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Amazon Fire TV games work with other Bluetooth controllers
Amazon just revealed its $99 Fire TV game and video streaming device today, and unveiled a $40 Bluetooth game pad to go along with it. As it turns out, developers appear to have the option to make their Amazon Fire TV games compatible with other controllers. "I don't have the full data set, if any is the right term. Generally speaking, it's a Bluetooth controller," Mike Frazzini, VP of Amazon Games told Engadget today when asked about the Fire TV's controller support. "And the same thing vice-versa. Third-party controllers can work on Fire TV as well." According to a mandatory configuration file for all Amazon Fire TV game developers listed on Amazon's site, developers must note if the app "supports a game controller, either the Amazon Fire game controller or a Bluetooth game controller from another manufacturer." While Amazon doesn't confirm official Fire TV support with the game pads, other Bluetooth controllers like Nintendo's Wii Remote and Sony's DualShock 4 could feasibly work with some games if developers so choose. Likewise, while the Amazon Fire TV supports up to seven Bluetooth game controllers simultaneously, software development kit documentation notes that "only four of those controllers are assigned to player numbers." This seemingly caps local multiplayer gaming on Amazon Fire TV at four players at a given moment, which may not be an issue since gaming is more or less a "bonus" for the streaming device.
Nintendo offering refurbished Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk for $20
Nintendo has a deal for those that don't have spare Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers left over from the last console generation. The console manufacturer's online store now includes refurbished versions of the peripheral pack for $20, a savings of $10 on the normal price of the accessories. Nintendo is offering the controllers in three colors: white, black and blue. Nintendo launched the Wii Remote Plus in November 2010, combining the gyroscope tech from its Wii Motion Plus add-on with the Wii's standard Wii Remote controller. Nintendo's refurbished goods may include "minor cosmetic blemishes," but are guaranteed to be fully functional and include Nintendo's standard 90-day warranty. Given that games like Wii Sports Club and Super Mario 3D World can use the controllers, the refurbished set may prove to be a good investment for Wii U owners.
Viewing Wii U through Apple-centric eyes
I had the opportunity to preview the Wii U last night at a Nintendo special event. Bold and bright, with flashing lights and helpful attendants, the preview was designed to build anticipation for the unit's upcoming debut. Does the age of Apple TV and iPad/iPhone AirPlay integration herald a challenge to traditional consoles? Apparently so, as the new Wii U controller seems highly influenced by tablets. The Wii U's large on-board screen offers a portable gaming solution that feels like the offspring that might occur if a Wiimote ran away to Vegas to marry an iPad. The Wii U offered all the standard gaming keys and buttons you'd expect, including switches on the back of the unit. It is very lightweight and rugged enough to use in active living room play. You wouldn't want to swing around an iPad while exercising, but the Wii U is built for use with Wii Fit and other active games. You don't have to worry about cracking glass, or the overall heft of the device, and the in-hand feel was not too far off from many games that use a sideways-held Wiimote. Nintendo had a bunch of new games they were showcasing including an updated Wii Fit, Super Mario Bros, a Karaoke Sing game, a dance title, and a bunch of shooters. I'm not entirely convinced any of these games benefited from adding a second screen. I should add that the console made it possible for a large group of people to play at once on separate devices, which is something the iPad / Apple TV paradigm doesn't support. Throughout it all, I kept asking myself if what I saw was enough to make me want to upgrade my current Wii system, and I'm not sure it was. Although a few of the games looked great, the hardware didn't particularly excite me. Wii U falls somewhere between the GameBoy/DS and the full screen console experience, which is where tablets normally lie, but it didn't define enough of a niche for me. Nearly every game I saw seemed to play just as well if not better using a normal WiiMote. If a unit fell into our lives, I'd certainly use it and enjoy it, but I don't quite understand the big draw. That's in contrast to my iPad experience, which fits so beautifully into work, reading, and play. Once people see you using one, they get how it's meant to be used. With the Wii U, I just kept thinking, "Oh, so now everyone playing in the living room can focus on their individual laps instead of playing together as a group." In the end, I found the Wii U to be cool but not compelling. What's your take on Nintendo's newest gaming device?
