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Max and the Magic Marker scribbles down a new trailer
It's amazing that it took this long for a game like Max and the Magic Marker to show up on the Wii, though we're definitely looking forward to trying out this WiiWare title at some point, hopefully before it releases this fall. Like we've said before, it looks like the interactive version of Harold and the Purple Crayon.We know Scribblenauts is for fans of language, so we hope Max will naut disappoint those who like to scribble. Check out the trailer after the break.
WiiWare's Super Meat Boy compared to Flash version, demo promised for E3
Edmund McMillen has posted the first side-by-side comparison of Super Meat Boy's new WiiWare incarnation (left) and its original Flash version. He explains that the background in the WiiWare slide is a mock-up and that the final product will be "crap your pants awesome," with more depth and lighting.The plan is to have a playable demo ready by June 1 for E3. That's a good sign that the game will be ready for a release "by the end of the year." Although we have all the faith in the world in Meat Boy's success on Wii, we've learned that Q4 is not kind to downloadable titles. Hopefully, the adorable Meat Boy will release in late summer.
Ninja Bee's Boingz! coming this month to WiiWare [update]
Bite-sized games developer Ninja Bee and Real Networks have announced Boingz! The WiiWare title was just presented at Nintendo's press conference, so all we've got at the moment is initial impressions, which give us a smaller LittleBigPlanet meets LocoRoco feel. The 2D-3D puzzle platformer has players controlling elastic creatures -- we believe are called The Boingz, which have similar powers to Gloop and Gleep from The Herculoids -- that can be grabbed, stretched and flicked across the 30 levels in the game. We've contacted Ninja Bee's PR team for more details and images. Update: Boingz has been submitted to Nintendo for approval and will be out this month. Either Oct. 20 or 27.%Gallery-33561%
De Blob creators make original RTS for WiiWare
The creators of the original de Blob (i.e. the flash game, not the THQ ports) have revealed they are working on an original real-time strategy game for Nintendo's WiiWare service. Romino Games' Swords & Soldiers is a side-scrolling RTS with three opposing factions and split-screen multiplayer. The term "side-scrolling RTS," together with the screenshots, remind us a bit of Dragon Force (although equally cool, we mean the Sega Saturn title, not the band).No price has been revealed for the game, currently placed in a Q4 2008 launch window. Consider our interests officially piqued. Gallery: Swords & Soldiers (WiiWare) [Via NWF]
Backpedaling 101: MM9 currently "for WiiWare only"
Yeah, yeah, we know we posted just the other day that the Live Arcade would be actually seeing a release of Mega Man 9. Arstechnica seemed to have gotten their hands on a Capcom E3 roster and it had MM9 listed as being for all three of the console digital download services, which looked to be a confirmation of earlier rumblings out of the OFLC that also said that the game would be multiplatform. Apparently, that story made the rounds so much that Capcom got wind of it and contacted arstechnica to tell 'em that, well, there was a bit of a mistake on the release roster and that Mega Man 9 is currently slated "for WiiWare only." While the caveat of "currently" means that things could change in the future (this is Capcom, after all; the guys who ported DMC4 and Lost Planet to PC, and who swore that Resident Evil 4 was exclusive to Gamecube), we doubt whether any sort of XBLA release would end up happening for quite some time.
Wii Move to do "something" with the Wii Balance Board
Last week a mysterious video appeared online featuring probably the most boring ever sequence of a low-rez woman. jogging monotonously while a clock ticked down to ... nothing. It wasn't quite clear if this was a terrorist training video, the rough cut of an intro to a new Lifetime series, or some teaser for a new game. If you picked the game option, you guessed right.PheroseSoft is a new company formed by ex-staffers from Electronic Arts and Rockstar North, and we hope that doesn't rule out some hooligan-style body checks and tackles in what looks to be another workout video, aimed at getting you up off the couch and onto a piece of plastic. Wii Move will be available through WiiWare in "Quarter Four" 2008. Plenty of time for you to buy your running outfits and wristbands.
