Evasive Space Trailer

Deadly Creatures Random Info Jargon

From GoNintendo.com

UGO: How do you feel about where Wii games are going? Do you sense the console has a direction?

Jordan Itkowitz: I think it’s completely random and chaotic. People have been saying they want something new; they want something different, so I hope we’re going to fill that spot for some of the gamers. I hope that the casual audience’s interest is going to be piqued. We didn’t design this necessarily to be a barrier for entry for people that haven’t played this type of game before. There’s a nice ramp up at the beginning. It’s just weird to see what sells. Are people buying the Wii and only playing Wii Sports and maybe Wii Fit and Carnival Games. Who knows? When Deadly Creatures hits in February, assuming it does well, I think that will be one of the first steps forward for third parties. I don’t think there have been that many success stories. I mean, Boom Blox I think is a great game, and that’s done well. All the party game stuff, looking at the Rayman series, is doing well. But everything else… Resident Evil 4‘s a top seller, but that’s a port.

UGO: Was Deadly Creatures pitched as a franchise?

Jordan Itkowitz: Yeah, absolutely. The response online so far has been good. And the previews have been good. So I hope that if its successful enough we get to do another one, because we could do more with the tarantula and the scorpion-not in the desert, maybe another setting.

Phahtrox: Ummmm... Deadly Creatures is a good start mainly because it doesn't suck, I hope it becomed a good and long series.

Rock Band 2 Dated, Way Too Close to Christmas

From thetanooki.com

Well that only took forever. According to an announcement on the official Rock Band forums, the Wii version of Rock Band 2 will ship on December 18th. So what are the odds of getting a copy for Christmas? Still pretty slim. The game is expected to actually hit store shelves 5-7 days after the shipping date. That means the earliest you can expect to see it is December 23rd, two days before Christmas. Even then, it will likely be snapped up pretty quick.

The game alone will be $49.99, the drums will be $89.99, and the guitar will be $69.99. Of course, the game will also come bundled with the instruments for $189.99. Sound expensive?

MadWorld Holiday Trailer

Phahtrox: It doesn't seem like more content, but still overall it's still gonna be a great game.

What Does Nintendo Spend With All of It's New Money?

Phahtrox: So did you ever think of how much Nintendo actually spends on their games?

From www.neogaf.com

In 2003, Nintendo declared that $34 million was spent on R&D. This figure steadily climbed to $103 million in 2006 and the following year bumped dramatically to $370 million. - WhatTheyPlay

Pics of Awesome Pot Wii-Mote

Phahtrox:If you can't think this generation could get any weirder, then you are sadly wrong. Check out the pics of the hemp encrusted Wii-Mote. Better yet, the Wii-Mote is fully functional.

Wii Speak Channel Reviewed...Kinda.

Phahtrox: The overall product is good, just not as good as it should be.

SSBB Unofficial Sequel! TMNT Involved!?

Phahtrox: Thanks to the title you are either super happy or super skeptical. Well this should please either.

From: gameonnintendo.com

Teenage mutant ninja turtles is making a comeback and its making it big! Above is a brand new scan from Nintendo power (Thanks PureNintendo) that announces the new title and is even being brought to you by the same team that did the infamous Super Smash Bros. Here are the highlights from the text:

-published by Ubisoft
-official development started Jan. 2008
-concept started Oct. 2007
-to be released in Sept. 2009
-2.5D Fighter
-Interactive Stages
-4 player versus
-Story Mode
-Battle Royale
-Tournament
-Winner Stays
-Loser Stays
-Practice
-Unlockable Characters
-Unlockable Stages
-Online aspects said to be better than Brawl implementation
-Each character is color coded with glowing effect to make 4-player battles easy to follow

I know when I read this story I was grinning from ear to ear. Thank you Ubisoft, now give us some 80’s nostalgic greatness! Turtle Power.

Phahtrox: Sounds a little like the SSBB factsheet, eh?

VGA Awards Coming to Spike

Phahtrox: So like most game awards shows, VGA ranks the best of the games of the year. Are you gonna watch it? I may, or may not, depending on my mood of the day, mainly because last years show was epic lame. But that's just me.

Geoff Keighly says this years theme is Video Game Heaven. Basically it's about the future of gaming and the like. They also want to make it more like the old E3's. You remember; awesome lights, sounds, and new fresh games. Yea... those were the days. Maybe some gaming anouncements...?

Dead Rising WiiMake Info

From Infendo:

Kotaku reports the Wii version of zombie-basher Dead Rising will be available Feb. 19 in Japan.

It will be priced at ¥7,340, which translates to approximately $75.

Critics have given denunciatory impressions of Dead Rising’s early Wii builds, mostly stemming from poor visuals and abhorrently low zombie totals on-screen.

Capcom built the Wii version, subtitled Chop Till You Drop, on the Resident Evil 4 engine, utilizing a similar over-the-shoulder camera view. The game utilizes motion controls for much of the combat.

Check out Sean’s hands-on impressions for more.

Capcom announced in July it expects to sell 500,000 copies of Dead Rising on Wii. It has yet to announce a North American release.

Pikmin and Mario Tennis to Have New Content!

From IGN:

December 10, 2008 - Following the revelation a few weeks back that the Play on the Wii version of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (set for Japanese release tomorrow) will feature new elements, Famitsu is back with details on what's new for the Pikmin and Mario Power Tennis installments in the series.

First, a bit of background in case you haven't been keeping up with Nintenedo's Japanese Wii developments. The Play on the Wii series (titled, in Japanese, "Wii De Asobu Selection") offers Japanese gamers Wii re-releases of classic Gamecube titles. While it was originally thought that the games would be just the original GameCube titles with Wii controls tacked on, Nintendo does appear to be adding in new elements.

For Pikmin, the new feature mentioned in Famitsu concerns saving. When you save, the game stores day-by-day records of your play. You're free to restart play from the day of your choice.

For Mario Power Tennis, Nintendo has made the game fully Wiimote compatible. You can now swing the Wiimote like a tennis racket to control your swings, performing forehands, backhands, tosses and smashes by swinging the Wiimote as you would a normal racket. For spin shots, you simply change the angle of the Wiimote when swinging. To perform special shots, you press buttons during the swing.

Mario Power Tennis will support play both through the Wiimote on its own and through a Wiimote/Nunchuck combo, the latter presumably allowing you to control your characters on the court.

Famitsu lists Camelot as developer for Mario Power Tennis. It's unclear if the studio is working on the Wii update or if the Famitsu listing is just in reference to the original.

