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Apollo Justice loves golf
Tecmo's Swing Golf Pangya! 2nd Shot isn't the only game in town when it comes to playing cartoony golf with an avatar dressed as a video game character-- as long as that town is in Japan, and also one week in the future. For their Camelot-developed golf game We Love Golf, Capcom has made some classic Capcom attire available to the player. No, not Mega Man (as far as we know.)Players will be able to hit the links (that's a golf term, right? "Hit the links"?) as Resident Evil 3's Jill Valentine, Ghouls 'n Ghosts's Arthur (in armor), Chun-Li, and the red-suited protagonist of the DS's Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. Now there's absolutely no reason to play as yourself! Want to see conclusive evidence of these characters? Check the court records after the break.
Miis Love Golf (and triple bogeys, too)
Mii integration in games is something we've not seen enough of, particularly in third-party titles. Camelot's forthcoming We Love Golf is looking to change that, however, with publisher Capcom confirming the title will fully support the blobby little people, allowing us to ruin a perfectly good walk play eighteen holes as a rounded, chubbier version of ourselves.It also means we'll be treated to the bizarre sight of permanently grinning Miis looking thoroughly chuffed about that triple bogey putt they just sank. Odd.Anyhow, there's a dozen new screens in the gallery below.%Gallery-10822%
Super Swing Golf Season 2 trailer is completely ridiculous
Most Japanese teaser trailers and advertisements for games are a little weird, but we never knew the struggle on the links could be so epic. Battles are waged and balls are struck in such an unrealistic manner that would make even Happy Gilmore say "that's just too much." But, it's a video game, so things don't have to be ultra-realisticWhat do you all think? Is the game looking like fun, or do you not go in for golf games, no matter how different they are from the traditional sport?[Via Go Nintendo]
Tecmo reads Wii Fanboy -- (not really) CONFIRMED
When we wrote about the adorable Tecmo Bowl-inspired costume in Swing Golf Pangya 2nd Shot!, we mentioned a couple of other Tecmo game characters we would like to see playing cutesy golf, making sure to name the most ridiculous-looking Tecmo characters we could think of at the time. Specifically, we said "We're looking forward to future Rygar and (especially) Mighty Bomb Jack costumes, ourselves."The official Swing Golf Pangya 2nd Shot! homepage was just updated with a bunch of new Tecmo-related costumes, and who do we see? It's Mighty Bomb Jack! And Rygar! True, it's the "new look" Rygar from the Wii port, and not real Rygar, but close enough for us to feel completely responsible for this development. The game also features character designs from Tokobot, Ninja Gaiden, and Solomon's Key, all of which are adorable. But we have to test our theory that Tecmo grants our wishes: This game would be awesome if you could play as a Tecmo Stacker.[Via Siliconera]
Blue Mars sneak preview
We had a chance to sit down with Avatar Reality's VP of Development, Li-han Chen, at E for All to get some details about their recently announced title, Blue Mars. Set on a futuristic, terraformed Mars circa 2177 AD, the world will be far more akin to something like Second Life than like other more typical MMOs; in fact, the company is calling Blue Mars a "massively multiplayer virtual world," or MMVW, in lieu of labeling it specifically as a game world. Two main mechanics will separate Blue Mars from SL: a suite of pre-programmed in-game activities (minigames, essentially) to provide a framework for socialization, and no user-generated content -- all environments and objects in the world will be coded by third party developers. By the time Blue Mars enters closed beta at the end of 2008, Honolulu-based Avatar Reality hopes to have at least 3 of these minigames developed and ready for testing. With golf and vehicle racing listed as two of the activities, it seems clear that Blue Mars is going to cater to the more casual side of the gaming audience. If combat exists at all in the world, it will be relegated to specifically designated areas -- the core mechanic is casual socialization. Perhaps paradoxically, the game is going to be aimed at users with high-end machines and graphics cards (Quad Core CPU and GeForce 8800 or better) in order to feature the CryENGINE2-rendered "breathtaking graphics."%Gallery-9463%
A Wii Sports-alike on the DS? Simple!
D3 Publisher's Simple DS Vol. 29: THE Sports Daishuugo (The Big Sports Assembly) is exactly like Wii Sports. Except it doesn't look as good, has different sports, doesn't have any kind of motion controls, is probably lacking in polish to the point of glitchiness, and nobody's ever heard of it. But outside of those and probably some other things, the two are the same.THE Sports Daishuugo contains five main games: baseball, golf, volleyball, tennis, and futsal, as well as minigame variations on all of those. Like any decent casual sports game, it allows for multiplayer-- four-player single-card play.We're actually surprised by how bad this doesn't look. The characters are cute and the graphics are non-awful. We wonder if this cute sports game will take off in Japan, where Wii Sports sells tons as a standalone product.[Via Siliconera]
Japan to love golf in December
Capcom has announced the Japanese release date for their new golf game, We Love Golf: December 13th. They've also revealed the sparkly, happy boxart for the game. Surprisingly, the cover omits any depiction or mention of the bizarre, anthropomorphized Wii Remote that the game features.With a Japanese release upcoming, we're that much closer to our own release of the new golf game from Mario Golf developer Camelot. It should be interesting to see how Capcom's entry competes with the Super Swing Golf sequel from Tecmo, which comes out November 29th. Super Swing Golf is an established franchise both on the Wii and before, but We Love Golf has the Camelot legacy. Of course, we don't even know if We Love Golf is any good, or if it hews closely to the Mario Golf series without the Mario stuff.
