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We join Japanese families in skiing this May
Namco Bandai has announced to IGN that the first game in their Family sports series, Family Ski, will be localized for North American release in May under the name We Ski. You see, "We" sounds like "Wii," and "Wii" is the name of the console on which the game will appear. Not to mention the fact that "Wii" plus some sport-related term evokes a certain popular game.The May release seems perfectly timed to coincide with the release of Wii Fit and the Balance Board, which We Ski also (optionally) uses. It's no surprise to us that this is getting a localized release; due to its Balance Board use, the game has been getting a lot of attention, not the least of which comes from Nintendo themselves. At the GDC Balance Board talk, Nintendo's Takao Sawano talked the game up and even showed a promotional video.
Reggie on catching Xbox 360, Balance Board support
If serial name-taker and ass-kicker Reggie Fils-Aime has his way, the future is already looking decidedly grim for Nintendo's opposition.In interviews with Bloomberg and IGN respectively, the Nintendo bigwig has discussed how he hopes to see the Wii overtake the Xbox 360 in North America by June (currently, Nintendo's console is outselling Microsoft's by a reasonably slim margin each month), and has promised that "over ten games are in development that take advantage of the Balance Board."We already know that Family Ski will be making use of Nintendo's wobbly slab (in conjunction with the Wiimote and nunchuk, which quite brilliantly double as ski poles), but that means there are still nine Balance Board-compatible games out there, waiting to be revealed. If you're listening, 1080° Snowboarding, now is the time for a comeback!Read - Reggie on overtaking Xbox 360 by June [Via NeoGAF]Read - Reggie: Ten games in development for Balance Board [Via Joystiq]
Reggie: Over 10 Wii Balance Board games in development
Many of us assumed that when we got done riding Nintendo's latest one-trick pony we'd simply relegate the Wii Balance Board to stepladder duty -- for those pesky household items that rest just an inch or two out of reach. But, speaking to IGN, Reggie Fils-Aime altered this certain fate by suggesting there are "over 10 games in development that take advantage of the Balance Board," putting a number to earlier whispers that the board would be supported by more than just Wii Fit and Namco Bandai's Family Ski. We're not expecting much more than a minigame cesspool, but there's potential for someone -- please -- to use the technology for good.
Wii Ware and Wii Fit dated for May [update 3]
digg_url='http://digg.com/nintendo/Wii_Ware_and_Wii_Fit_dated_for_May'; According to the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo will officially announce the U.S. release dates for both Wii Ware and Wii Fit today. Wii Ware, a service by Nintendo offering downloadable games, will be available on American Wiis starting May 12th, while Wii Fit will hit stores a week later on the 19th.Both are huge announcements, but we're definitely more excited for Wii Ware, which already has a lot of (potentially) awesome games in its lineup. The Wii Fit release is also less of a surprise, due to previous rumors.Now that we finally have dates, or lights at the end of the tunnel, are any of you American gamers as excited as we are?Update 1: Wii Fit's European release is confirmed for April 25th (almost a month before the American launch). Join in on the love, Europe! Update 2: The European press release also reveals weight limits for the game. Per Nintendo, the Balance Board can only support up to 150 kg (330 lbs). That's more than the Japanese version (which supports 136 kg), but will the American board hold even more weight? We'll just have to wait and see!Update 3: In case you were skeptical, the Wall Street Journal was right -- Nintendo confirmed the May dates for Wii Ware and Wii Fit.%Gallery-4745%[Via NeoGAF]
Iwata Asks about the Balance Board
For the second installment of Iwata Asks (the Wii Fit version), Iwata gets the nitty gritty from the developers of the Balance Board. It's pretty interesting to see what the board could have ended up looking like. Take, for example, the crazy octogan-shaped thing about. Also, whenever reading about a development process, it's almost scary to know all the problems and obstacles that the makers run into.Of course, the developers prevailed and the Balance Board was born. From Sumo wrestlers to Miyamoto slamming a table, the interview has some nice insight on what it was like to make the unique peripheral. As per usual, click the picture or the "read" link to check it out for yourselves.
Wii Massage Feet
Wii Fit can be hard on your feet. So why not give them a nice massage? And by "give them a nice massage," we mean "make them stand on some plastic nubs." Japan Trust Technology hopes that the nubs on their Silicone Fit Cover Tsubu Tsubu (tsubu tsubu refers to something grainy or pebbly) will be just the thing to put them at the top of the burgeoning Wii Fit board cover market. In addition to feeling neat, the nubs help players keep their feet positioned properly and prevent slippage. JTT is selling this item online -- in blue only -- for 2480 yen ($23). We make fun of stuff like this, but we can certainly see the appeal of getting a nice cover for something that we have our feet on for hours.[Via GAME Watch]%Gallery-4745%
Wii Fit for weight loss?
