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Holidaze 2008: Live in the past, it's cheaper (Page 2)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare What we said then: "Perhaps the most surprising thing about the game is how few actual revolutionary concepts are contained within. It selects existing game design tools, hones them to practical perfection and creates what is, in our opinion, the military shooter against which all others must be judged." What we say now: "An essential 'tunnel of fun' shooter with a rewarding multiplayer component. If you find yourself disappointed by this year's Call of Duty: World at War, it's probably this game's fault." Current retail price: $39.99 (Game of the Year edition)
Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack on European Stars Catalogue somehow
We're assuming that this is a clerical error of some sort -- perhaps a new intern keeps uploading the wrong images and product descriptions for Wii Fit wallpapers. For the second week in a row, actual items have been added to the European Stars Catalogue, and they are cool.For 3,850 and 4,850 points, respectively, European gamers have the chance to buy the Gold and Platinum Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack discs previously exclusive to the Japanese Club Nintendo. The Gold edition features 28 tracks, and the two-disc Platinum set contains a staggering 81 tracks. It's been roughly one year since the items' release in Japan, but considering that nobody expected to see them available anywhere else ever, we have a hard time calling this "late." If you somehow have a ridiculous stock of Stars, go now! These items probably won't last the day.[Thanks, RICANJO!]
Miyamoto: Portal a triumph, Mario Galaxy 'conservative' in ways
He may not be intimately familiar with Ratchet and Whatshisface, but at least revered game designer Shigeru Miyamoto has had the pleasure of tumbling through dimensional shortcuts and outsmarting acerbic computers. In an interesting chat with MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo, Miyamoto admits that he, like most rational human beings, thought Portal was "an amazing game." Games that go without the "amazing" label? The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which the Mario maker describes as "not a bad game, by any means," but one that felt "like there was something missing." And while Miyamoto submits that Super Mario Galaxy did "some things that were very new and were very unique," he ultimately feels that some elements seemed "somewhat conservative."And it's at this point that we strongly advise you to open an umbrella or don a durable raincoat. When faced with the choice of vehemently defending two prominent Nintendo games or agreeing with the creator, fanboy brains tend to explode quite violently.
Miyamoto (slightly) critical of Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy
MTV's Stephen Totilo has posted the third and final part of a lengthy interview with Shigeru Miyamoto. Though the bulk of the article was lent to discussion of Wii Music, the pair broached other subjects, including what Miyamoto perceives as a lack of innovation in titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Super Mario Galaxy.Though Twilight Princess was "not a bad game," Shiggy felt there was "something missing," and was also semi-criticial of the previously untouchable Galaxy, which he thought was "very new and [...] very unique," but "somewhat conservative in terms of how far we branched out with design." If we may mount the Wii Fanboy soapbox for a moment, we'd concur that Twilight Princess was far from being the best Zelda, but found Galaxy to be consistently creative and entertaining.Elsewhere, Miyamoto referred to the "next Galaxy," which may or may not mean we'll be getting another Mario-in-space game (we wouldn't read too much into it), and that he loves Portal. Nintendo fanboys we might be, but we can probably all appreciate that last statement.%Gallery-29660%
Ten for under twenty at Gamefly's sale
In these belt-tightening, penny-pinching times, it literally pays to have a nose for the bargains. That's where we, or rather Gamefly, comes in. The game rental outfit has a broad selection of used Wii software for low, world banking crisis-friendly prices, and we chose ten of the best sub-$20 games to tempt you. Thar be bargains ahead! Baroque for $12.99 Battalion Wars 2 for $17.99 Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy for $9.99 Dewy's Adventure for $13.99 Geometry Wars: Galaxies for $16.99 Mercury: Meltdown Revolution for $15.99 NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams for $12.99 No More Heroes for $17.99 Sega Superstars Tennis for $9.99 Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure for $17.99 There's actually a ton more we could have mentioned, including Super Mario Galaxy for $32.99, Super Smash Bros. Brawl for $30.99, and Metroid Prime 3 for $26.99. Sadly, "One hundred and fifty-eight for under forty-two" just doesn't work as a headline. Hit up the "Source" link for the full set. %Gallery-3283% [Thanks, William!]
Wii Warm Up: Tell us a story
The Wii has been on shelves for close to two years now. That means there are plenty of games to experience on the console. What we want to know is what games do you think have the best story? Did you really enjoy the yarn that Okami spun? Think Super Mario Galaxy had a great story? Which Wii games have had the most memorable plots to you?
