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NintendoWare Weekly: Majora's Mask (and stuff that isn't Majora's Mask)
This week, NintendoWare Weekly brings us the second-most requested title for the Virtual Console: Majora's Mask. With its arrival today, that can only mean one thing: Earthbound is next! When is "next?" Well, yeah, that might be a problem ...%Gallery-63597%
VC/WiiWare Tuesday: Contra and more
Today's Virtual Console and WiiWare offerings in Japan are shockingly good. So good that if a release week like this happened outside of Japan even once every six months or so, nobody would complain about Nintendo's downloads. Even if we ignore the three WiiWare games that are already out in North America, it's wall-to-wall quality. Well, we're kind of assuming that Contra Rebirth is quality. Even if it's terrible, we know we're in for a $10 download of an original Contra game when it shows up here. We know that the WiiWare Art Style games are fantastic, because we've been playing them since last year. On Virtual Console, the PC Engine CD-ROM version of SimEarth and the arcade release of the brutal Tower of Druaga pale before Downtown Special, a Japan-only sequel to River City Ransom starring Kunio and friends as samurai. Virtual Console: Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki Dayo Zenin Shuugo (Famicom, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) SimEarth (PC Engine, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) The Tower of Druaga (Arcade, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) WiiWare: Art Style: CUBELEO (1 player, 600 Wii Points) Art Style: DIALHEX (1-2 players, 600 Wii Points) Art Style: ORBITAL (1 player, 600 Wii Points) Contra Rebirth (1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points)
VC Friday: Majora's Mask, DSiWare available in Europe right now
This is probably the best day for downloads on Nintendo consoles in years. If you got a DSi today, you've probably already begun perusing the new DSi Shop and downloading some DSiWare, including the two Art Style games available! But even if you didn't get a DSi, you'll probably be happy with the downloadable selection this week. Well, that is, if you didn't get a DSi and you have a Wii. If you've got neither, this might just irritate you.The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask has arrived! And we don't even have to make any disclaimers about making sure you have space to download it.The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask -- N64-- 1,000 PointsArt Style: AQUITE -- DSiWare -- 500 PointsArt Style: CODE -- DSiWare -- 500 PointsBirds & Beans -- DSiWare -- 200 PointsDSi Browser -- DSiWare -- free!Paper Plane -- DSiWare -- 200 PointsWarioWare Snapped! -- DSiWare -- 500 Points
Nintendo reveals early DSi Shop titles
With the release of the Nintendo DSi mere days away, we imagine many folks have chewed their fingernails right to the bone. Here at the office, we're mostly concerned with the DSi Shop and how we're going to spend those free 1,000 Points. Thanks to Eurogamer, we know of at least three new games that will be available in Europe and (hopefully) North America, adding to the games we already know about.The first title is from the Art Style series of games, called Art Style: Code. The game released in Japan under Art Style: DECODE and is a puzzle game that tasks players with correctly organizing a series of numbers. Next is Pyoro (Bird and Bean), a game where you catch fruit falling from a tree with Pyoro's long tongue. The other new game is Paper Plane, where players must successfully guide a paper airplane through a series of mazes. Sadly, a price or US release date has not been mentioned for any of these titles, but the fact that they're leaving Japan is a very good sign for the future of DSiWare in the US.%Gallery-39571%
Australia's DSiWare launch lineup
The Nintendo DSi has officially launched in Australia, and with it, the DSiWare service! Six downloads are already available, including, of course, the free web browser. This may be a hint as to upcoming content in other regions' DSi Shops, but it's definitely a hint that awesome times have started for Australian DSi owners. We wish we could be playing WarioWare:Snapped! right now! We've linked to Nintendo of Japan's site for each game so you can see screens and video. DSi Browser (free) Pyoro (200 Nintendo Points) Paper Plane (200 Nintendo Points) WarioWare: Snapped! (500 Nintendo Points) Art Style: Aquite (500 Nintendo Points) Art Style: D-Code (500 Nintendo Points) Not invited to GDC 2009? Don't worry -- we've got you covered on your DSi needs. Check out our unboxing of a Japanese system for a hands-on rundown of features, and have a look at the awesome DSiWare downloads that have come to Japan. Then torture yourself with the limited-edition FFCC: Echoes of Time DSi that probably won't make it here!