Alternative Wii U controller design makes brief appearance on Twitter, goes into hiding
Excited for Nintendo's new tablet-esque controller? So are the kids in TT Games' QA department. An over-excited tester tweeted out an image of a slightly different Wii U slab than the one we laid hands on at E3 2011, teasing "look we what we have at work!" Answering the call does indeed reveal something worth looking at -- a somewhat wider looking Wii U slate featuring two full-sized analog sticks (as opposed to 3DS-like circle pads), a pair of unmarked button-like squares, and a new starboard home for the controller's plus and minus buttons. The tweet was summarily pulled, of course, but not before our friends at Joystiq nabbed a screenshot. Naturally, the rumor mill started right up, churning out speculation of developer specific slabs, early prototypes and late redesigns. The truth? We'll probably need to wait until E3 to find out, but we reached out to Nintendo for a comment all the same. We'll let you know if we hear anything more than the usual "Nintendo doesn't comment on rumors and speculation" line.
Nintendo patent application lends a look at Wii U's core technology, add-ons too
Little did we know that, just two months after we were trying the Wii U for ourselves, Nintendo was busy patenting nearly everything its unique game console would have to offer. A pair of just-published US Patent Office applications filed last August get into the nuts and bolts of how the controller and the legacy Wii remote will play with the new device. It's clear that the patent work had started before Nintendo had redesigned the main system -- the box at the center of the patents looks like the existing Wii -- but it does show the nitty-gritty of things we only saw at last year's Nintendo E3 keynote, such as the gun attachment or playing golf with a combination of the Wii U controller and the traditional Wiimote. Nintendo also gave itself some wiggle room on the controller's screen size: although the LCD is officially 6.2 inches across, the patent allows that it might be "5 inches or larger." We're wondering how much of the overall look and technology will survive through to the finished Wii U design's unveiling at this year's E3. For now, though, you can explore the patents yourself at the links below.
'WiiPop' dance game hacks Wiimotes and Kinect into unlikely tryst
Whether by choice or by force, chances are good you've experienced a dancing game by now. Typically, these games ask users to mimic dance moves for points, but WiiPop, created by one Christian "Mio" Loclair, is completely freestyle.The game achieves this feat by incorporating both body-mounted Wii remotes and the Kinect. Used together, the devices measure how a user moves throughout the dance space and how he or she "pops" to the beat. It's all very amazing and complex and, as such, we suggest you watch the video above for the full rundown.
Human Birdwings project takes flight (update: hoax)
Just now catching up with the Human Birdwings project? Nice timing. The human flight machine -- built by Jarnos Smeets to rely on a Wiimote and Wildfire S, among other niceties -- has just enjoyed its first moments of liftoff. In essence, the wings were strapped onto a willing Earthling, and as he began to flap his arms... well, it's a sight you need to see to fully appreciate. We'll confess that the "flight" didn't last long, but Jarno himself told us that it was but a first "test run." Promising? Oh, yes. Head on past the break for the vid.Update: The project here has been underway since at least August of last year, but we've requested raw footage of the test flight here to further justify concerns. We'll report back shortly!Update: Shocker, it's fake. And that's that.
Human Birdwings combines Wiimote, smartphone in DIY flying initiative (video)
Somewhere, somehow, the Wright Brothers are smiling. Jarnos Smeets, a mechanical engineer from the Netherlands, has been plugging away on his Human Birdwings project for many, many months now, and his latest breakthroughs are absolutely worthy of a peek. Put simply, the bloke has married an HTC Wildfire S, a Wii remote and bookoodles of software genius in order to create a set of wings that are controlled by a human waving his arms as if to fly. As these things tend to go, it's all better explained in video, two of which are hosted up after the break. There's no capture just yet of Jarnos taking off himself, but at this rate, he'll probably be giving Santa a run for his money around this time next year.
