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May NPD: Um ... take a guess
It was a good month for Wii, as the system again sold the most in the United States. However, sales were down, likely due to shortages of Wii Fit. And, as you'd expect, people went crazy for that high-tech Balance Board and software. But, hey, a win is a win, right? So let's pop those champagne corks and get the party started!NPD Hardware sales for May 2008:Wii: 714.2K 39.1K (5.5%)DS: 414.8K 37.8K (9.1%)PSP: 192.7K 10.4K (5.4%)Xbox 360: 188K 1.4K (0.8%)PS3: 187.1K 21.6K (11.5%)PS2: 124.4K 8.3K (6.7%)The software sales have been pushed past the break. And, like with the software sales above, you'll probably like what you'll see.
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 6/2-6/8
The top Wii game last week wasn't Mario Kart, or even Wii Fit. Rather, beloved roguelike Shiren got the coveted title, as Shiren the Wanderer 3 debuted in second behind the PS3's new Dragon Ball Z. The previously mentioned Nintendo games did show up in the top ten, though, along with Family Trainer. We're happy to see both Smash Bros. Brawl and Battalion Wars 2 hanging tough in the top thirty; the previous week had us a bit worried. In hardware, though, the Wii remains sandwiched between the PSP and the DS:Just click on past the break if you'd like to see how Wii software fared.
New Mario Kart Wii tournament focuses on Toad
A new Mario Kart Wii tournament has been revealed on the game's Japanese website. And, as you've gathered from the title of this very post, the tourney will focus on Peach's little helper, Toad.You can see, the track for the tournament will be Mushroom Gorge. Racers will need to go through the track backwards, as well as have selected Toad as their driver. For those of you who want to get their practice in, have at it. The date on this tournament says it will begin on June 15th.What do you all think? Better than the last tournament?%Gallery-4772%[Thanks, Josh!]
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 5/26-6/1
Wii Fit gained some competition last week, as Family Trainer finally made its debut in Japan. Even so, Namco Bandai's game couldn't overtake Nintendo's six-month-old fitness title. Many Wii games were also pushed to the bottom of the top thirty in this week's chart, with Smash Bros. Brawl in danger of falling off completely. Despite less than stellar software sales, Wii hardware performed well. Yet, once again, the Wii fell behind the currently dominating PSP:The software figures are located after the break, so click on.
Make short work of Mario Kart Wii's Grumble Volcano
This video demonstrates a totally cheap shortcut for jerks -- or if you're playing single-player, a really cool shortcut -- in Mario Kart Wii's Grumble Volcano track. With the judicious use of a mushroom, you can avoid the track altogether and rack up record-breaking lap times without being troubled by any of those obstacles or opponents that are always ruining your records. We really doubt this will give anyone a significant advantage online. In fact, it's going to be very funny to see entire groups of online players trying to crowd onto this tiny rock at the beginning of every race, leaving smart racers a wide-open track.%Gallery-23399%[Via GayGamer]
Kart this cake to your wedding
It may seem strange, suggesting to your fiancee that the iconic wedding cake should have a Mario Kart theme -- but then again, everyone loves Mario Kart, so chances of success are pretty good.This happy couple featured a stunning cake, which isn't just a replica of a particular object or character. This is the spirit of the entire Mario Kart world, baked and iced to picturesque perfection. Atop the many layers of goodness, each representing different courses and characters, is a kissing Mario and Peach figurine. So very sweet ... and tasty. Hit the jump for a few close-ups of this artistic achievement.%Gallery-4772%
Mario Kart Wii tournament features new 'Galaxy Colosseum' stage
A new stage. A new challenge. A new way to play Mario Kart Wii. Is this Nintendo doing DLC? Not so fast.We're not certain if Mario Kart Wii's new "Galaxy Colosseum" stage is actually downloaded or simply unlocked from the game disc by downloading the latest Tournament update -- either way, you could argue it's "DLC." But what's its value as additional Kart content? If the stage disappears when the tourney expires on June 9, then the freebie ranks as negligible (currently, Galaxy Colosseum is only playable through the online Tournament mode). Even if it's archived in a single-player mode, the timed minigame (knock four Spiky Topmen out of the arena using mushroom bursts as fast as you can) is an incredibly dull use of a Super Mario Galaxy crossover. Keep trying, Nintendo. And we'll keep dreaming.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Mario Kart Wii tournament provides sort-of-interesting new content
The first Mario Kart Wii tournaments were no big deal, offering pretty much the same kind of Mario Kart action you'd enjoy normally, but with more people involved. The latest tournament, which is available until the 9th, surprised us with a new level based on Super Mario Galaxy! It's ... a really boring track (in that it's just a disc), but Galaxy Colosseum is, at the very least, proof that there is still new content to be found in Mario Kart, probably on the game disc.What's even more interesting is the task: defeating four of Galaxy's Topman enemies in a Boss Attack challenge -- a new gametype! If Nintendo keeps this up, Mario Kart Wii will have a long, healthy life online. If not, we'll just go back to being disappointed.%Gallery-4772%
Nintendo: Connecting people
It's time for Nintendo to break out the old Combi vans and pile some consoles into the back, because the team is hitting the road for Australia's Nintendo Connection Tour 2008. The annual event features thousands of young and not-so-young fans gathering together at Westfield shopping centers around the nation to celebrate the latest and greatest in Nintendo gaming.Well, the Aussies won't exactly be enjoying the latest, but it may well be the greatest. At long last the ever-patient crowd will try their hand at kicking each other's butts ... at Super Smash Bros. Brawl. A tournament will separate the true winners from the let's-laugh losers, but even the combat-challenged can hit the track for some Mario Kart, and shred wth Guitar Hero: On Tour. Detailed dates and locations can be found after the jump.This blogger can even remember playing Nintendo 64 games in the back of some guy's van years ago when GoldenEye was all the rage. Wait, was that the official tour? There's a distinct memory with lots of candy ...