Pikmin hits Japan on December 25. Mario Power Tennis follows on January 15. Both are priced at 3,800 yen.

Phahtrox: This is good news for a slow day. JK.

Activison CONFIRMED Call of Duty: World at War 2, Guitar Hero 5, New Tony Hawk

Phahtrox: Well after a couple weeks of circulation of CoD:WaW, and Guitar Hero: World Tour, Activision already is going to make the jump to the sequels and Tony Hawk is getting a alternate controller based game.. I mean this is fine for Tony Hawk, but given the circumstances of WaW and GH4, this may put off a couple people that want to get into the series, CoD is usually a WWII game so in reality the end is already spoiled(lawl). GH4 on the other hand as given semipoor reviews(for it's caliber) so it's kinda ok... IDK...Tony Hawk seems to be changing its ways, thanks to Skate.

Super Guide For Animal Crossing: City Folk

Phahtrox: Some people have too much time on there hands. Some just play Animal Crossing all day... ALL DAY. So for those who play nonstop or even a little bit a day, here is a guide for the entire game. It's still in it's infancy, but I know it will grow quite fast due to the large fanbase, and a lack of another potential super guide.

Alliscrossing.com

Virtual Theremin on Wii-Mote

Phahtrox: It's defiantly not a guitar, but it does get them job done.

Trace Memory Wii COMING!

Phahtrox: Remember Trace Memory? One of the early DS games that actually was good, and had good controls... No? Well I don't blame you. You see it was one the "intelligent games" that the fake hardcore gamers ignore. The beauty of the game was found in it story and innovation; something that you can't actually "see" unless experienced.

-Anyways-

Nintendo of Japan has posted a limited schedule of 2009 releases dating Trace Memory Wii as a Jan. 22 release in Japan.

The original Trace Memory put players in the role of Ashley Robbins, a young girl searching for answers about her parents’ disappearance. It achieved cult-classic status for its innovative touch controls and has sold roughly 230,000 copies worldwide according to VGChartz.

Nintendo has not yet dated the Wii sequel outside of Japan.

From: WiiNintendo

Rayman Raving Rabbids Reviews

80/100
NGamer UK
Easily the best Rabbids have been, making TV Party the minigame compilation to get. Wobbly and very, very silly. What more can we say?

78/100
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
It’s a classy package and certainly the best Raving Rabbids game yet but please, we don’t need any more.

70/100
IGN
Rabbids TV Party doesn’t rewrite the mini-game genre. It’s a tried and true third installment in the series that I feel shares more in common with the original than its boring sequel.

60/100
GamePro
The series’ trademark quirky sense of humor is in full effect, but with monotonous gameplay hampered by unresponsive controls, TV Party never really stands out in a sea of mini-game compilations.

55/100
Nintendo Power
With its third installment in three years, the Raving Rabbids series is quickly growing stale.

Phahtrox: Well... I could have easily seen this tragedy coming forth...*SIGH*.

Wow, I'm SOOOOOOOO Sorry.

Phahtrox: Well It has been too long, and I say again that I'm sorry. You have to understand my position on the Interwebs.

Recently I have lost the ability to surf the interwebs and post Nintendo info up. So I have to use the library's computers to post, and wow, does it suck. But Alas, I do have non-evil friend's who will help me blog-it-up. So, don't leave yet. I will be back, just in a crazy third person form.

If you can help do so. Just email me at phahtrox@yahoo.com, and this time you don't need to pass a test. I can give you the places to visit, so please help if you can!!

Huge Map in Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Phahtrox: Do you remember GTA IV? Do remeber how big the map is? Well the DS game GTA:Chinatown Wars is going to have 3/4 of the map that was in GTA IV. That is still freaking huge.

New Update in Terms of Service!

Phahtrox: When updating the Wii, we get a Terms of Service "list" of what not to do. Now, though, Nintendo may take action against you secretly. Here's what We've found.

"We may without notifying you, download updates, patches, upgrades and similar software to your Wii Console and may disable unauthorized or illegal software placed on your Wii Console to ensure that your Wii Console is operating properly and efficiently, comply with applicable laws, assist law enforcement, protect us and our customers, or prevent the use and distribution of software obtained through improper channels."

Phahtrox: Yea, if you have Homebrew on your Wii, then TURN OFF THE STANDBY!

Club Nintendo US News

Club Nintendo in North America is still on schedule to launch before the end of 2008.
It will be more like the Japanese program than the European, in that there will be more physical products than digital.
As is the case in Europe, you gain points (known as gold coins in the U.S.) by purchasing a product and entering a code on the Club Nintendo site, and can reap further points by completing surveys on the product you bought. In Europe, it's worth mentioning that these are hardly time-consuming: just five or six questions with tickboxes.
Unlike in Europe, you can gain points for indicating an interest in purchasing before buying.
Some items from the Japanese service will make it to North America

Phahtrox: For those who don't know, Club Nintendo has been around forever in other countries, but the US. This is very big news, I just don't understand way it's not on other sites.

Rock Band 1 Price Drop, Time to Buy Low

Phahtrox: So, if you haven't played, or bought Rock Band yet this is the time. It's only 99$ this time around. You can buy the game and the periphials, and use them on the sequel, which is 50$, so in reality you save a lot of money... Yummy.

Internet Channel UPDATE!!!! Tabbed Browsing and Wii Speak Usage!!

Nintendo and Opera have chiseled out an updated Internet Channel.

According to GoNintendo, the new browser will utilize tabbed browsing and Wii Speak compatibility.

Users will be able to track up to six tabs with the “tab cube,” a floating on-screen cube showing an open site on each of its sides. The update will also include a new button layout for the navigation bar and a built-in mail client for Wii Mail access.

The updated Internet Channel will be available in December in the Wii Shop Channel and will be a free download for existing users. It will cost 500 Wii Points for new users.

Phahtrox: I really like this. I read it and... WOW. Thank you NINTENDO and OPERA!!! Maybe this will better the WiiMailer Newsletter in the long run!!!

Console WHAR!!!! Durability Test.

Phahtrox: I knew it.

Nintendo Channel Update...Kinda...

Phahtrox: I got this from my dudes at WiiNintendo.com

If you try to connect to the Nintendo Channel, you’ll receive a message saying that you have to download the latest update from the Wii Shop Channel. Nobody really knows exactly what it does, but Nintendo had this to say regarding the update…

“An update that provides a behind-the-scenes enhancement to the Nintendo Channel was made available.”