4cr's Vinnk is conducting a bold experiment: attempting to lose weight with Wii Fit. Nintendo's latest flagship product is designed as an exercise tool, but we admit skepticism in the efficacy of leaning as exercise. We're hoping that Vinnk will see definitive results of some kind or another, for science.While he's not going for a strict scientific approach, the methodology should be informative and representative of most users' experience. He says that he doesn't plan to make any other lifestyle changes in order to lose weight (though "with any fitness program there will be the desire to eat healthier and possibly less"), so the primary experimental factor will be Wii Fit. He'll report on his results every week.We find journal projects like these fascinating, not just because we are fat and curious about Wii Fit, but because there's something quite cool about statistical tracking of someone's video game experience.%Gallery-4745%
Wii Balance Board might not be one-trick pony
With still no European or exact US release date to speak of, Wii Fit and its accompanying Wii Balance Board have been somewhat forgotten outside of Japan, where sales have been brisk. Nintendo, however, has certainly not neglected its pressure-sensitive peripheral, with tentative plans to take advantage of the Balance Board in future releases.In a recent Famitsu magazine interview, Shigeru Miyamoto admitted that Nintendo may consider developing future software titles that use the Wii Balance Board, depending on how well the Wii Fit package performs overseas. Today, Namco Bandai is releasing Family Ski in Japan, which includes an option to play using the Balance Board. If Nintendo were to go ahead and continue developing for the Balance Board, would we be seeing more fitness titles, sports titles, or perhaps something else altogether?
Wii Fit dated for North America, PAL regions
Since it was picked up by more than a million consumers in Japan, we have been impatiently waiting for news on Wii Fit's release Everywhere Else. Our dumbbells, caked in dust after our last workout in 1999, have been brought out of retirement, and the leotard has just arrived back from the cleaners. We are ready to become fine, chiselled specimens.Except ... we'll have to wait a bit first. Until either April (if you're in North America) or June (for those in a PAL region), to be precise. An April release date in North America is actually quite a pleasant surprise. Not only does it mean we can continue living our gluttonous lifestyles for at least another couple of months, but it's also a little sooner than we initially expected.
Rumor: Boogie sequel to employ balance board?
Boogie may have snared mixed reviews, but that apparently isn't keeping EA from considering a follow-up to the music title. Word is that not only might we see a sequel to the karaoke/dance game, but it may employ the balance board as a dance mat.The first Boogie came packaged with a microphone, but the balance board could really increase the immersion factor for such a title. While this is still very much a rumor for now, and may depend on how well Wii Fit does out of the gate, we'll keep an ear to the ground and see if anything else develops.
Wii Fit US release scheduled for Q2 2008
Perhaps a sign that America is finally getting its obesity scare under control, Nintendo has cautiously scheduled Wii Fit for a Q2 2008 release. Despite last week's rumor, today's announcement is the first official word from Nintendo that its latest balancing act is being prepped for the US. Whether that means the board's 300-pound weight limit is being increased to accommodate US standards or Nintendo is simply gambling that Americans will have shed a few pounds by next quarter (to prepare their summer beach bodies, 'natch) has yet to be confirmed. So how's your body mass index loookin' for the Q2?
Family Ski videos fall face-first into snowbank
We were excited to see that a handful of Family Ski videos were released, only to be disappointed upon actually viewing them. It's not that the game looks bad, but the videos don't actually show us anything. Aside from a quick glimpse at the game's visuals (screenshots would have done the job almost as well) and a fifteen second look at three of the slopes, there wasn't much to take in.What we really want to see is some gameplay, or even better, a demonstration of someone using the Balance Board, Wiimote, and Nunchuck with the game. For a title like this that doesn't have cutscenes to woo us with, showing gameplay is even more important. When digging a little bit for a silver lining, it's good to know that the slopes will range in difficulty. If the mogul course entails skiing straight over the moguls (as seen in the video above), though, we're going to be a little peeved -- if you've ever been mogul skiing before, you'll know that's not how it's done.For those of you unphazed by Namco's minimalistic approach, you can check out two more ski slopes after the break.
New Family Ski scan hits the slopes
As well as containing tons of screens we've not yet seen, the latest Famitsu scan featuring Namco Bandai's Family Ski shows off the title's unique use of Wii peripherals. If you've not yet heard, the game will use the Balance Board, while your Wiimote and Nunchuk double up as ski poles. It's the first title to use all three at once, and although we've yet to see a video of this peripheral fest in action, it promises to be a lot of fun.Perhaps the game will eventually cover all bases, by including a specially devised mini-game that lets a second player shoot bad dudes with the Wii Zapper as player one speeds down the slopes. Or perhaps ideas like that are why we don't design games for a living.Go past the break for a full-size version of the scan above.
