpos in February. It seems like Nintendo may be releasing at least one first-party title every month - let's hope that this pattern stays this way!

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

WiiWare storage could see an increase

With the recent Wii Menu Update, the usage of larger SD cards has now become possible and this begs the question, could storage increase even further to capacititate SD Cards that are upwards of 32GB? Reggie comments on this very notion in a recent interview. After being asked how high storage could go, he had this to say:

Right now, the highest is 32 gigabytes. That’s not to say it couldn’t go higher if flash memory prices drop.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Disaster Day of Crisis coming to South Africa

Wow, so Japan gets Disaster, Europe gets Disaster, and even South Africa gets it but not America. Interesting. I'm sure they'll say something about it being localized at E3. I have a hunch.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Australian DSi Shop goes live!

Check out some screens at the below link. Here's what Australia has on their DSi Shop as per their recent launch. For 200 Points, they have Paper Plan and Pyoro; for 500 Points, there's Art Style: AQUITE, Art Style: CODE, and WarioWare: Snapped; and of course they got the Browser on there for free. There seems to be a Premium section on the shop so we'll have to wait and see what's that all about.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

AVI Support granted to the Photo Channel!

Seems like a lot of people have overlooked this detail as part of the latest Wii Menu Update (4.0). Apparently, this update has now also allowed for AVI support on the Photo Channel!

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

DanceDanceRevolution Disney Grooves releases tomorrow

In preparation for their nationwide release of DDR Disney Grooves tomorrow, Konami has released one final press release to increase awareness of the game's release. However, some interesting tidbits have turned up inside the press release. In addition to the normal contenders that were previously announced (i.e., Groove World, Workout Mode, Free Play and My Studio), Konami has revealed through this press release the addition of two new modes that were unknown until this point. Konami announced the addition of a "Training Mode", a mode that was newly-introduced in DanceDanceRevolution Hottest Party 2. As well, they have also revealed an "Advanced Mode", a new mode that was never featured on any other DDR that has appeared on the Wii before it. Konami says it "will challenge the physical limits of experienced players" so let's hope the mode is a worthy addition as some are worried that the game may be a bit too dumbed down to appeal to a younger audience. In any case, you can see the press release below and read it for yourself.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Namco supports VCA with a bunch of titles

Check out this list of games that Namco plans to bring to the Virtual Console Arcade.They're certainly supporting the VCA with full throttle, aren't they?

• Assault
• Burning Force
• Cosmo Gang the Puzzle
• Cosmo Gang the Video
• Cyber Sled
• Dragon Buster
• Dragon Saber
• Dragon Spirit
• Emeraldia
• Finest Hour
• Galaga 88
• Gaplus
• Hopping Mappy
• Knuckleheads
• Mabael Land
• Mappy
• Numan Atheletics
• Pacmania
• Pehlios
• Return of Ishtar
• Rolling Thunder
• Samurai Ghost
• Shadow Land
• Sky Kid
• Solvalou
• Splatterhouse
• Starblade
• Tower of Druaga
• Wonder Momo
• Xevious

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

ESRB Ratings: NPC! Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat

Game's been rated E10+ which shouldn't come as a surprise since the original was rated on the same criterion of Cartoon Violence. Here's the summary ESRB has composed:

This is an action platformer game in which players traverse colorful environments as a giant ape, Donkey Kong, to collect stolen bananas scattered throughout different kingdoms. Players run, jump, and glide through different levels while gathering items and combating various enemies (e.g., pigs, bats, frogs) and bosses (e.g., giant spiders, mechanized elephant, giant birds). During one-on-one boss battles, players can land several punches and attacks that blur or shake the screen, including a finishing blow (e.g., a heavy hammer punch) that knocks the opponent out in dramatic fashion.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

"Wii-kly Update" removed in favor of "Nintendo Download"

What do you think of the name change? Nintendo confirmed that Monday's VC/WiiWare update in North America has been the last update under the name of "Wii-kly Update". With the DSi's release quickly approaching, the next update will consist of VC, WiiWare and now DSiWare games as well.

Here's the blurb about the name change in their latest Wii Shop update:

Starting next week, the name of this newsletter will be changed from Wii-kly Update to Nintendo Download. Why? With the April 5 launch of the new Nintendo DSi™ portable game system comes the opening of the Nintendo DSi Shop. Like the Wii Shop Channel, the Nintendo DSi Shop will offer a growing library of downloadable games, with new titles added every week. Accordingly, we'll be using this space to tell you not only about new games for Wii but also for Nintendo DSi. Watch for the first edition of Nintendo Download on April 6.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

DSi Manual made available online

Check out the Australian manual for the DSi. It was recently made available so if you're struggling with the wait, why not give it a look. Who knows, you may found something about the DSi you didn't know - for example, the fact that SDHC Cards will be supported just like on the Wii (thanks to the recent SD Card update).

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Nintendo creates sub-site for DSi's 1000-Points offer

Nintendo has taken the liberty of creating a mini-site dedicated to the offer that will be made available when the DSi launches that will grant you a complimentary 1,000 DSi Points credited to your account on the DSi Shop. The site describes how to go about doing so and provides a link for where you can go to get more info on the DSI's upcoming launch.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Working titles for Rock Band revealed

Harmonix has recently revealed some of the rejected Rock Band names that were being considered for development:

• Power Chords

• Big Band Blowout

• Metal Lords

• I Want To Be A Rockstar!

• Rock Band: World Tour

The last one is quite interesting when you think about Guitar Hero: World Tour.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Let's Catch confirmed for North America

The SEGA-published WiiWare title previously only available in Japan is heading to North America! For a time, they were debating over whether or not to bring it over here or not but it's nice to know they decided for it and not against it. It'll be interesting to see, though, what they set the price point at because it could make a big impact on sales given the type of content that the game offers. The ESRB's recent rating is what confirms that this is indeed coming to North America (soon hopefully!). It's been rated E for "Comic Mischief" and even "Mild Suggestive Themes". Here's what they say about it in their summary:

This is a sports game in which players control “cartoony” avatars that play outdoor catch. Characters engage in topical conversation (e.g., piano lessons, astrology, UFOs, hectic schedules) while tossing the ball, and sometimes discuss dating and romance (e.g., “I know that he and I could never really be together” and “I’ve decided to never think about chasing a married man again”). In a “Bomb Catch” mini-game, players scramble to get rid of a bomb before it explodes; the character holding the bomb when it goes off is knocked to the ground.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Club Nintendo Update (NA): Excitebots Trick Racing!

Excitebots: Trick Racing has now been added to the Intend to Buy promotion page on Club Nintendo - the game releases on April 20th in North America. You can opt to indicate that you plan to purchase it and you'll be given a quick survey to complete with 3 fields. When you get the game, you'll get some bonus coins once you register it. So, you ask, what game could be next to take advantage of this promotion? It'll be interesting to see whether or not NPC! DKJB gets added since NPC! Pikmin and MPT weren't (unless I missed it). We'll just have to wait and see.

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Winter demo upgraded to 2.0, interest shown!

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

Swords and Soldiers to be released soon for 1000 points

IGN confirms that Swords and Soldiers will be hitting the WiiWare service very soon!

The team's readying Swords and Soldiers for a release in the next few weeks, aiming to launch the game for around 1000 Nintendo points - ten bucks for all this RTS action.

Seems like we got a few games confirmed to be hitting the service in April/May. Will you be taking the plunge?

1st April 2009 | Posted by KnucklesSonic8

DS Install Base surpasses that of PS2's

There were rumors of this with some rough numbers but now we've got a confirmation on how well the DS has done compared to the PS2.