SUFFER '11 farming robot plays a multitude of roles, takes commands via Wiimote (video)
So much for stereotypes, eh? The future of farming is being painted in a far different light here at NEXT Aarhus, where a team from the University of Southern Denmark brought in the largest Wiimote-controlled robot that we've ever seen. The heretofore unnamed beast (going by SUFFER '11 for the time being) is a farming-centric machine that's designed to take the load off of the landowners (while providing a bit of enjoyment all the while). Put simply, this modular bot can have various apparatuses swapped into its midsection -- one pop-in attachment could pick potatoes, while another could disperse pesticide, for example. There's even a module that'll enable it to detect rows and plow down the obvious routes, making it that much easier for farmers of the next millennium to take time off. Of course, the standout feature from our perspective was the inbuilt Bluetooth and WiFi, which allowed the demonstrator to operate the 'bot with a standard Wii remote. Per usual, the vid's after the break. %Gallery-131985%
Nintendo says one Wii U controller per console, robs player two of extra screen
Nintendo's tablet-esque Wii U controller raised a few questions when it was announced at E3. Questions like, "What kind of crazy games are going to use that thing," and "How much will a second controller cost me?" The latter, at least, has been answered. Nothing. You don't need one. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata recently said in an interview that games enlisting more than one Wii U controller aren't being considered just yet -- although they are possible. Our very own Ittousai tells us that Iwata told Diamond Online that the Wii U can technically support multiple screen-controllers, but that additional slabs would be too expensive to sell on their own. Iwata went on to say that the console would ship with only one, and that game developers should design titles under the assumption that each console will use a single Wii U controller. Player two will have to settle for a good 'ol Wiimote, and even Satoru himself admits that there are plenty of those around.
Simple DIY cellbot ditches Arduino, jousts poorly (video)
Want an adorable little Android cellbot to call your own, but aren't quite ready to tackle Arduino code? Darrell Taylor's got you covered with an audio-controlled, jousting cellbot: no muss, no fuss, no microcontroller. The Make project, called TRRSTAN, accepts commands via Google chat, web browser, or Wii remote piped through the headphone jack of your Android phone -- the robot's brain, of course. Tack on a few makeshift weapons procured at the local dollar store, and you've got a homemade warrior you can be proud of. Want one? Taylor has a ready-made kit available for just shy of $50, and offers a 'fully assembled' option for the extra-lazy robot enthusiast. Of course, you could always go back to playing Android-bots with your Legos if you aren't quite ready to big-boy world of DIY. Just sayin'.
Next generation Wii controller to feature 6.2-inch display, turn living room into giant DS?
E3 is getting close, just two months away now. As such the next-gen Wii console rumors have heated to a boil. One of the most interesting bits of tattle originates from Kotaku. The gaming site's sources claim (with impressive specificity) that the new 8-button controller features a screen pushing a whopping 6.2 inches, two analog sticks, and a camera. The new Wii console (sometimes called the Wii 2, Wii HD, or simply "Project Cafe") is said to support the new controller in addition to Wii Remote-style controllers for backward compatibility with existing Wii games -- at the moment, however, it's not clear if that implies support for existing Wiimotes. But why the giant display? Here's Kotaku's take: The 6.2-inch screen will receive data wirelessly from the Nintendo console and presents an array of options, from putting the player's inventory or map on the controller screen, to allowing players to combine it with the controller's camera to snap photos that could be imported into a game or even turning it into some sort of glorified viewfinder (we're unclear about whether the camera on the controller points at the player or can be outward-facing; we've heard both - maybe it swivels?). In other words, you can think of the new controller-plus-console combination as a modern Dreamcast system or "glorified mega-DS," as Kotaku puts it, where the TV is the top screen and the handheld controller is the lower touchscreen. If true then we'll likely hear the official first word at E3 which kicks off on June 7th. Update: IGN has its own set of "sources" confirming many of these details. Could this be a Nintendo rumor that pans out, for once? We should know in just over a month.
EVOtainment System brings emulation greatness to the HTC EVO on a Wiimote and a prayer (video)
In a world full of cheap, plastic Wiimote accessories, aisles that overflow with flimsy little steering wheels for Mario Kart, one man found purpose. One man found something good to do with them. One man created the ridiculous contraption you see above. That man is Jack Malone, crafter of this the so-called EVOtainment System. It's a Wii racing wheel from Nerf that's been drilled out and augmented to enable a Classic Controller to join the party, backed with a strip of 3M Dual Lock. Up top a universal GPS mount clings desperately on to his HTC EVO, which connects over Bluetooth to the Wiimote. It's emulatory bliss in a design that's only a little bit less chunkier than the Game Gripper. Update: Video after the break! %Gallery-118579% [Thanks, Jack]
Wii Remote Plus joins Kinect and Vuzix shades for 2011's weirdest VR shooter yet (video)
The natural evolution to Nao_u's impressive Kinect- and Vuzix-infused already impressive virtual reality simulator? Guns, of course. A Wii Remote Plus has been added to his project, joining Microsoft's sensor and VR920 LCD glasses for a VR shooting game that involves, well, lobbing paintballs out of a P90 rifle towards flying disembodied anime characters. Make no mistake, it's a great technical demo chock full of aesthetic eccentricities. Full details via the developer's diary, video after the break.