Strong Bad could eventually check mail on Xbox Live, PSN
Today's launch of WiiWare reminds us that next month we'll be pointing, clicking, and harassing the residents of Strongbadia in Telltale's Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, an upcoming episodic adventure title developed for the Wii's new digital delivery service as well as the PC. However, while the title's launch remains dedicated to these two platforms, we couldn't help but bug TellTale marketing guru Emily Morganti in a recent interview about the possibility of Strong Bad checking his email over Xbox Live or PSN as well."Maybe down the line," she told us, "but for now we're focusing on WiiWare and the PC." Morganti added that the team feels WiiWare is a "natural fit" for the Homestar Runner license, which she notes has "deep roots in old-school Nintendo nostalgia." We're inclined to agree, given that the first Homestar cartoon was put together using Mario Paint. However, TellTale is keeping other console digital delivery services on its radar, as Morganti donned her diplomatic marketing hat and told us that "we'd like to be on all of these at some point. They're all great platforms for episodic content. WiiWare just happens to be the one we're venturing onto first."Look for our complete interview later this week for more from Telltale on Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, including how the project came to be and how much kicking The Cheat will drain our wallets.
Revolutionary: Wii can has hard drive?
Every other week, Mike Sylvester brings you REVOLUTIONARY, a look at the wide world of Wii possibilities. var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Revolutionary_Wii_can_has_hard_drive'; If you're smitten with the Virtual Console, one thing we're sure you aren't in love with is having to swap games between an SD card and your Wii's internal memory, or even worse -- deleting games to be re-downloaded later. WiiWare is on its way and it's hard to imagine My Life as a King demeaning itself to share its estate with less noble games. And certainly not with it bringing microtransactions to the royal ball. And wouldn't it be dandy if some of our multiplatform ports had somewhere to store that downloadable content that everyone is raving about on other consoles? We want need more storage, and some of you have gathered to plead with Nintendo to sell a Wii Hard Drive. It appears that your cries just fall on deaf ears because they seem hardly driven to provide one. In this edition of Revolutionary, we'll examine why Wii can't have a hard drive.
GBC cult classic 'Toki Tori' coming to Wii Ware
You could be forgiven for missing out on Toki Tori, a cute little Game Boy Color puzzle-platformer released in 2001, just as the Game Boy Advance was swallowing up everyone's portable gaming attention. You'd also be forgiven for missing last week's trailer announcing that the game is being revamped for Nintendo's Wii Ware service. We sure did!Despite the week-old trailer, Netherlands-based developer Two Tribes for some reason waited until today to issue a press release officially revealing the new game's "Dozens of Levels" and "New Wii Remote Controls." Strangely enough, now that the press release is out, the game's official web site seems to be down for maintenance and a project page about the game on the Two Tribes site is similarly inaccessible. Come on guys ... this is no time to shrink from attention. Get that cute little yellow face out there to the public! Gallery: Toki Tori
Episodic 'Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People' coming in June
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Strong_Bad_episodic_series_coming_to_WiiWare_this_June '; Telltale Games has revealed that the "new WiiWare episode series" hinted at during GDC08 will be Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive people, based on the character from Homestar Runner. The series will be a five-episode season with installments promised monthly on Nintendo's download service as well as the PC. The first episode is due out in June; further release date and pricing details are promised later, according to the press release.If you need a refresher on Strong Bad, we'd appriciate (yes, you read that right) it if you checked out the "sbemail" archives. More details, assets and an official trailer are expected later today.Update: Check out this April 1 video from Homestar Runner that might've hinted at this announcement.Update: Website and trailers launch.%Gallery-20305%
Wii getting cell phone shovelware, thanks Gameloft
In companies' rush to capitalize on the industry's fascination with waggle, the Wii has become no stranger to games we'd sooner use to prop up the short leg of our coffee table than play. Much as it seems counterintuitive, novelty has not been par the course for the console so much as it has been quick cash-ins, though we continue to look to the Wii's digital download service WiiWare as the platform's saving grace.It seems, however, that even WiiWare will not be immune to its share of shovelware, with mobile game developer-publisher Gameloft planning to use the service as a receptacle for cell phone games. We wouldn't mind so much if the company had originality on the brain, but its first effort, a Breakout clone going by the name of Block Breaker Deluxe, doesn't give us much hope. The download will be released in Japan in April before launching in other regions at a later date, giving us one to watch out for, if only to know what to avoid once WiiWare launches in North America on May 12.[Via Wii Fanboy]