Everybody's Nintendo Channel goes inside the Balance Board
The Everybody's Nintendo Channel keeps getting cooler, and we still have yet to hear any word about its release in other regions. We'd love to be able to check out interesting Nintendo-related programming on our Wiis. We'll have to settle for watching it on our computers in incomprehensible languages for now.Josh from WiiFolder.com posted the latest video found on the service: a trip to the Minebea plant where Balance Board components are being made, and a look at the technology insidethe board. It's relatively low-tech compared to something like the Wiimote, but still clever. The Balance Board features an electronic strain gauge in each corner; by comparing the change in force on each strain gauge, the Wii can read the movements of your bulk. Apparently (according to the video) the same kind of sensors are used in robotics to help bipedal robots stand up.It's a different approach from the Wiimote-on-tennis ball board Mike made, but we suppose it's pretty good. We do enjoy not falling and all.
Anti-skid pads for your grandparents' Balance Board
Just like at the bottom of her bathtub, she's now got some anti-slip pads she can toss down on her Balance Board. And, we know for certain that falling down while in the shower makes up over 67.629% of senior citizen mortalities* in the United States. Considering how popular the Wii is and how popular Wii Fit is (and is certain to be over here), this accessory is bound to save many lives.*We only can be expected to research information regarding video games. Everything else we'll probably make up.[Via Go Nintendo]
Fit for public display
1UP got their hands (feet?) on a copy of Wii Fit and immediately set to playing with it making some informative videos to help us understand the game. More than the fitness aspect of the game, we like the idea of a unique interface for some arcade-style challenges (unique interfaces being one of the reasons we're, you know, Wii Fanboys). The first three videos (including the one at the top of the post) show off some of the minigames that can be found inside the package, and we think the marble-rolling game looks awesome. Basically, in this game, your whole body becomes a joystick, tilting the platforms around with your awkward wobbles.The fourth video is a discussion about the game by the 1UP staffers who got up on the Bumble Board and played with it. The consensus seems to be that the minigames are both more enjoyable and more physically taxing than the pure exercise stuff, which is fine with us. Given the choice, we'd rather be playing the fun parts.
Wii Fit stretches its legs today in Japan
While American gamers still have some more time to wait before making themselves into contorted, balance-challenged fools, Japanese Wii owners can now pick up a copy of Wii Fit and stretch their way to reportedly fitter lifestyles (although deviance has been proven to work).The game's official street date isn't until tomorrow, but that isn't stopping a handful of prominent online retailers from already accepting orders (that surely won't arrive until after tomorrow). U.S. gamers who don't feel like dealing with the hassle of importing will have to wait until early 2008 for their copy of Wii Fit. [Via Engadget, Wii News]Read - Buy at Play-AsiaRead - Buy at Amazon JapanRead - Buy at Success-HK
Namco Bandai's 'Family Ski' compatible with Wii Balance Board
We were wondering if Wii Fit's Balance Board peripheral would be good for anything other than yoga, and it looks like we have our answer. Famitsu reveals that Namco Bandai's Family Ski -- which originally utilized only the Wii remote and nunchuk combo for its downhill action -- will now be compatible with the Wii Balance Board, adding an extra level of realism to the adorable, super-deformed family-friendly skiing title. Obviously, the game will still be 100% playable without the peripheral.We haven't reported much of anything on Family Ski, instead letting our buddies over at Wii Fanboy do all the legwork. Still, the game is definitely on our radars now. Family Ski is due for a Winter 2007/2008 release in Japan. Here's hoping localization is a breeze; it would be a tad odd to rock the slopes in the summertime, no?[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Namco Bandai reads minds: Family Ski to use Balance Board
To us, it was a no-brainer: Namco Bandai's Family Ski and Nintendo's Wii Fit Balance Board were always supposed to be together. We're no skiing experts, but the sport seems to involve its fair share of leaning, making the game and Nintendo's wobbly slab the perfect match.The Famitsu scan above suggests that Namco Bandai now feels the same way, despite initially announcing that the game would only use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Unless our memories have failed us, this would make Family Ski the first third-party title to support Nintendo's new peripheral.Presumably, this means we'll be using the Balance Board as well as the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, which sounds damn involving, if nothing else. Indeed, short of the game shipping with a free wind tunnel, snow machine, and a garish all-in-one jumpsuit, we doubt much more could be done in terms of player immersion.[Via GoNintendo]
Nintendo robot ladies demo Wii Fit for us
Look at them. Cool, calm, expessionless; the cyborgs models in the latest Wii Fit videos just find the non-game an absolute breeze. To an almost disconcerting degree, in fact.More doughy types such as ourselves won't look quite as graceful while negotiating Nintendo's fitness title -- we doubt anybody but these women could achieve that -- but that doesn't mean we won't enjoy ourselves as we perspire, pant and grimace our way through ski-jumping, heading soccer balls, and spinning hula hoops. Perfect for the post-Christmas weight loss drive.There's another five videos after the break, jam-packed with some very serious Wii Fit action.