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 5/19-5/25
No new Wii games debuted last week; at least, none that ended up in the top thirty. There was one teensy weensy title that was introduced into the Japanese market, though. You may have heard of it: Guitar Hero III.To put it bluntly, sales for the game were low. In fact, it didn't even make the top fifty in Media Create's charts, and Famitsu reports that the title only sold 1,300 copies. Compared to sales in other regions (like North America and Europe, for example), where Guitar Hero III performed fiercely, you can see that tastes often differ between western and eastern gamers.Other than that, there's not to much to report about the software charts. Battalion Wars 2 managed to hang in the top ten, while Mario Kart Wii slipped into third place. Meanwhile, Smash Bros. Brawl might be in danger of falling out of the top thirty soon.In hardware, the gap between the Wii and the PSP lessened as sales for Nintendo's console rose, while sales for Sony's handheld fell. Still, the PSP had a lead of about 15,000 units last week, keeping the Wii locked in its second place spot:The software numbers are located after the break, so go on and take a look.
Wario Land Shake jiggling its way to Japan
Now officially listed on Nintendo Japan's official site, we can celebrate the unveiling of the latest game featuring pseudo-evil badass Wario. The kanji is translated into English as simply Wario Land Shake, which is a natural connection to the whole motion-sensing thing the Wii's got going on.Now, despite the fact that Wario has been featured in a pile of different games in recent years, the inclusion of Land in the title brings hope to the possibility that this will be a full-fledged platformer that follows on from Wario Land 4 which was released way back in 2001. No longer is our portly friend relegated to hosting mini-game compilations and riding go-karts; he's in the spotlight and heading for the store shelves of Japan on July 24. Stay tuned for more details![Via GoNintendo]
Don't be a backseat Mario Karter
Ugh, backseat drivers. They suck, right? Always telling you to "slow down" or that you "can't park in my living room." What do they know? If they were any good, they'd be the ones driving. Well, now that concept has come to video games.After the break is the first episode of a new web series called Backseat Gamer, which is pretty much what you'd expect from the title. Guess they heard that playing with friends is best. We didn't have such foul-mouthed friends in mind when whipping up that feature, though, but diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks, and all that. Also, we'd like to say that, personally, we use the Wii Wheel when playing Mario Kart Wii, unlike the video's protagonist. Why? Because that's how the real gangsters roll.Past the break you'll find the video. But, know that it is very much NSFW and chock full of foul language.%Gallery-4772%
Friday Video: Character glitching in Mario Kart Wii
All of you out there getting their race on with Mario Kart Wii (hop online and play with us some time!), have you ever wanted to use a certain character, only to have your friend quickly select them like a dumb jerk? Well, now you both can be Princess Peach without starting a fight. Pulling off the glitch is incredibly easy, as you'll see in the video above.%Gallery-4772%
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 5/12-5/18
The new kid on the Japanese Wii software block last week was Battalion Wars 2, which faired well enough in its debut to hit the top ten. Will it stay there? Our guess is no, sadly. Still, it's nice to see the game get some recognition in Japan.Once again, the only non-Nintendo title for the Wii that made the top thirty was Deca Sports, which dropped thirteen spots from the week before. Ouch. We're not sure what made Japan fall so out of love with Deca Sports in one week, but the game seems to have lost some of its legs. Smash Bros. Brawl also took a spill, falling from tenth place to nineteenth.The other noticeable drop was Mario Kart Wii, which only fell one spot, but an important spot -- from first to second -- and finally succumbed to the frightening power of Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G. Hardware was also a PSP victory, as the handheld beat all other systems by a convincing margin. Now that you've seen the hardware numbers, check past the break for the software sales.