GDC09: Nintendo confirms DSiWare titles for US
Tucked away in a press release that Nintendo dished out following Satoru Iwata's GDC09 keynote earlier today, was confirmation that certain Japanese DSiWare titles would be making their way out of the Land of the Rising Fun. But that's not all, as Nintendo also revealed that Japan's pricing structure will also make its way over here, with apps and games falling into the following price brackets: free, 200 points, 500 points, and 800+ points.Art Style: Aquia and WarioWare: Snapped! are among the first titles mentioned for the US DSi Shop, along with Moving Memo (tentative titlel). A date for these titles has not been set, but we're hoping they'll be available around the launch of the DSi in North America on April 5.%Gallery-48558% Not invited to GDC 2009? Don't worry -- we've got you covered on your DSi needs. Check out our unboxing of a Japanese system for a hands-on rundown of features, and have a look at the awesome DSiWare downloads that have come to Japan. Then torture yourself with the limited-edition FFCC: Echoes of Time DSi that probably won't make it here!
DSiWare Master of Illusion, Brain Age, Art Style rated by OFLC
While we can't be sure what the launch lineup for the DSiWare shop outside of Japan will look like, we can guess that the Australian shop will feature at least one of these games, thanks to OFLC ratings: Master of Illusion Express: Shuffle Games Master of Illusion Express: Funny Face Master of Illusion Express: Deep Psyche A Little Bit Of ... Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: Maths Edition D-Code (probably Art Style: Decode) The standard ratings board disclaimer applies: we don't know when these will be out, or if this release implies other regions. But if you wanted to know if Nintendo planned to localize any of its Japanese DSiWare lineup, here is evidence that yes, it is. Also found on the OFLC: The WiiWare version of Rainbow Islands (yay!) and Adventure Island: The Beginning. Also, Karate Phants. %Gallery-39571%
Two new Art Style games lead Japan's February DSiWare lineup
Nintendo has announced its monthly DSiWare update for February, including eight programs in all -- five of which are actually games! Fans of downloadable Nintendo games will be most excited to see the Art Style series continuing with Art Style: Nalaku and Art Style: Hacolife. But there's also unexpected innovation in one of the most mundane titles available! Not to mention the first third-party DSiWare game.Here's the rundown on each title: Nintendo DSi Calculator (200 Points) A simple calculator app, which is sold separately in Famicom Mario style and Animal Crossing style. Nagameru Dake de Kashikoku Nareru! Mojipittan Shiritori Tokei (200 Points): The title translates to "You can become wiser just by looking! Shiritori Clock." Shiritori is a Japanese game about spelling a new word from the final character of a previous word. This clock app puts a constant scrolling display of words and their definitions on the top screen, along with adorable Mojipittan characters. Art Style: Nalaku (500 Points) A puzzle game about guiding a little character around structures made of cubes, and painting the surfaces by contacting them. Sort of like Q-Bert, but with moving stages in which blocks fall out of and drop into the stage. Art Style: Hacolife (500 Points) Literally "Box Life," this game involves taking groups of six contiguous squares from flat levels and folding them into cubes. It also manages to be super cute. Chotto Asobi Taizen: Onajimi Table (500 Points): A selection of games from Clubhouse Games including reversi, hasami shogi, go, shogi, and hanafuda. Chotto Bungaku Zenshu: Sekai no Bungaku 20 (500 Points): A selection of 25 books in the style of the Japanese version of the 100 Classic Book Collection. This pack includes 20 translated versions of foreign works, and five Japanese books. Reading is fundamental! Ide Yousuke's Kenkou Mahjong (800 Points): What is in one way one of the most boring releases this month (it's a mahjong game!) is also one of the most exciting: this mahjong game features cross-platform online play with the WiiWare version of the same game. Sakutto Hamareru Horihori Action Mr. Driller (800 Points): This downloadable version of Namco's puzzle franchise features the Mission Mode, Time Attack Mode, and Dristone mode from the DS launch title Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits. All of these games will be available Wednesday, February 25 on the Japanese DSi Shop.
Eight new DSiWare games hit Japan this week
Silently, so as not to disturb anyone, Nintendo has added eight new DSiWare games to their Japanese website, all of which come out on the 28th! As in two days from now. The games include: Solitaire DSi (200 Points) Nintendo DSi Tokei, a clock app that can display photos (200 Points) Hobonichi Rozenzu, a travel guide to Japan (500 Points) Art Style: PiCOPiCT, a chiptunes puzzle game! (500 Points) Art Style: SOMNIUM, a puzzle game about sliding rows of slots to match up with same-colored spheres (example screens here) (500 Points) Chotto Panel de Pon, a mini version of Planet Puzzle League (500 Points) Chotto Suujin Taisen, a Japanese board game (500 Points) Chotto Asobi Taizen: Jikkuri Trump, a card game (500 Points) If you have a Japanese DSi, we are officially totally jealous. Think of us while you're totally not appreciating Art Style: PiCOPiCT as much as we would be. It's clearly the standout of the group, featuring new arrangements of 8-bit Nintendo classics by chiptune superstars YMCK!