WiiWare launched, impressions rounded up
While most of us were sleeping -- like a bunch of chumps -- Nintendo launched its WiiWare service in Japan early this morning. As expected, the WiiWare servers are taking a beating from thousands of gamers hoping to try out the new downloadable releases, but Siliconera's Spencer Yip and Wired's Chris Kohler were still able to grab a few games and write up their impressions, all of which you can peruse below.A few surprises revealed themselves with the service's launch: My Life as a King is rife with microtransactions, offering additional costumes, dungeons, and races (Yukes, Selkies, and Lilties) for 100-300 Wii Points. Star Soldier R features three light modes -- a two-minute mode in which you play through a quick stage for a high score, a similar 5-minute mode with two levels and boss encounters, and a "Fast Shot" mode for testing your button-tapping skills. Saku Saku Animal Panic, the only WiiWare launch title from a US developer and a game we haven't paid any attention to at all, is apparently "pretty fun!" Judging by Chris Kohler's impressions, it sounds a lot like Jezzball, minus the balls ... And the Jezz. Now all we need are detailed Dr. Mario, Okiraku Ping Pong,and My Life as a King impressions!Read - The WiiWare Shopping experienceRead - WiiWare Impressions: LonposRead - WiiWare Impressions: Angel's SolitaireRead - WiiWare Impressions: Saku Saku Animal PanicRead - WiiWare Impressions: Star Soldier RRead - Extra content in My Life as a King explainedRead - Lonpos has pay-to-play content too
Rumor: Wario's Woods coming to Wii Ware
Update: Wishful thinking be damned -- seems this thing it an early April Fools jokeTrivia time, kiddies. All right, what was the last Nintendo-published game to appear on the NES? Need a hint? It also might be one of the the first Wii Ware game to feature Mario characters. Still need another hint? Um ... look in the headline.Our colleagues at Wii Fanboy got these purported photos of a Wii Ware Wario's Woods from an anonymous Japanese tipster who didn't give many details on their provenance. It's entirely possible they're an elaborate hoax, but if so they show an incredible attention to detail and a talent for capturing the aestethic shown in other Nintendo-published Wii Ware titles. We won't know for sure until an official announcement comes out of The Big N, but for the time being please indulge our wishful thinking in hoping that these screenshots do indeed represent an actual, in-development game. In the meantime ... to the Virtual Console we go! Gallery: Wario's Woods (Wii)
Japanese Wii Ware promo page shows off 11 games
While American Wii owners have to wait until May to enjoy original downloadable Wii Ware games, Japanese Wii owners are gearing up for the March launch of the service with a screenshot-filled promotional web page.The site's list of 11 games (translated to English below) is conspicuously missing Western -developed titles like Telltale's Frontier's (edit: typo) Lost Winds and Mastiff's Major League Eating, although that last omission might be considered a bonus for Japan. It's not clear which of the listed games will be available for the service's Japanese launch, but you can bet the initial lineup will be better line up than the three games that are currently confirmed for the service's U.S. debut. Games listed on the Japanese Wii Ware site: FFCC: The Young King and the Promised Land StarSoldierR Word Puzzle Mojipittan Wii Pokemon Ranch Dr. Mario's Virus Buster Marubou Shikaku Magnetica Bomberman Okiraku Ping-Pong Wii Angels' Solitaire Joysound Wii [Via NintendoWiiFanboy]
Nintendo: No demos required for Wii Ware titles
We've been annoyed with the Wii's lack of downloadable Virtual Console demos for quite a while now, so we probably shouldn't be too surprised that Nintendo has declared games in their upcoming Wii Ware service will not be required to have downloadable demos. Surprised isn't really the world ... slightly miffed is more like it.We're only slightly miffed because Nintendo hasn't quite banned demos from the service. In an interview with Newsweek's N'gai Croal, Nintendo of America director of project development Tom Prata said that "having demos [is] ... not a requirement from Nintendo." If we're reading that right, that means demos would be allowed on the service, but that they won't necessarily be available for every game.The decision to forgo a demo mandate was made, according to Prata, because demos are a "very costly type of endeavor" for a developer. That might be true in the short term, but overall we wonder if developer can afford not to have demos on a service like this. After all, Xbox Live Arcade has managed just fine by requiring developers to create those "expensive" demos -- in fact, by, early stats showed about 20 percent of XBLA demo players bought the full game, leading directly to increased revenue for all involved. Still, we guess giving developers more choice in these matters is usually a good thing. We just hope many developers will choose to help their customers and themselves by letting us try before we buy.