The only visible difference noted so far is that the Nintendo Channel icon on the Wii Menu doesn’t have any scrolling text right now. If you notice anything, let us know, but don’t expect to find anything big since it’s just a “behind-the-scenes” update.

Phahtrox: If you really want to know what it does. Just wait and keep your eyes open.

Wii Speak Can't be Bought USED?!

Phahtrox: The Wii Speak Channel is going to make communicating with other people much awesomer. But there is a hitch. You have to buy the darn thing new, so you can't buy it from GameStop, obviously.

The reason for this is because of the Wii Speak device has a once time use code with the console. You can download only if you use the code. You CAN'T buy the Channel from the Wii Shop. So Yea... Thanks Nintendo.

Mario Power Tennis, Mario and Luigi 3 Dated

Mario Power Tennis, one of the “Play on Wii” titles, now has a Japanese release date of January 15th, 2009. Both it and Pikmin are confirmed for the US for next year, so we knew it had to be coming to Japan soon. The other title that now has a release date is Mario and Luigi RPG 3, the sequel to Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA) and Mario and Luigi Partners in Time (DS). It will release on the Nintendo DS on February 11th, 2009. As far as the US is concerned, we’ll get that game sometime next year.

From: WiiNintendo.com

New EA Franchise for Wii...

EA Sports Active

- due out March 2009
- $60
- Wii exclusive
- uses a A.I. trainer
- running, boxing, and more
- EA Active Soccer version ‘down the road’, and more versions to come
- balance board not required, but supported
- includes peripheral that attaches Wiimote to your body
- endorsed by Bob Greene, Oprah’s trainer
- regular software updates
- more peripherals planned for new exercises
- packed-in nutrition book
- custom 30-day workout
- music player
- true 1:1 motion
- 2 resistance straps included in box
- EA Trax program or EA’s Artwerk label music may come in the future

The above info was gathered from the video and an interview by Gamespot. To read the full interview, click here.

Forbes Magazine also had an interview with EA Sports President, Peter Moore, where he stated that EA Sports Active has a targeted audience of a “woman in her mid-30s with two young children that was active–wishes she was more active–and is pressed for time.” He goes on to criticize Wii Fit, and fill us in on his ideal fitness game.

You were critical of “Wii Fit” emphasizing balance over a cardiovascular workout. Have you sweated to “Active”?

You bet I have. It is ugly. I’m a former [physical education] teacher so I feel somewhat validated on my commentary on exercise. I get the Eastern philosophy to fitness–the “Wii Fit” board is a lot of fun, but it is primarily based on coordination and balance. There needs to be at least a threat of sweating for there to be true cardiovascular exercise. We’re bringing with EA Sports Active a more Western philosophy to exercise, which is about getting your heart rate up, keeping it there and sweating. They are both different and complimentary and reflect different views on what exercise is.

For the full interview, click here.

Internet Channel to be Updated!!

For the first time since the release of the full version, the Internet Channel is getting an update. The update will include spiffy new buttons, compatibility with the Wii Speak microphone, access to Wii Mail while browsing, and and tabbed browsing with up to six tabs.

One feature that’s missing from the list is an updated version of Flash. The current version used with the Internet Channel is severely outdated, so let’s cross our fingers.

The upgrade will be free for current Internet Channel owners, or 500 points for non-owners, which is exactly how much the current Internet Channel costs, so that basically means… it’s getting upgraded. Redundancy for the win.

Phahtrox: It's actually the second update for the rarely used channel of mine. I used to use it all the time, until I found the computer to be much more faster. But, alas it's a long time coming, and maybe it will come with better flash. So, yea.

First 8 MINUTES of Resident Evil: Degeneration!!

Phahtrox: Here's to everyone else. I'm gonna not watch the vid I just posted, so the actual movie will be better for me. But that's my imput.

Sam's Club Super Wii Deal

Phahtrox: Wow, this is crazy awesome for the people that have not got a Wii yet. I would totally buy one again just for this.

Top 25 CHEAP DS Games!!

Phahtrox: Seth here. Um, yea, IGN made a top games list for DS that are under 20$. Since we are in a hardcore recession I think I should post this up.

25. Neves
24. TouchMaster
23. Front Mission
22. Geometry Wars: Galaxies
21. Final Fantasy III
20. Polarium
19. Feel the Magic: XY/XX
18. True Swing Golf
17. Meteos: Disney Magic
16. Crosswords DS
15. Jam Sessions
14. Orcs & Elves
13. Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground
12. Big Brain Academy
11. The Quest Trio
10. Nanostray 2
9. Clubhouse Games
8. Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble
7. Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
6. Little Red Riding Hood’s Zombie BBQ
5. New International Track & Field
4. Worms: Open Warfare 2
3. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
2. Space Invaders: Extreme
1. Elite Beat Agents

Phahtrox: Most of these are not bad games, some are questionable, but non-the-less, if you neeeeeed games there you go.

Nintendo is Playing Wii With You!!! At the Mall.

EXPERIENCE NINTENDO AT A MALL NEAR YOU

Nov. 10, 2008

Nintendo’s nationwide mall invasion continues in full force. Already thousands of people across the country have seen and experienced the wide variety of Wii™ games available for the holidays. And later this month, Nintendo will give weary mall shoppers a break with massages, a relaxing atmosphere and fun Nintendo DS™ games.

Since Oct. 31, malls nationwide have included a nine-screen Wii presence featuring game demos and interactive game play. The Wii area helps people get the scoop on all the cool Wii games for the holidays and beyond, including Wii Music™, Wii Sports™, Mario Kart™ Wii, Mario™ Super Sluggers, Wario Land™: Shake It! and Super Smash Bros.™ Brawl. The Wii experience will be available through Dec. 29 at the following malls:

• Brea Mall in Brea, Calif.
• Gurnee Mills in Gurnee, Ill.
• Oxford Valley Mall in Langhorne, Pa.
• Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton, Calif.
• Northshore Mall in Peabody, Mass.
• Mall of Georgia in Buford, Ga.
• The Galleria in Houston
• Arrowhead Towne Center in Glendale, Ariz.
• Tacoma Mall in Tacoma, Wash.
• Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.
• Dadeland Mall in Miami
• FlatIron Crossing in Broomfield, Colo.
• Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh
• Washington Square in Tigard, Ore.
• Concord Mills in Concord, N.C.
• Castleton Square in Indianapolis
• The Streets at Southpoint in Durham, N.C.
• Opry Mills in Nashville, Tenn.
• Independence Center in Independence, Mo.
• Kenwood Towne Centre in Cincinnati
• Mayfair in Wauwatosa, Wis.
• Fashion Place in Murray, Utah
• North Star Mall in San Antonio
• Cottonwood Mall in Albuquerque, N.M.
• Barton Creek Square in Austin, Texas