A brief history of Club Nintendo Awesomeness
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/A_look_back_at_Club_Nintendo_s_greatest_gifts'; By now, you've no doubt heard: Nintendo is rolling out Club Nintendo in the U.S. by the end of 2008. Wahey! Yeah, we know that Japan (generally speaking) gets the most excellent items when compared to elsewhere, but listen here, bub: it's free stuff. We're not about to complain, and nor should you (if you want to feel sorry for somebody, Australia's Club Nintendo scheme has gone AWOL, and check out South Africa's piss-poor Stars Catalogue).Anyway, as these are happy times for North Americans, we thought we'd reflect on some of the bestest Club Nintendo gifts and trinkets from both Japan and Europe to date -- some of which could end up in the U.S.! Hit the gray button to start DS Fanboy's whirlwind Club Nintendo Tour of Wonders! NEXT >> #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; }
Wii systems getting rooms at Marriott hotels
Nintendo has announced a new deal with Marriott, through which hotel guests will be able to opt for rooms with special Wii systems loaded with 20 games. The program is only available in six locations right now during the pilot test of the program. Currently, guests must pay an extra charge for the Wii, access to which lasts for the duration of the trip. The preloaded games include Mario Kart Wii, Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Sports, and even Wii Fit, suggesting that the system comes with a Balance Board or is really boring. We're glad to see the tradition of weird hotel Nintendo systems continuing -- we've wanted to steal one of those LodgeNet controllers for years.
Top 5: Where Do They Go Now?
As someone who's been following Nintendo for quite awhile, they've almost never failed to surprise me. Though their origins are classic, Nintendo-developed games are continuously refined, retooled, and revitalized. Some may buy into that old standard line used mostly for musical artists that makes you sound cool: "their older stuff is better." Such broad generalizations are silly: to ignore Super Mario Galaxy because of a fetish for Super Mario Bros. would be dogmatic.But for those of us growing long in the gaming tooth, we're led to wonder where all of these classic IPs are headed. It's hard to imagine a gaming world without Nintendo's current A-listers, but does anyone have a solid idea of what future iterations of our favorite franchises will be like? Now that just about every gangbuster franchise has been successfully embedded in 3D, we're at a loss as to the next big step for gaming. Some of us have really good ideas, but I'm positively stumped as to where these franchises are going. NEXT >> #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.
Top 5: Games for your Day Off
Gaming is a hobby, but sometimes it can feel like a job. As developers try to boost replayability, your gaming commitments can become anxiety-inducing. Just ask anyone who dared to attempt achieving 100% of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. At first, it's a fun and wonderful romp through a vivid world that's just oozing with life and character. By the end, you wish you'd never left Vice City. Did anyone here complete all of Super Smash Bros Brawl? I'm talking Classic Mode with every character, all of the Event matches, the target smashes, and every trophy and sticker available. At a certain point, some games can become an obligation rather than a means to entertainment. Today being Labor Day in the US, let's take a break from completing every mission, collecting every star, and unlocking all bonus content. Sometime between your 11 AM rise from bed and your evening consumption of copious amounts of hot dogs at your family barbeque, take some time to truly enjoy gaming. Here's our Top 5 recommendations. NEXT >> #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.
The King of Super Mario Galaxy Shirts
Japan's premier Nintendo-related t-shirt company, The King of Games, has turned their attention to a recent game, a change from their usual (justified) Famicom-era subject matter. The results, as always, are expensive. And worth it.The company has started selling two new handmade shirts based on Super Mario Galaxy: the "Peach Castle" shirt seen above and a second, excellent shirt featuring Bowser Jr.'s airship, which we're pretty sure is the best thing ever to feature Bowser Jr. The shirts sell for ?5,800 ($54) in adult sizes, and ?3,990 ($37) in totally cute "The King of Games Jr." kids' sizes.[Via Inside-Games]
Midna, Rosalina expertly cosplayed by Nintendo convert
Did you know that some people really like Nintendo games? It's true! Some people express their fandom by writing about Target Terror price drops, while others choose to imitate game characters at anime festivals. The Tanooki interviewed one such cosplayer, Andrea Zampella, and found that her Nintendo devotion is a new development! As it turns out, she grew up Segaist. It wasn't until Sonic the Hedgehog games began to show up on the GameCube that Andrea began to appreciate Nintendo consoles. Sonic and Mario at the Olympic Games was the catalyst for her complete conversion, marking the end of the Sonic/Mario rivalry. "Plus," she said, "Super Mario Galaxy was the bomb, and so was Rosalina!"Check after the break for a picture of Andrea as Rosalina. More images of both the Rosalina and Midna costumes can be found at The Tanooki, along with the full interview.