Club Nintendo updates with Kirby patches, Mario wrist straps
Club Nintendo has a few new bonuses available in its shop, just in case you happen to have a sudden influx of new Nintendo games, and therefore Club Nintendo Coins, in the next couple of weeks. For 350 Coins, you can get one of two sets of adorable adhesive Kirby's Epic Yarn patches, featuring either Saucer and Off-Roader Kirby, or regular-style Kirby and Prince Fluff. Or, for 450 Coins, you can get a set of four New Super Mario Bros. Wii-themed Wii Remote straps, each one representing one of the four playable characters. In other Club Nintendo news, the fans, messenger bags and tote bags are back in stock. Hurry! %Gallery-111465%
THQ uDraw Gametablet for Wii review
There comes a time when fiddly buttons and D-pads just don't do it anymore, a time when you need a little more control. Nintendo was first of the current generation to show its hand with the fling-sensitive Wiimote, and of course Sony and Microsoft are both now doing similarly intended things with the PlayStation Move and the Kinect, respectively. Now THQ is trying to do its own little new thing by launching the $69.99 uDraw Gametablet on the Wii, supplanting the wavy wand with a stylus. Next logical step in gaming? Tool to unleash a torrent of creativity? Half-baked third-party accessory? Read on to find out. %Gallery-107435%
Sunflex Snakebyte Premium Remote XL+ does integrated MotionPlus, third-party style
It looks as if we've located the proverbial "ugly stick": behold the Snakebyte Premium Remote XL+ Wii controller. It's not the first third-party Wiimote to have built-in MotionPlus, in fact, Nyko beat Nintendo's own upcoming Wii Remote Plus to market with the Wand+. Still, the Sunflex's Premium Remote XL+ has a certain lack of stylistic direction that may surpass even the drab gray Wand+ for the title of "ugliest Wiimote." The Snakebyte, which includes USB-rechargeable batteries in addition to its traditional duties, is out now for $35, $5 under Nintendo's pricetag.
Nintendo: 65.3 million Wiimotes sold in US
Nintendo announced an unusual statistic today: 65.3 million Wii Remotes have been sold in the US since the system's 2006 launch. That includes the 30.41 million Wiimotes included in system bundles sold in the country to date (according to NPD data gathered by Nintendo), along with the 12.92 million controllers sold in Wii Play bundles. Of the standalone Wiimotes, the white model has sold by far the most, at 18.56 million -- which makes sense, given it was the only option for the first three years of the system's availability. The black Wiimote, introduced in November 2009, has sold 2.44 million units; while the pink and blue versions released on Valentine's Day 2010 have sold 467,500 and 465,200 units, respectively. They will all be obsolete on November 7.
Wii Remote Plus hits Europe on 5 November
While we've already seen it get official in Japan, Europe is first from the gate with an official launch date for the new Wii Remote Plus: November 5th. Unfortunately, we've not been given a price. What we do know is that it will launch in the four colors shown above and integrate into a single Wiimote what used to required a separate Wii Remote and Wii MotionPlus add-on. Too bad Nintendo's pricing and availability announcement strategy isn't as simple.
Shinobii's table tennis bat for Wii hitting shelves soon for $70
Remember that prototype Wii tablet tennis controller that was reviewed (and adored) recently? You know -- the one that had no official maker and no official release date? Turns out that very device is made by Shinobii Technologies, and the outfit is finally coming clean with a bona fide version that's suitable for public release. The TT Champion Bat is said to be a true 1:1 replica of an actual table tennis paddle in both size and weight, and the electronics required to interact with the Wii console are all integrated; in other words, this is your Wiimote when playing a tennis or ping pong title. There's also a rechargeable battery within to keep things humming along, and best of all, it'll soon be available online and at traditional video game retailers throughout the EU and North America for $69.99. Hello, stocking stuffer. %Gallery-105235%