And for people who have run themselves ragged while shopping, it’s Nintendo DS to the rescue. Between Nov. 24 and Dec. 8, shoppers at six locations can look for the Nintendo DS spa area, which will provide an oasis of relaxation amid the chaos of holiday shopping. Visitors will be treated to cushy chairs, brief massages and the chance to de-stress by playing some Nintendo DS games. The menu of available games includes Brain Age™ 2: More Training in Minutes a Day, Mario Kart™ DS, Mystery Case Files™: MillionHeir™, Nintendogs™, New Super Mario Bros.™ and Crosswords DS. Participating malls include:

• Bridgewater Commons in Bridgewater, N.J.
• Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park, Calif.
• Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, Texas
• Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose, Calif.
• Natick Collection in Natick, Mass.
• Lenox Square in Atlanta

For more information about Nintendo, please visit www.Nintendo.com.

Phahtrox: Fine don't come to Marysland, and don't think about calling anymore.

Strong Bad's Game for Attractive People Episode 5 is Coming with Trogdor!!!!C

The last of the SBG4AP games is going to include Trogdor...

Phahtrox: Trogdor was a man...

...as a character. If you don't know who Trodor is...

Phahtrox: NO, he was a DRAGON MAN.

...here's a Youtube vid.



Phahtrox: You will love this.

Secret Update in Mii Channel

Phahtrox: The Mii channel... Yea it's goodie. I haven't have much fun with it though, other than laughing at my friend's because they don't have as many Wii's as I...



But there is a secret button you may have passed up. If you hold the A, B, 1, and 2 buttons for a couple of seconds, you gain access to a connect to DS option. Nobody actually knows how long it has been on the Wii itself. Some have tried on older systems before the last couple of firmware Updates, and has worked. It may have been up on the Wii for a whole year.

New Killer App Gets Delayed.

Phahtrox: Awwwwwww!!!

Moon, the first person shooter for the DS, made by Renegade Kid, the same folk who made Dementium: The Ward, has delayed the highly anticipated game. The reason may be for a last minute touch in the graphics department, but if you haven't seen the gamed yet, then here's a trailer, and wowo, it's an amazing trip fot the DS.

Miyamoto and the Hard Drive

When asked about the Wii Hard Disk we got this:

“I’m afraid we cannot confirm what we are doing today. But the fact of the matter is that technology is evolving all the time and in Japan, for example in the year 2010 all the analogue broadcast will be stopped and shifted into the digital broadcasting. So many things are taking place and we are working in terms of the changes of the technologies all the time.”

Phahtrox: New technologies. I love Miyamoto and that innovative brain of his.

Legend of Zelda's Link in Resident Evil 4

Wii Shop UPDATE 11/10/08

WII-KLY UPDATE: TWO WIIWARE GAMES AND ONE VIRTUAL CONSOLE GAME ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

Nov. 10, 2008

Are you hungry? Think of this week’s Wii™ Shop Channel lineup as a lively menu that aims to satisfy every appetite. You’ll find a food-themed game to tempt your tummy, a challenging brain game to please your noggin and a classic sci-fi action title to fuel your imagination. Whatever the recipe, you’re sure to come back for seconds-and thirds, and fourths, and beyond.

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:


WiiWare™

Brain Challenge™ (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Just like your body, your brain needs to be exercised to stay in shape. Boost your brain and relieve stress through various minigames in a personal session to get a detailed evaluation. Challenge your friends’ brains in delirious party games to see who is the smartest. Test your brain’s abilities in Visual, Memory, Logic, Math and Focus minigames. Compare yourself with friends by challenging their brains in three multiplayer modes. Develop your resistance to stressful situations that could happen in real life. Use a customized Mii™ character to create personal sessions. Choose your favorite personal coach. Track your overall performance with detailed statistics and graphs. The special Kid Test and Senior Test modes will gather everyone around the game.

Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam (Virtual Toys, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone-Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points): Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam is a frenetically active cooking game in which you must serve food to your customers as quickly as possible. This could be a simple task, but the customers aren’t very patient, and you’ll find a multitude of annoying insects that make the noble mission of satisfying your small gourmets’ stomachs much more difficult. In the game’s Career Mode, your goal is to become the best chef in the city. To do so, you have to prove your worth by cooking in four fantastic restaurants: the Hot Dog, Hamburger, Pizza and Mexican Restaurant. Enjoy playing Yummy Yummy with your family, serving delicious food to the most surprising characters: vampires, ninjas, extraterrestrials and mafia thugs. Put on your chef’s hat, sharpen your knives and turn up the heat.

(Sorry, no screenshots or videos as of the time of this article. Check back often.)


Virtual Console™

Mega Man™ 3 (NES™, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): In the year 200X, the notorious Dr. Wily, now reformed and working for the forces of good, works hand-in-hand with Dr. Light to build a new type of peacekeeping robot. When a new set of eight Robot Masters escapes the lab to wreak havoc on the world at large, only Mega Man can save the day. This time, Mega Man must rely on his new slide move and canine companion Rush to conquer the stages and vanquish evil. A new character, Proto Man, adds to the mystery and appeal of this seminal title in the famous action-game series.

Nintendo Readies for Wii Speak!!

NINTENDO PREPS FOR ROOM-TO-ROOM VOICE CHATTING

Nov. 7, 2008

The new in-game voice chat function for Animal Crossing™: City Folkwill be ready to go as soon as the game launches on Nov. 16, using the Wii Speak™ accessory. A separate Wii Speak™ Channel that people can use to chat independent of Animal Crossing: City Folk will be available in December.

The new voice chat function makes use of the new Wii Speak accessory, a microphone that sits on top of the television and allows entire rooms of people to communicate with one another. Only users who have traded Friend Codes can connect with one another using Wii Speak. The accessory is sold separately at an MSRP of $29.99 and will also be available as a bundle with Animal Crossing: City Folk at select retailers at an MSRP of $69.99. The Wii Speak accessory comes with a code that lets users download the Wii Speak Channel from the Wii Shop Channel at no charge.

The Wii Speak Channel will allow friends and family members to chat with one another, whether they live across town or across the globe. When users are chatting with the Wii Speak Channel, they can see each other’s Mii™ characters representing them on the television screen.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com. For more information about Nintendo, please visit www.Nintendo.com.

Phahtrox: This is good, very good.