SkyCaddie's SG5 Pro does everything but make your eagles
SkyCaddie's SG5 Pro definitely isn't the first of its kind, but this programmable GPS range finder provides instant relief when your caddy calls in sick. Specs wise, you'll find a 220 x 176 resolution color screen, automatic backlighting, 14-hours of battery life, a mini-USB port, four-way scroll pad and a water-resistant enclosure. Additionally, this unit includes SkyGolf's patented IntelliGreen technology, which enables golfers to "measure the full depth and shape of the green from any angle of approach and shows distances for all targets and hazards" on any of the courses in the 16,000+ course library. We really hope you didn't expect this thing to run ya cheap, however, as you'll be forking out $429.95 for the pocketable convenience.[Via NaviGadget]
Super Swing Golf sequel features a Tecmo-tastic costume
The first Swing Golf Pangya (as Super Swing Golf was known in Japan) featured costumes that made your golfer look like Tecmo characters Kasumi or Ayane from the Dead or Alive series, or Ryu Hayabusa from both DOA and his own Ninja Gaiden series. For the sequel, Tecmo apparently wanted to make available the most Tecmo-y costume possible, and chose a recognizable uniform from a game that is not only well-known and well-regarded, but has Tecmo in the title. And, since it would be extraordinarily hard to swing a club dressed up like a Tecmo Stacker, they chose Tecmo Bowl. We're looking forward to future Rygar and (especially) Mighty Bomb Jack costumes, ourselves. There'd be no question about whether or not we'd be interested in a game that let you play golf in red tights and a horned helmet.
An animated Wiimote loves golf, too
Nobody knows better how to use a controller than the controller itself. At least, that seems to be the principle Camelot is operating under: a Wiimote mascot character, Remocon-kun, acts as your guide in We Love Golf, teaching you how to swing properly.While we find the way the A button has been pressed into service as a de facto mouth a little weird, we can't deny the simple fact that the Wiimote is as good a mascot for the Wii as any, instantly recognizable and iconic for the whole system. In that respect, Camelot is on to something. Whether that means that sticking arms on the Wiimote and making it a character, specifically, is a good idea is a matter of interpretation.
King of Clubs dev walks us through some of the game
Based on what we've seen of the game so far, you might have forgotten that this is a golf game. Thankfully, development director Andy Squirrell with Oxygen Games, is around to remind us as he takes us through some of the title's aspects, including one of the courses and the Pro Shop, as well as some of the tricks of the trade in trying to get that coveted hole-in-one. Also, they give us a look at the Wii-specific game mode Golf Warriors, where players are given random ball and club combinations.
Camelot backspins I Love Golf onto Wii
We haven't heard much from Camelot Software -- the developer behind various Shining Force, Mario Golf, and Mario Tennis titles -- ever since the company announced that it would be putting aside its Nintendo projects to focus on its online golf title for the PC, I Love Golf. The latest issue of Famitsu, however, announces that the Japanese developer will be porting the game to the Wii, retitling it Wii Love Golf.Interestingly, Capcom will handle publishing for Wii Love Golf, leaving those of us who were hoping for another Mario-themed Sports RPG a little disappointed. Perhaps we'll still see appearances from Capcom's franchises, much like how Tecmo filled the cast of Super Swing Golf with Dead or Alive characters? Rockman gets equipped with five iron? Check out the Famitsu pages after the post break.Looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer for the next Golden Sun.
PGA pushing HD
One of the major draws for HD content is sports, and even if golf isn't your game, you've got to admire the beauty of some of the courses. PGA Tour Productions wants to make that HDTV of yours seem like a window onto their events, and is renovating one of their Florida production studios to make it happen. Everything in the facility is getting the HD-upgrade, and it's not cheap. But you've got to spend money to make money, and HD investments at the studio have already reaped rewards. For example, production that previously took 18 months to complete was done in 8 weeks on the new video, graphics and audio hardware. The facility's VP and production manager, Clark Fivek, summed up what every HD enthusiast knows in his gut (and wallet) when he said, "You're always in the upgrade process."