BioWare blog defines "stylized reality" in The Old Republic
Sure, the news of Star Wars: The Old Republic was kept a secret (kinda) for a few years, and during that time we really heard nothing of the game itself. Yet here we are now getting a steady stream of useful information on a game that is not even predicted to launch this year. This week we have two examples of this from the team at BioWare: a look at the art style of the game, and an entertaining blog entry from Principal Lead Animator Mark How.In the blog entry, How explains a bit about how enthusiastic the animation team is for getting every lightsaber battle exactly right. He reflects on how powerful the toys were to him as a child and how the work they will do with TOR can be 10,000 times better than anything we could imagine back then.%Gallery-35034%
VC Friday: Gooey goodness
Save the best 'til last, as ... somebody ... probably once said, and that's exactly what Nintendo has done for the PAL WiiWare service. On the last "WiiWare Friday" of 2008, World of Goo leads a pack of four games. It is quite possibly the most wizard WiiWare release of 2008, and if you wish to know why, head here. Then go and buy it, and make 2D Boy the million bucks they so richly deserve.That's not to say you have to ignore the rest. Art Style: Orbient is an excellent little puzzler, Niki - Rock'n' Ball is an unknown quantity until somebody braver than us downloads it, and Sudoku Challenge! -- okay, you probably should ignore Sudoku Challenge!. World of Goo -- WiiWare -- 1500 Wii Points Sudoku Challenge! -- WiiWare -- 500 Wii Points Niki - Rock 'n' Ball -- WiiWare -- 500 Wii Points Art Style: Orbient -- WiiWare -- 600 Wii Points Build a gooey bridge past the jump for footage of all four.%Gallery-16000%
The Chronicles of Spellborn scores 8/10 in an early review
Although a great deal of the world is still playing the beta version of The Chronicles of Spellborn, continental Europe has had access to the retail copy since the 27th of November. Since Eurogamer has had a couple of weeks to put the game through its paces, they've posted a review. Now, we're sure you know the various problems with MMO reviews in general -- the two biggest being that most (good) MMOs are updated frequently post-launch, and that there's usually too much content to get through to provide accurate insight to all levels and areas of a game -- but it's worth nothing that this one comes with a rather healthy eight-out-of-ten score at the end.The art style and environments get an approving nod in the review, and so do the action-based combat mechanics. The "Skill Deck", which is the replacement for the traditional action bar you might be used to from a huge number of other MMOs, is both praised and knocked for its complexity. The primary criticisms that the review levels against TCoS are that it can be a bit generic at times, and that it lacks the glossy polish that you see in big-budget titles. Obviously these complaints were not significant enough to stop the reviewer from enjoying the game, and we look forward to seeing how it shapes up by the time it's released to the rest of the world in January.
Wii Warm Up: Your style
Nintendo announced three Art Style games at once for Europe, treating them as a set. Statements made by developer Skip also indicate that there may not be more Art Style for a while. Nintendo may have already proved us wrong this morning -- as of the time of writing, they haven't announced the releases yet. But we'll discuss these three now anyway, since some of us have had plenty of time to play some or all of them. Which has become more of a staple in your gaming life? The chilled-out Orbient? The brand new, slightly action-oriented Cubello? The intensely frustrating Rotohex?
VC Friday: Strong Bad, Cubello, cooking, billiards
Four new WiiWare titles came down the tubes in Europe and Australia today, and the selection couldn't be more diverse. Art Style: Cubello and Strong Bad Episode 3: Baddest of the Bands you'll already know about, but CueSports and Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam are more mysterious beasts. The former looks promising, the latter, er, not particularly great, according to the few reviews that are about.Art Style: Cubello -- WiiWare -- 600 Wii PointsCueSports -- Snooker vs. Billiards -- WiiWare -- 800 Wii PointsStrong Bad Episode 3: Baddest of the Bands -- WiiWare -- 1000 Wii PointsYummy Yummy Cooking Jam -- WiiWare -- 1000 Wii PointsFootage of all these is past! The! Break!%Gallery-33956%
Nintendo confirms Art Style games for Europe
Though we always expected this, Nintendo has confirmed that it will bring the stylish Art Style games to Europe's (and, we assume, Australia's) WiiWare service from November 21st. Art Style: Rotohex, Art Style: Cubello, and Art Style: Orbient are a trio of minimalist puzzle games, two of which are remakes of Bit Generations games from the GBA, and all of which we loved. Disaster: Day of Crisis, Space Invaders Get Even!, and now this? Whisper it, but it's beginning to feel like Europe actually exists in Nintendo's thoughts these days.