Guitar Hero: World Tour is Banning, Deleting, and Blocking Songs and Accouts

Songs with similar sounds to videogames are being deleted, and sometimes going to the extent of actually blocking, and/or ban accounts. Zelda, Mario, and even The Office's jingles are being deleted.

Phahtrox: WOW. This makes me not want to buy Guitar Hero now. I was looking forward to playing some Mario, and Zelda, but now I can't. I mean I can make the songs and play them at home, but that ruins the point.

NintendoWiFi.com Is Destoryed!!!

Phahtrox: This is very odd. Maybe instead of calling it Wi-Fi connection, they will go with the more understanding "Nintendo Online Service", because some Wii's don't play over Wi-Fi. You know...

Rock Band 2 DELAYED

Rock Band 2 has been delayed until January 5th, 2009. No reason has been given. This delay is not the first of course.



Phahtrox: Above is a picture about Rock Band, and is filling up space due to lack of info. I know. I'm lame.

Need for Speed Live

GUILDFORD, UK – November 5, 2008 – Today at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced Need for Speed™ Live, a unique festival and competition that celebrates car culture. This first-time event will be open to the public and will be hosted next summer at the world famous Brands Hatch Circuit* located near London, England. The weekend-long experience will be a showcase of entertainment, videogames, music, car shows and displays designed to appeal to fans of racing games, proud owners of hot vehicles, fans of exotic cars and motorsports enthusiasts.

Need for Speed Live will invite some of the world’s top drifters and time attack cars from across Europe, North America and Japan to gather in one location to compete in a battle of the continents. Need for Speed Live will also include demonstrations by some of the world’s most famous race and exotic cars in a manufacturer time attack exhibition.

“For over 14 years, Need for Speed has been at the forefront of automotive culture and this Live race event brings the spirit of Need for Speed games to life with all of the energy, adrenaline and sexiness that the franchise represents,” said Rod Chong, Creative Director for Need for Speed Live. “Need for Speed Live will definitely push each driver and their cars to the limit as they contend with dramatic elevation changes and harrowing fourth-gear 100 mph drifts.”
For more information on Need for Speed Live, please visit www.needforspeedlive.com.

Miyamoto UNDERSTANDS US!!

From GameDaily.com

Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto recently spoke with Stephen Totilo at MTV Multiplayer, and the man behind the Mario and Zelda franchises was surprisingly candid about the recent iterations in those classic Nintendo franchises. Regarding the need to innovate in these series, Miyamoto noted that it's "something that I talk to the members of my development team about on a regular basis."

He continued, "What I've been saying to our development teams recently is that Twilight Princess was not a bad game, by any means. But, still, it felt like there was something missing. And while, personally, I feel like Super Mario Galaxy was able to do some things that were very new and were very unique, at the same time, from another perspective, certain elements of it do feel somewhat conservative in terms of how far we branched out with design. And so this is something I've been talking to both of those teams about.

"Of course, as is customary with Nintendo, it's very rare that we are able to announce any games until they're ready for release, but I can say that these are themes that both of those teams are taking into account and the hope is that for both of those franchises, when we do release the next installments of the Zelda [franchise] or maybe the next Galaxy, hopefully they will feel newer and fresher than their most recent versions."

Nintendo isn't ready to say anything about the next Mario or Zelda, but another classic franchise – Punch Out! – already seems to be getting Miyamoto excited. He commented that not only have many Nintendo fans been waiting for this game, but many people at Nintendo have wanted to make a new Punch-Out! for some time now. Miyamoto will serve as the game's producer.

"I think people who are fans of the original will be very thrilled to see the kind of style we've designed the game in. It will feel very classic," he said. "But at the same time, with the 3D polygons and the polygonal rendering of the characters, I think is going to make for some very nice cut-scenes and a little bit deeper story."

You also might be interested to hear that Miyamoto believes Valve's Portal is "an amazing game."

Check out the full interview at MTV, and you can also read our own recent Miyamoto interview in which he discusses Wii Music, user-generated content and more.

Phahtrox: This is good news, espeally for a guy like me who has seen the Zelda pattern go somewhat bland. They are still good, by all means, but I would just like to see new adventures into new gameplay.

DSi Import Info

Phahtrox: If you must have a DSi, you can pay Renchi 250$ for a Black or White Japanese speaking DSi. Is it worth it? I'm not really gonna get it. You prolly won't either. But if you must... Go to it.

Nintendo Is Going To Make More Wii's for the Holidays

For those who have not actually bought a Wii yet, Nintendo is ramping up production of Wii's to catch up with Wii demands. Nintendo is going from 1.6 million units a month to 2.4 million units.



Phahtrox: Wow, this is crazy. After 2 years it's still kinda hard to grab one.

Rock Band: The Beatles Goes Away...

A while ago, MTV scored the rights to The Beatles music. Many thought a Beatles Rock Band game was in the works...

Phahtrox: Nope!

...Reuters says that the songs won't make it onto disc, or even available for download.

Phahtrox: Maybe sooner or later, they'll do something about this madness.

Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Launch Event

11/09/2008 - Come to Nintendo World on November 9th from 12pm to 4pm to celebrate the launch of Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia and pick up your own copy! There will be lots of fun challenges and games! Get your picture taken with Pikachu! Come and try out Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia. This new Action-Adventure game for Nintendo DS features a different way to capture Pokemon - with your DS Stylus! Don’t miss the fun only at Nintendo World, November 9th!

Phahtrox: Cool... A picture with Pikachu?

Skate It Released Date is...

November 17.

Phahtrox: I didn't feel like writing anything, so here's a picture to make you happy.

Reggie hates on Disaster: Day of Crisis

Recently, Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime talked fairly candidly about the issues present in Wii title, Disaster: Day of Crisis. Reggie called the voice acting “laughable” and then essentially told the IGN interviewer that he doesn’t believe Disaster is worth a $50 price tag. Currently, the game is only available in Europe and Japan and is missing on NA release lists.

In addition to that, Reggie said he would monitor the game in Europe and if it sells well, he would bring it to North American audiences. Considering Reggie’s fairly candid sentiments, I’m not exactly sure if we want the title to make the jump over the pond.

Reggie’s comments are fairly odd, considering the amazing amount of garbage present for the Wii on store shelves. Instead of knocking a game that has 3D graphics and voice, perhaps he should knock on titles that only consist of mini-games or frantic waggle movements. It would be nice to have the bar raised.

From: Destructoid

Phahtrox: Hmmmm... That's not good.

MORE DSi INFO!!!!!!