Dish Network launches 6 national HD stations
You know it's a great day when you wake up and find new HD stations. Dish Network subscribers should know how that feels as their HD lineup increased with six new stations; that makes 37 national HD stations for Dish. The day just gets better when four of said stations are national premiers: Discovery HD, TLC HD, Animal Planet HD and The Science Channel HD. The other two stations, MHD and GolfHD aren't new but still a great additions to the largest national high-def lineup. We should mention that Discovery HD is a separate station from Discovery HD Theater and just like the other three new national stations are simulcasts of the SD flavor. Since these launches are in line with Dish Network's CES announcement, we don't see why September 1st shouldn't also be a great day being The History Channel HD's scheduled launch day. [Via satelliteguys.us]
V1-8CAM video analysis system helps golfers nab the right clubs
Granted, this week may be a bit too warm to walk a round of 18 in many parts of the country, but Interactive Frontiers is hoping that you can beat the heat by figuring out exactly what clubs you'll need for your next outing. The firm, which created the V1 Pro Digital Coaching System, is now introducing the V1-8CAM to "simultaneously capture eight angles of video streams" of individuals practicing their swing. Subsequently, fitters can use the data to "more precisely evaluate performance and determine optimal club and putter specifications for clients," and just in case your local pro shop isn't ready to hand over the $11,945 required to pick one up, the four-camera V1-4CAM can still help out for "just" $8,495.[Via LetsGoDigital]
Today's hungriest video: Aqua Teens
The half-baked, non sequitur style of Adult Swim prevails in this trailer for Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am. They couldn't even resize footage from different sources to be the same resolution. That's the Adult Swim seal of approval.Strangely -- like some of those cartoon shows the kids are into -- the trailer comes off as engaging and funny. There's golf cart racing, a helpless Carl taking the detectives' abuse, Mooninites, and very little actual golf. Hopefully the actual game will strike a similar balance.See the trailer after the break.
Ninja Gaiden costumes in Super Swing Golf sequel
In the latest issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu, Tecmo announced a sequel to Super Swing Golf (known as PangYa elsewhere) for the Wii. Along with more courses, extra modes and items, the game will feature several new costumes, including those of Ryu and Rachel from Ninja Gaiden. There will also be new special moves such as "spike shots" that are unaffected by the wind. Japanese gamers can get their hands on the game this winter, but no word on a North American release yet.
Hot Shots PS3 bundle cheaper than standalone console
What's the value of Hot Shots golf for the PlayStation 3? Apparently negative 5,800 yen (that's approximately negative US $47). Siliconera has found a pair of Hot Shots PS3 console bundle, with the 20 GB model for 51,980 yen ($423) and the 60 GB model for 61,980 yen ($503), according to Impress Watch. And though on Amazon Japan, the 20 GB standalone model is cheaper at 49,980 yen ($406), the 60 GB standalone SKU is 67,780 ($551).Is this indicative of a forthcoming price drop, a distaste for golf, a miscalculation, or some rift in the time-space continuum where a bundle of consoles from three years ahead found their way into Sony's hands? If that's the case, somebody check that Sixaxis for rumble.
Minna No Golf 5 PS3 bundle on its way to Japan
The Japanese love their golf. In particular, they love Minna No Golf (you might know it better as Hot Shots Golf). They love it so much, in fact, that to date there have been over 300,000 pre-orders for the latest iteration of the series on the PS3. Seeing this as an opportunity to boost system sales in Japan, Sony have announced plans to release a Minna No Golf 5 bundle pack.Interestingly, the bundle will come in both 20GB and 60GB form, so there's no sign that the 20GB system is being dropped yet as it has elsewhere. The bundle allows a saving of almost 4000 yen when compared to buying the system and the game separately. That works out to about £16 or $32, so nothing special. Still, that coupled with the light and airy box art (as opposed to the "forbidden evil" design that the boxes have now) may allow for a surge in console sales.Japan is an important market for the PlayStation 3 and, as of yet, the decent game offerings have been a bit western for their tastes. With FolksSoul released tomorrow and Minna No Golf 5 next month, we could be seeing the real start of the Japanese PlayStation adoption taking place quite soon.[Via IGN]
Virtual Console Monday celebrates gentlemanly sport
In belated celebration of Father's Day, today's Virtual Console releases uphold the spirit of proper and dignified competition amongst gentlemen of all ages. At 9AM PST, don your finest collared shirt to partake in a classy game of golf, flex your muscles in preparation for a grueling bout at the Olympics and then laugh maniacally as you mow down enemy soldiers in man's oldest sport, senseless killing. Hey, we didn't pick 'em. NES Open Tournament Golf (NES, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): Enjoy a long and relaxing walk with Mario, stopping occasionally to batter an innocent white ball with a large club. Tournament and Match Modes sound enjoyable enough, though you'll probably want to put on a hat for Stroke Mode. World Sports Competition (TurboGrafx-16, 1-5 players, 600 Wii Points): Comprised of 18 events, the Olympics competition sees the world's most skilled photographers competing to capture the first image of a legendary creature, the Olym! Bloody Wolf (TurboGrafx-16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): In this top-down shooter, it's up to you to rescue the president and otherwise blow up the sort of people who make jokes like the one in the paragraph above.