A DIY Mario Kart Wii training wheel
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Revolutionary_Mario_Kart_Training_Wheel'; Are you still struggling with the Wii Wheel in Mario Kart, despite everyone online who's kicking your derrière while using it? Nintendo Wii Fanboy's Revolutionary columnist Mike Sylvester has a rather, erm, revolutionary idea: a do-it-yourself training wheel to help add subtlety to your turning. Check out the article for more information; a video demonstration is embedded after the break.
Revolutionary: Mario Kart Training Wheel
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Revolutionary_Mario_Kart_Training_Wheel'; The Wii Wheel was supposed to make racing easy enough for anyone to jump right into a session of Mario Kart Wii with no prior experience with either traditional game controllers or the Wii Remote. When used properly, it works as expected. The trouble is that it's not always used properly. Watching your parents try to get through Wario's Gold Mine, you'll notice that they're sometimes holding the Wheel the wrong way, and it's making them drive off the track into chasms of eternity. This observation led me to examine how Mario Kart Wii's steering works and come up with a solution for keeping n00bs on track.
Japan's six top-selling Wii games are ...
Oh, Japan, how we love you. And you love us back simply by existing. Mecca for gamers, the country has more video games than Halle Berry has bad post-Oscar career choices. Every gaming nerd on the planet would love to live there.So, what Wii games do the Japanese public enjoy most? Well, it's not that surprising this list of the six top-selling Wii titles in Japan. But, we know how much you all love this kind of data, so without further delay, let's get to the numbers!The Wii's six top-selling games in Japan are: Wii Sports - 2,979,275 units sold total Wii Play - 2,368,967 units sold total Wii Fit - 2,038,730 units sold total Smash Bros. Brawl - 1,620,119 units sold total Mario Party 8 - 1,254,542 units sold total Mario Kart Wii - 1,227,169 units sold total All first-party titles. Big shocker there! Do you enjoy obsessing over sales data? Well, we've got you covered. Our monthly reports on the U.S. figures appear courtesy of NPD, and we also cover the weekly sales figures from Japan and several countries in Europe. Odds are, we're covering the beat where you live, so check out what folks are buying!
Nintendo bans Hitler from Mario Kart Wii
Looks like sein kampf just got a little härter. As if it wasn't bad enough that Hitler's Xbox Live account was banned for modding, he's now being excluded from Mario Kart Wii as well. As Nintendo Everything recently reported, those with the Mii license of "Hitler" attempting to log on to the game will receive a message that such user names are not allowed on the Nintendo Wi-Fi service. While we support the move, we worry about the effect this will have on the completely hate-free "Li'l Hitler" (no relation to the full-size despot). The only thing he tries to completely eradicate from the globe is frowns.[Via NWF]
Nintendo joins the rest of the world in not welcoming Hitler
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Nintendo_joins_the_rest_of_the_world_in_not_welcoming_Hitler'; "No online racing for you!' That's the message Nintendo is sending to Mario Kart Wii owners hoping to race their Hitler Miis on its Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service.Any attempt to bring a Mii sharing the German dictator's name online for Mario Kart Wii will be met with the following error: "You cannot access Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection using this Mii name. Please change your Mii name and try again." Presumably, you should still be able to race with a Mii bearing Hitler's likeness while using a different name. You know, if drifting through Moo Moo Meadows as the architect of the Holocaust is your idea of fun.According to initial tests, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and several other dictator jerks are not currently banned. Really, though, when was the last time you ran into someone using a Mii of Robert Mugabe.
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 5/5-5/11
The gap between Wii and PSP sales is slowly but surely decreasing, making us wonder if the Wii might be able to overtake Sony's handheld once the Monster Hunter hype dies down: PSP: 89,884 Wii: 67,308 Nintendo DS: 51,228 PlayStation 3: 8,054 PlayStation 2: 7,464 Xbox 360: 1,298 Yet, the true triumph for the Wii last week was in software. Nintendo scored big all-around, but the Wii claimed six of the top ten spots in the chart. Keep in mind, though, that all the Wii games that made it to the top thirty are first-party titles, with the exception of Deca Sports.In other news, Smash Bros. Brawl managed to hop up five spots, showing us that it won't be disappearing any time soon. Meanwhile, Mario Kart is inching nearer to Brawl's total sales, making it a close race between the two games. To see how they're currently fairing against each other, just click past the break.