- Miyamoto mentioned that while you’re listening to your audio tracks on the DSi, you can press buttons and play drums along with the music.
- The main reason the SD card slot was added to the DSi was because of Miyamoto. He said it was necessary to have and would be able to show why the DSi needed it. Sounds like he has some interesting ideas in his mind to me.
- The original prototype for the Nintendo DSi had two software slots. Could that mean it had a DS and a GBA slot too? Regardless, they thought it was bulky and so the second slot was of course removed.
- The Nintendo DSi is compatible with SDHC memory cards
- Opera license doesn’t have flash written anywhere, so it probably can’t play flash
- Wi-Fi seems to be the same connection strength
- The unit’s weight is 214 grams and the unit’s size is 74.9 mm x 137 mm x 18.9 mm
- The screen resolutions are the exact same as the DS Lite (256 x 192), so the only difference in the screen is that it is slightly larger.
- The codename for the DSi was likely Twilight since its model number is TWL-001
- By tapping the power button, you can go back to the main menu. That way, you can switch games without having to turn the power off. You hold down the power button to turn it off.
- You can adjust the brightness anytime by holding select and then + or - on the volume switch
- You can mute your DSi by holding the - on the volume switch and then pressing the power button
- The DSi will have firmware updates, just like Wii
- Those looking to play homebrew seem to be mostly out of luck. CycloDS, G6 DS Real, M3 DS Real, Supercard DS One, iTouch DS, FCard, NCard, M3 DS Simply, U2DS, R4DS, and EZ Flash V don’t load on the DSi, the auto booth Flash cards won’t load at all, and the non-auto boot ones give an error on boot from the main menu.
- The Japanese DSi can only be in Japanese, unlike the DS and DS Lite which had the option to change the language.
- English DS games CAN be played on a Japanese DSi. The only thing that is region locked is the DSi Shop.
- DSiWare launches in December in Japan
- New Art Style games announced for DSiWare. There will be 6 of them (4 of them are new), for 500 Nintendo DSi Points each
- Minigames (Not the microgames, but the minigames you unlock) from Made in Wario (a.k.a. WarioWare) for the GBA will be split up and sold separately for 200 Nintendo DSi Points each
- Train line maps will be available for DSiWare
- Utsusu! Made in Wario was announced for DSiWare. You can take pictures of yourself and use your silhouette as the character. It will cost 500 Nintendo DSi Points and will be up on the DSi Shop’s launch at the start of December

-From WiiNintendo

Phahtrox: That's pretty sweet.

"Let's Play on Wii" Titles so far!

"Let's Play on Wii" titles are Gamecube titles that are getting upgrades to be playable on Wii. So the first two Metroid Prime's are going to have controls like Corruption and other upgraded features.

Games so far:
Pikmin
Pimin 2
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Mario Power Tennis
Chibi Robo

Phahtrox: OMG!!! OMG!!! This is very good!!! I loved Pikmin 1&2 and Metroid Prime 1&2, and now..... EEEEEEEEE!!!!!

James Bond 007: Quantam of Solance Gameplay

Phahtrox: Hmmmm...

Mega Man 9, ONE MORE SECRET!?

For those of you who've already tackled the new robot bosses, been through Wily's castle, and even taken down Fake Man, it may seem that Mega Man 9 still has something new to offer. According Seth Killian, community manager with Capcom, there's still one thing that folks haven't found yet.

"There's only one undiscovered Mega Man 9 secret that I know about ... I don't predict anyone will discover this one for quite a while yet," Killian said over at the Capcom boards. Of course, with this, many have launched themselves into the thread, anxious to be the one who finds this last hidden gem in what is, indeed, itself a gem.
By: WiiFanboy.

Phahtrox: This is quite cool for a game vet like me. With the lack of any good secrets in games nowadays, we could get a good 8-bit classic secret...That sounded lame...

Rock Band: The Beatles?

The Beatles are going to start riots once again with the hinted at version of Rock Band: The Beatles. It's going to be built from the ground up with...Well they won't tell us, yet.

Phahtrox: Wow... Hopefully this won't be like Guitar Hero: 70's Edition.

Everybody's Theater Channel Comes SOON!!

But only to Japanese Wii's.

It will cost 500 points to buy and will include the ability to buy shows to view streaming(?) movies and shows.

Phahtrox: I want it!!!!

Animal Crossing Bundle Pack Comes With Wii Speak!!!

Phahtrox: This is good news!!!

Some people are having problems with something coming as a bundle, some thinks that AC:CF may become too expensive, but in reality it is going to be the standard 50$ that all the other games came with. The first AC came with a memory card and had no price hike.

Core Games in the Works For Wii!!!

BIZ: What is your response to people who love, say, Super Mario Galaxy, but who are not so interested in things like Wii Music?

SM: My attitude is that obviously for 30 years now I’ve been making games and for the vast majority of time I’ve been making the type of games that the loyal Nintendo fans enjoy. Those are the types of games that my career is based on and we’re going to continue to make those types of games. In fact, we have many of those types of games in development right now.

BIZ: Would you like to be able to make more games for the broadening Wii casual gaming audience, or do you think your time is better spent on other projects?

SM: I think it’s very important for us to not only take the types of games that we’ve seen in the past and continue to polish them and make them more immersive and more extravagant, but we must also look at ways to make video games accessible to more people. Like any traditional craft, the more and more you refine those classic styles of games, the harder and harder it is for more people to enjoy them. For me what’s important is not only do we have to come up with new ideas for games that we have seen over the years, we need new game experiences like Wii Music and Wii Fit that will reach out to a broader audience.

BIZ: With the popularity of games like Spore and LittleBigPlanet, what role do you see user-generated content (much like the music videos players can create in Wii Music) playing in games moving forward?

SM: I think user-generated content and the ability to give people these sets of tools that they can unleash and share with others is something that’s going to continue to expand and become more popular. Especially given the advent of the Internet and how people are connected all over the world today. We’ve looked at that already to a certain extent with the Miis and the Mii Contest Channel. Rather than us spending the time to create the best Miis that our game designers can think up, it’s much more interesting to give a topic or challenge to the game players out there and let them do it. Obviously, the Mii Channel is limited with the amount of parts it has, but it’s fun to challenge gamers with how creative they can be to design different types of Miis and then share them with others. Wii Music is another example with how we allow gamers to share the music videos they create.