On sale at Amazon -- Nine cheap games for Nintendo lovers [update 5]
The "Nintendo Icon" Amazon Gold Box has gone live, so it's time for those of you who can shop at Amazon.com to get your credit cards at the ready. With nine different deals on the table today, you might just find something that appeals to you.The "Deal of the Day" is Super Smash Bros. Brawl for $25.99, which really leaves you with no excuse not to buy it. The lightning deals are where the excitement is always at, though, and there are eight of them that will cycle throughout the day. Before we get into what's on the list, we must say that the sales are slightly disappointing. Maybe it's just us, but we wish Amazon had included more second-party titles. After all, such games are considered "Nintendo Icons," too. There's one title in particular that we feel is sorely missing -- but we digress.To see Amazon's hints for the eight lightning deals, just click past the break.
Hospitals now less boring -- Fun Centers on the way
Sick kids are in for some fun, thanks to Nintendo and the Starlight Foundation. The Wii is heading for hundreds of hospitals in North America and Canada, all bundled up in Fun Centers packed with awesome stuff. Rehabilitation seems to be the Wii's favorite word, as Nintendo manufactures 1250 Fun Centers -- with 500 to be in place by the end of the year.The Fun Centers come with a Sharp flat-screen TV, a DVD player and a Wii with a bunch of games including Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Sports and Mario Party 8. What, you were expecting Resident Evil 4?Paula Van Ness of Starlight said "Our Fun Centers transform the hospital experience for children, bringing enjoyment and laughter to an otherwise daunting experience." Yeah, damn straight it's daunting -- and what did the friendly hospital staff bring this blogger when he was down and out with appendicitis? Battletoads. Yeah, the most ball-breakingly difficult game ever conceived didn't make the hospital stay any more fun.[Via press release]
Nintendo, Starlight partner to help sick kids
Video games are not always just about financial muscle and suffering the slings and arrows of fanboy-fueled drama. Sometimes, just sometimes, they're about making the world a better place. Such is the case today, as Nintendo has partnered with Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation to place Wii kiosks featuring such games as Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Sports in hospitals across both the US and Canada to help lift the spirits of seriously ill kids. The move echoes a similar effort by Microsoft last month, which saw the company link up with NHL vet Pat LaFontaine's foundation Companions in Courage to bring hundreds of Xbox 360 kiosks to children's hospitals in the US. According to a statement, Nintendo plans to manufacture some 1,250 new Fun Center kiosks as part of the partnership, with the charity hoping to have around 500 of these in hospitals by the end of 2008. The first pair of Fun Centers will be donated later today to the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles during what Nintendo describes as a Super Mario Galaxy-themed launch event, while Mario will also be on hand, no doubt to discourage Bowser from crashing the party.
Gamefly sales continue to tempt us
Gamefly is having a sale on some of its used-but-in-great-condition games again, also offering free shipping to spice up the deal a bit. As always, we're passings these savings along to you, while picking out a few we think are worth highlighting for their respective prices: Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire for $12.99 Dewy's Adventure for $14.99 NiGHTS for $14.99 Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law for $14.99 Manhunt 2 for $14.99 Victorious Boxers: Revolution for $15.99 Soulcalibur Legends for $15.99 Bleach: Shattered Blade for $17.99 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for $27.99 Super Mario Galaxy for $36.99 Click on the picture or "source" link to see the full list of Wii games, but keep in mind that you might be able to find some of them cheaper elsewhere.
Circuit City offering up Wii bundles as you read this
Still hunting for a Wii? If so, Circuit City's online store has them in around about ... now.Think supplies are going to last long? Hell no! Even though Circuit City is selling the things with an extra Wiimote, nunchuk and two of the titles listed below, we estimate these puppies will be gone soon. We'd usually criticize the practice of forcing customers to buy bundles, but we estimate that at least three or four of the six games being offered are must-haves: Super Mario Galaxy Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Wii Play Carnival Games Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Super Smash Bros. Brawl You're still here!? Go! Go! Go![Via Go Nintendo]
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%
Circuit City has a Wii for you, but there's a catch [update]
Update: Well, that was fast. Sorry folks, looks like it's sold out.Sad to say, but it's the truth. You can order a Wii right now from Circuit City, but you're going to have to bundle some stuff with the console. When looking over what you have to buy, however, it's really not that bad of a deal because you should be expecting to buy these games anyway.So what do you need to purchase? Well, the Wii console (duh), an extra Wiimote and two or more of the following games and/or accessories: Wii Zapper Super Mario Galaxy Wii Play Carnival Games Mario Party 8 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Considering that you were going to pick up Super Mario Galaxy and Smash Bros. Brawl anyway (if you weren't planning on it, may we ask if you're insane?), it's not that bad of a deal. And, for those of you still desperate to get a console, this might be the best solution.[Via Go Nintendo]