BioWare employees satirize SWTOR's ginormous lightsabers
You may have noticed that the lightsabers in Star Wars: The Old Republic are disproportionately large. A vocal minority of fans are crying bloody murder about this, and BioWare is not unaware of that fact. At a company Halloween party, it would appear that they made a self-deprecating joke of it, with at least one employee showing up with an outrageously huge lightsaber, then staging a recreation of the screenshot that raised all those eyebrows.The image was leaked to gaming blog Kotaku, and here it is. BioWare seems to believe it's good to have a sense of humor about yourself, and we agree!
Wii Warm Up: bit Regenerations
Two of the three Art Style games out on WiiWare are remakes of Game Boy Advance bit Generations games (possibly more; at the time this post is being written, today's games have yet to be announced, so forgive us if we neglect a fourth Art Style). The GBA games were characterized by simple gameplay and even simpler graphical styles. The Wii versions have redone graphics, but the gameplay is pretty much the same as ever. For those of you familiar with the bit Generations games, have the Wii remakes been satisfying? Do you consider them good representations of the original? If you're not familiar with bit Gen, do you like the Art Style games? Can you tell them apart from other WiiWare puzzle games?
New Art Style, WarioWare on DSiWare shop starting December, plus first look at Made in Ore
Nintendo buried some awesome news in the slides for their financial briefing today. With just one day until the Japanese launch of the DSi, we finally get a brief look at some upcoming downloadable DSiWare software. Nintendo plans to release six Art Style puzzle games on the service, for 500 points each. Of the four games shown in screens, all are brand new. One features a flat surface being folded into cubes, one looks like sort of a flat Rubik's Cube, one features a little guy walking around and specifying where to drop cubes, and one features three columns of colored blocks that the player shifts around.A brand new WarioWare will be available from the shop at launch for 500 Points. Utsusu! Made in Wario (Take a Picture! Made in Wario, basically) uses the camera to involve your pictures (and your live motions!) in microgames.In addition to Utsutsu!, minigames from previous WarioWare titles, like Paper Plane, will be available as separate downloads from the DSi Shop for 200 Points each. Also on the way: a Japanese train line map and guide software.It's not a DSiWare game, but Iwata also showed off a bit of Made in Ore, (at about 44 minutes), which is a full-on WarioWare microgame creation utility! You can draw sprites, create music, and even design the logic of the in-game elements, saving your microgames to virtual Famicom cartridges. There will even be a WiiWare game, Asobu! Made in Ore (Play! Made in Me), that allows you to upload your games to the Wii and play them with friends! Allow us to be absolutely clear: this is the greatest event in human history.To see the DSiWare stuff, scroll to the "DSiWare" slide (using the second button) and start the video (third button) to look at the footage for yourself, or head to Vooks for a series of screen captures![Via NeoGAF]
Wii Fanboy Review: Art Style: Rotohex
When I first played Rotohex, I understood on a basic level how I was supposed to play the game, but I couldn't imagine a distant future in which I could play the game. I could not make my mind process the act of rotating triangles to create same-colored hexagons. I think it's the hexagons -- whatever it is, it felt a lot more mentally taxing than most puzzle games, and I failed within a few minutes on my first try. Then, during subsequent attempts, I began to experience a bit more success. I started instinctively knowing how to position blocks, without consciously knowing what was happening. The world outside of my TV dropped away and I entered a prolonged Rotohex fugue state until the rush of falling triangles overwhelmed me and, half an hour later or so, I was dumped back into reality.To me, that combination of total focus and trancelike hypnotism is the ideal result of a good falling-block puzzle game. You sort of forget about the world, and you even forget to think about what you're doing, and things just happen on the screen as your dinner gets cold.
What is Art Style: ROTOHEX?
Nintendo has been making a habit of releasing these Art Style games onto WiiWare, but not really giving us enough info in the announcement. First it was Orbient, then Cubello, and now, it's ROTOHEX. And, just as with those games, this one is another remake of a bit Generations title for the GBA, Dialhex. We snagged the gameplay video you see above from the Nintendo Channel to give you all a glimpse at what to expect in the game. Now that you've seen it, think you will be downloading it?