-GameDaily

Sega Is Publishing The Conduit

PRESS RELEASE: SEGA Gets Zapped by High Voltage with The Conduit

SEGA to Publish Highly Anticipated Wii Title in Spring 2009

SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA® of Europe Ltd. today announced a worldwide partnership with High Voltage Software to publish and distribute the Wii™ home video game system-exclusive title, The Conduit. The first-person shooter garnered multiple awards at E3 2008, including Best Wii Game by GameTrailers and three awards from IGN: Best Shooting Game (Wii), Best Graphics Technology (Wii) and Best Overall Wii Game. The Conduit is a stunning, futuristic title powered by a new game engine technology that delivers remarkable visuals and effects, as well as a rich interactive experience that is unlike any other title on the Wii.

“The Conduit is one of the most talked-about Wii games this year and High Voltage Software has only scratched the surface of the game in terms of what they have shown so far,” says Simon Jeffery, President of SEGA of America, Inc. “They have proven that graphical and technological innovation can be exciting to the Wii market, and SEGA is thrilled to partner with a team that truly shares our belief in the Wii’s gaming potential beyond the casual market.”

“High Voltage Software’s partnership with SEGA to publish The Conduit represents an important milestone for this studio,” said Kerry Ganofsky, CEO and founder of High Voltage Software, Inc. “SEGA shares our vision for the title and its tremendous potential, which is why we chose them from a long list of potential partners. With their support, we are confident that The Conduit will deliver the definitive shooter experience that Wii fans have been waiting for.”

The Conduit takes players into a dark story in Washington D.C. after a vicious alien invasion has rocked the country. An organization called the Trust has sent in Secret Service agent, Mr. Ford, to go up against the insect-like alien race known as “The Drudge.” Armed with an array of futuristic weaponry and an intelligence-gathering device simply called the “All-Seeing Eye,” players follow an intricate storyline filled with conspiracy, shady government activity and terrifying aliens.

The Conduit’s detailed control system allows players to customize and configure look sensitivity, turning speed, the dead zone and much more. As players delve further into the mystery behind the extraterrestrial invasion, shocking details reveal that the invasion may have been brought on with help from the government itself.

Powered by High Voltage Software’s groundbreaking Quantum 3 engine, The Conduit ensures that players will experience single and multiplayer gameplay with graphical fidelity never seen before on the Wii. The Conduit will also support the recently announced Wii Speak peripheral, allowing online multiplayer gamers the ability to chat as they destroy aliens in each terrifying level. Additionally, the game will take advantage of the Wii MotionPlus for optimal control.

The Conduit, exclusively for the Wii, is slated to ship in spring 2009. For more information on the game, please visit http://www.conduitgame.com. For screenshots and art, please visit the SEGA FTP site at http://segapr.segaamerica.com.

Phahtrox: Well this will be the best game Sega will have under it's belt for a while.

Mad World's Crazy Awesome Box Art

Phahtrox: Sweeeeet.

Guitar Hero:Metallica COMFIRMED

Phahtrox: Wow, another Guitar Hero. I'm starting to get a little sick of them, mainly because of the switch over to Activision. I believe Harmonix will still lead the gaming music industry. The only thing GH has over Rock Band is the name.

But maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way...Maybe it will be good. Ehhhhh...

Animal Crossing Craziness

ANIMAL CROSSING COSTUME CONTEST GIVES FANS A CHANCE TO WIN PRIZES, EXCLUSIVE INFO

Oct. 27, 2008

Fans of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing™ franchise are some of the most loyal in the world. To reward them for their devotion to these community-building games and to get players fired up for the Nov. 16 release of Animal Crossing™: City Folk for Nintendo’s Wii™ console, Nintendo is hosting an outrageous animal costume contest.

Critter lovers can show their creativity by submitting the most original images of animals dressed in costumes or even as characters from the hit video game franchise Animal Crossing. The entrants of the top 50 photos in the “Animal Crossing Welcome Waggin’ Costume Contest” will win membership to the exclusive Welcome Waggin’ Committee. All committee members will receive a Wii video game system, a copy of Animal Crossing: City Folk, a Wii Speak™ microphone, access to exclusive information about the game and more.

Expanding on the popularity of the Animal Crossing series, Animal Crossing: City Folk lets every member of the household partake in the fun of a unique animal-filled town. Players use the simple controls of the wireless Wii Remote™ controller to customize their own characters and surroundings. And for the first time, players can take their adventure to the city, complete with shopping and theater excursions. It’s also the first game to make use of the Wii Speak microphone, a new accessory that enables players to use voice chat over a broadband Internet connection. The Wii Speak microphone is sold separately.

Daily photo picks and details about the “Animal Crossing Welcome Waggin’ Costume Contest” will be posted at www.WelcomeWagginContest.com. Entries will be accepted Oct. 27 - Nov. 16. For more information about Animal Crossing: City Folk, please visit www.Animal-Crossing.com.

Wii Shop Update 10/27/08

WiiWare



Strong Bad Episode 3: Baddest of the Bands (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Alcohol Reference, Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,000 Wii Points): Rock and roll! Hurting for cash, Strong Bad sets out to dominate the “Battle Royale of the Bands.” Can he rule the stage and win the big prize? Or will he be drowned out by the competition? Find out in this high-voltage episode.


Art Style: ROTOHEX™ (Nintendo, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Use colored triangular panels to create a vibrant mosaic of stained glass in Art Style: ROTOHEX. As triangles fall from the top of the screen, rotate them to group six panels of the same color and create a matching hexagon, or HEX. Once the HEX has been formed, it will disappear, allowing the existing panels to shift and more panels to fill the playing field. A clear-cut goal and two different styles of intuitive controls allow you to focus solely on the game play-which is vital, as the playing field will be full of panels before you know it. With multiple modes (unlock more as you progress further in SOLO mode), special item panels at your disposal, and the ability to play cooperatively or competitively with a friend, there will always be another HEX to create.

Virtual Console

Earthworm Jim (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points): Jim was an ordinary earthworm who did very earthworm-like things, such as flee from crows and eat dirt. One day, during an outer space fight, a suit drops to Earth and falls around Jim. It mutates him into a large and intelligent (at least by earthworm standards) superhero. Play as Jim in this Sega Genesis classic. When Jim learns of the evil plans of Psy-Crow and Queen Slug-for-a-Butt, he decides to rescue Princess What’s-Her-Name. Run, gun, swing on hooks by your head and launch cows at the interesting characters you meet along the way, such as Major Mucus, Chuck and Fifi, Evil the Cat, and Bob the Killer Goldfish.

DSi SD Card Slot Upclose Pics

Phahtrox: It's not as ugly as the Wii's slot.