Eternity's Child now bound for WiiWare
Cartoonist Luc Bernard tells WiiDS.co.uk that his platformer Eternity's Child is now a WiiWare title coming Q2 2008 for $5. The quirky (we mean that positively) title has an equally quirky history, starting out as an Xbox Live Arcade title before switching to the Wii because of the 150 MB size restriction. Curiously, an IGN podcast reportedly pinned a 40 MB size limit for the service, a figure which Nintendo has disputedWe can surmise that Eternity's Child's art assets will be significantly lower now that the Wii's output peaks at 480p resolution -- but would that account for a 73% or more decrease in file size if said limit does exist? Still, $5 is a great deal for what looks like a very stylish title. We'll keep you updated on The Mystery of the Missing Megabytes. Gallery: Eternity's Child [Via NWF]
Former Naughty Dogs go to work on 'Bruising' WiiWare puzzler
Ex-Naughty Dog developers John Hughes and Andrew Gilmour have announced the first title from their new studio, Steel Penny Games. Bruiser and Scratch in the Case of the Puzzling Paw is said to "blend a challenging puzzle game with dramatic fantasy environments and appealing characters for an exceptionally satisfying experience." That's a similar description we'd give to critical darlings Zack & Wiki and Sam & Max. Here's hoping Bruiser enjoys the latter's commercial success (and not, unfortunately, the former's dearth in sales). In addition to WiiWare, Steel Penny Games is also reportedly certified for Xbox Live Arcade titles. Bruiser and Scratch is reportedly scheduled for a mid-2008 release. Nintendo's WiiWare service is rumored to have a March launch. [Via VideoGamer]
Download 'complete' DS games through Wii, NY Times reports
In addition to demos, "complete" DS games will be made available for download onto Wii, Reggie has told The New York Times. It's the first time Nintendo has confirmed plans to offer full, Wii-channeled DS games, but the revelation lacks details. In late November, "Everybody's Nintendo" channel launched for Wii in Japan, highlighted by wirelessly transferable DS demos. While this technology has yet to be released in other regions, it's apparently on the agenda. DS will be more "tightly integrated" with Wii in the future, reports The NY Times – and that could include portable extensions of Virtual Console, WiiWare and Wii Shop Channel too. But how will Nintendo reconcile the obvious limitations? DS can only temporarily store and play downloaded content, which is fine for demos (or single cart multiplayer), but what about so-called "complete" games? Perhaps Nintendo is also developing a memory expansion cart in conjunction with the proposed service. That's one way to re-sell old Game Boy games...
Anniversary aftermath: Next year's awesome games that you forgot about
We spent yesterday going through the big releases that've been announced for next year so far -- Smash Bros. Brawl and/or Wii Fit likely topping your personal "must get" list -- but what about the second-tier games that don't usually receive much press or attention? Though we haven't forgotten about the low-key releases, we've collected a selection of games and media to ensure that these titles stay on your mind too! Read on for our top ten list of awesome 2008 games that you totally forgot about!
Anniversary aftermath: What are we looking forward to?
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Wii_anniversary_aftermath_What_are_Wii_Fanboys_looking_forward_to_in_08'; As anniversary week winds down, we can't help but wonder: what's next? One good year for a video game console means nothing if it's followed by some not-so-great years. Fortunately, there are many fun things in store for the Wii, so we've decided to create this little guide to show you what exactly there is to look forward to.