Disaster: Day of Crisis New Images, Factsheet So Far

Phahtrox: I feel that I'm the only one who want's this game.

Fact sheet so far...
1. You play as Raymond Bryce, a former US marine.
2. You fight an organization called SURGE.
3. The controls are quite different than most games, with good use of quick time events, clever game controls, minigames, and being a rail shooter.
4. layers will also have to keep an eye on meters for Ray's stamina, heart and lungs, which can be depleted by strenuous activity and exposure to smoke and poisonous fumes, and replenished by eating food or taking in deep breaths of clean air respectively.
5. During the game players will be able to improve Ray's skills including his strength, accuracy with firearms and mental concentration by collecting "Survival Points" earned by rescuing civilians, while "Battle Points" earned from killing SURGE members can be used to purchase and upgrade Ray's weapons and equipment.
------
Bad news for us AMERICANS: Disaster will not come out in the US unless it sells well in Europe.

Comes out in Europe today.

DSi Factsheet: Everything you need to know about the DSi

1. Not an entirly new line of systems. Just an upgrade.
2. Coming to Japan first, much later in 2009.
3. First colors are Black and White.
4. Estimated price in the US is 150$-180$.
5. Can play all of the original DS games that don't need a GBA slot(sorry Guitar Hero)
6. Parental controls...(bleh)
7. Will be regoin locked due to online services that support different countries.
8. The power button acts like the Wii's Home button.
9. Is only 2.6mm, 17% smaller than the Lite.
10. Has 3 lights now, one for power, charing, and network.
11. New AC adapter for DSi, different than DS and DS Lite,
12. 9 to 14 hours on lowest light setting.
Phahtox: Ewwwww...
13. Higher speaker quality.
Phahtrox: Doesn't look like it. Well, if they say so... The DS Lite's speakers kinda sucked...
14. Dual cameras for each side, 300,000 pixels, 640 x 480 resolution.
Phahtrox: Decent...
15. L button may be the trigger for camera.
16. Photo Channel type of editing system with more features.
17. SD card.
Phahtrox: Homebrew!

18. AAC music playback in DSi sound.
19. Music editor.
20. Opera web browser is free at launch.
21. Wii Menu interface.
22. Moving notepad.
23. Internal memory.
Phahtrox: It may only have 512MB of memory to match the Wii's memory.
24. ALL DSi applications are 200, 500, and 800 points. Some are free.

DSiWare200 includes the software that can be bought for 200 Nintendo DSi Points. These pieces of software will be very compact-sized tools and games. DSiWare500 will cost 500 Nintendo DSi Points, and will include simple puzzle games and tools of significant size. The fourth category are the Premium titles. Premium includes anything that is more than 800 Nintendo DSi Points. Nintendo also revealed that Brain Age 1 and 2 are being re-designed as DSiWare titles, and those DSiWare Brain Age titles will be known as “Literature Edition” and “Science Edition”. And while these aren’t confirmed, Satoru Iwata presented some ideas for DSiWare applications, such as “a Zelda calculator, an Animal Crossing clock, street maps for various large cities, or possibly a simple Tetris.”

DSiWare shop so far:
Brain Age 1&2=Updated versions
Opera Broswer
Moving Notepad

Wii Music Madness!!!!

Phahtrox: Do you think that alleged game was a mockery? Well the folks in Japan are loving it. They have sold 92,000! 5000 of them were sold, first day! Are the casual taking over?!

Another Strong Bad Episode, Baddest of the Bands Coming Soon

Phahtrox: As the Strong Bad series rolls on, the amount of fans increases all the time. The humor and gameplay makes everyone enjoy the game. And if they keep on coming out we'll keep on buying.

Metroid 2 Fan Remake! VERY GOOD!

Phahtrox: This is the stuff that makes me want to be an American.

Hack to bypass the 2GB SD card limit

The hack, documented in detail by Knoxximus over at cheapassgamer.com, basically amounts to filling up the card with junk data until the remaining free space is less than 2GB. You first use a PC with the SDFormatter program to initially format the card (since the Wii won't format the 4GB card to begin with). Then you copy some files to the disk using your PC, bringing the free space below 2GB. Then the disk magically works in the Wii.

Though the filler data takes up usable space on the disk, you can remove filler files as the disk fills up. Essentially, you can access all 4GB of the disk - you just need to ensure that free space at any point in time is less than 2GB. Knoxximus has a PC utility that will create a bunch of files on your SD Card with a user specified size, which makes this whole process fairly simple. For instance, you can make a folder with hundreds of 100MB files, and you just delete a dummy file or two whenever you fill up your card with Wii files.

It sounds like the 2GB limit is completely arbitrary, since writing to a 4GB disk works without problem. Somewhere in the Wii's software, it's just checking to make sure there isn't more than 2GB available on the drive. I'm not sure why the developers didn't check the volume size of the disk instead of the just the available space, but thankfully they didn't or this hack wouldn't be possible.

Phahtrox: Sweet...Kinda.

Wii Shop UPDATE

A Wii Update adds a little bit of content.

On Thursday, 10/23 starting at 7 AM, the Shopping Channel is undergoing maintenance longer than scheduled, and is currently not in service. We apologize for any inconvenience due to this maintenance.

With this maintenance, the following changes will be made.

Wii Points will soon be called Nintendo Points, and all references as such will be updated. All other functionality with Nintendo Points will remain the same.

The controller usage explanation screen will be updated.

The controller usage explanation screen will be separated from the purchase screen. Along with this, the user will be prompted to confirm that they have any necessary accessories before being able to press the Purchase button.

The design of the icons displayed will be updated.

My Pokemon Ranch UPDATES

The WiiWare title My Pokemon Ranch is getting an update. Since Pokemon Platinum is out in Japan, My Pokemon Ranch needs to be updated to be compatible with that game. Well, we now know that the update is scheduled to hit Japan next month and is free of course. Here are the new additions:

- You now store a max of 1500 Pokemon instead of 1000 Pokemon
- You can deposit Giratina’s Origin Forme
- Shaymin’s Sky Forme appears somehow

Normally, Shaymin reverts back to its Land Forme when deposited in the box, so it’s unknown how Shaymin’s Sky Forme will appear. It’s possible it could be like Cherrim and Castform and randomly change types in the Ranch. I’m thinking this update will allow the new Rotom Formes to appear as well, though that hasn’t been confirmed yet. It’s likely that the US will get this update soon after Platinum releases in the US as well, though nothing official has been said yet.

[Via Serebii.net]

Phahtrox: this makes me a happy Mankey.