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Miyamoto more influential than Nelson Mandela: Confirmed
It seems you're not just Time Magazine's overall person of the year, you're also the most influential. At least when it comes to influencing a poll on the 100 most influential people of the year. After being nominated for Time's own top 100, it comes as little surprise to see Nintendo's legendary designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, place highly in the list constructed by internet users. With an average rating of 75 (out of 100) and 129,573 votes, the Mario maestro places 9th and effortlessly defeats the likes of Oprah Winfrey (43rd), George W. Bush (97th), George Clooney (26th) and Nelson Mandela (24th). Sure, the anti-apartheid, pro-democracy Nobel Peace prize winner wasn't involved in the creation of a new video game system this year, but we'd be remiss not to point out the amusing and somewhat bizarre priorities of voters.And what of the list above Miyamoto? There you'll find Kiefer Sutherland (8th), J.K. Rowling (6th), Dane Cook and, nestled snugly in first position, Rain (who?). Time Magazine's own list wisely does away with rankings and lumps the designer on page 92, but not before suffering a critical lapse in sanity and asking Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel to extend his fingers beyond the WASD keys. Noting that Miyamoto "opened the world" to a host of "people who never even wanted to visit it before" is about all Wendel's article can manage before losing the plot and discussing his 12 championship wins, ultra-performance PCs and how he'll spend the rest of his life "championing video gaming as an equal to pro football or basketball." Good thing he didn't write the Mandela bit, then.
Zelda DS Lite mod demands slew of positive adjectives
Being a generally mild mannered and lackadaisical bunch, we become worried when an impressive DS Lite mod appears on eBay and suddenly implants within us desires that are nothing short of sinister. Crafted by the same hands and mechanical forceps (probably) that produced an equally attractive Legend of Zelda Wii makeover just over a month ago, this particular variant of Nintendo's portable powerhouse demands a dramatic increase in our current rupee supply.We don't care how many blades of grass we have to mercilessly chop down or how many pots must be senselessly shattered to further our goal. This little device, with its customized charging stand and LED that is "calibrated to not be overbearing or too dim" must be ours. Or yours, if you outbid us. True, a portion of your money would go to Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity, but we'd forever hold a grudge. The kind of grudge that will see all your precious (and amusingly buoyant) pigs tossed into the nearest ocean.%Gallery-2941%[Via DS Fanboy]
Pretty much the best DS Lite mod ever
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Pretty_much_the_best_DS_Lite_mod_ever/'; When aliens come to lay waste on our planet after an interstellar decree to rid the galaxy of our race before our warlike nature spreads to other solar systems, this Nintendo DS Lite case mod could be humanity's saving grace. At the precipice of mankind's extinction, the extraterrestrial army will stay its advanced armaments, realizing that any society capable of producing such an awe-aspiring object deserves to continue its existence!Forged by the same hands that brought the Legend of Zelda-themed Wii mod to life, this gold and black beauty's metal die-cast Master Sword/Shield crest rotates to match your handheld's orientation and illuminates when being charged. Buying this one-of-a-kind DS Lite will also net you a custom charging dock, two painted styli (silver and dark blue), and the admiration of your peers and cosmic beings alike. Proceeds from the auction will once again be donated to Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity.Head past the post break for more photos of the DS Lite mod. It's a good preview of what we'll spend the rest of our enslaved lives assembling after our alien overlords decide to spare our pitiful race.
Twilight Princess trading cards?
Apparently, yes, as the soon-to-be released set of trading cards will feature none other than Link and gang when it hits retail shelves sometime in the future. The set, which features a total of 86 different cards, does not have a release date at this time, but will only set you back $1.99 per pack. Each pack contains 3 standard cards, 1 special foil card, 1 tattoo card, and 1 sweepstakes card (win a Wii kind of thing).We'd probably have enjoyed it more if Twilight Princess could be turned into a trading card game, but anything else we can get our hands on to remind us how amazing that game is, well ... we won't complain. [Via Land of the Legend]
New Phantom Hourglass pics sure do look purdy
A new set of screenshots from The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass show off some great-looking new areas of the game, including 3D conversations and a little chicken torture to boot. The cel-shaded visuals look even better than before, so if you're one of those anti-Celda people, slam your head against the monitor and pretend it was us hitting you with these screenshots. Phantom Hourglass lands in Japan on June 23, while the rest of the world has to wait until the still-vague "Holiday 2007".%Gallery-2856%
Voice chat in the works for Phantom Hourglass?
Last week's issue of Famitsu hid more in its Japanese text than just the June 23rd release date for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. Zelda Universe's novice translation of the scanned pages indicates that the title might support online voice chat. Though this feature doesn't seem useful beyond setting up matches and trash-talking with your friends, it's a nice addition to the meager multiplayer mode.With upcoming games like Pokemon Diamond/Pearl and Panel de Pon also planning to use the Nintendo DS' VoIP capabilities, purchasing the uncomfortable-looking, official headset is beginning to make a lot more sense to us. Of all the titles we expected to eventually include voice communication, Phantom Hourglass was definitely not one of them. Update: Having a bit more experience with the Japanese language, The Hylia translated the Famitsu scans in an effort to confirm this news. Much to our dismay, The Hylia found that there is no voice chat support planned for The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.[Via Digg]
Phantom Hourglass due for June, saves summer
Last year's middle months were starved for high-profile releases -- publishers held back the big guns for the holiday season, and the Nintendo DS relied on Big Brain Academy and third-party GBA games to fill out its summer schedule. The latest issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu reveals that this year could be different with the early release of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass on June 23rd.After seeing that the only Phantom Hourglass previews available at GDC were of the game's multiplayer mode, we didn't think that Nintendo would have Link's new adventure ready until Christmas. The announced date is for Japan, of course, but we don't expect a significant delay for its North American arrival. The series has always experienced more success in the US, sales-wise. June 23rd happens to fall on a Saturday, which is unusual when you consider that outside of Dragon Quest and hardware debuts, most games in Japan are brought out on Thursdays. Could a Zelda-themed DS Lite also be in the works? We've got our fingers crossed!
Remixed medley of The Legend of Zelda's soundtrack
One of our favorite touches of the new Phantom Hourglass' trailer shown at this year's GDC event was its use of the reworked Hyrule Castle theme from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. If there's one thing we love, it's retro tracks brought back for another round. That's why we're featuring a medley of songs from the original Zelda game (NES) remixed by electronica musician Ochre, for your Sunday listening pleasure. We imagine that trying to add anything on top of Koji Kondo's classic work without ruining it is a difficult task, but this arrangement doesn't miss a step. Ochre's interpretation blends the 8-bit pieces with his own playful style, taking the listener through a six-minute daydream of Link's adventures. If you're a fan of lush synths and summery rhythms, we definitely suggest downloading this song along with Ochre's other remixes and original offerings at his site. [Via The New Gamer]
IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE! TAKE THIS QUILT.
This quilt from Craftster member dishwasher182 combines two of our favorite things in life: The original Legend of Zelda and being warm while sleeping. We aren't sure how we'd rank those two things. Maybe we should start quilting, so we can have our own enormous pixel-perfect Link holding a very ziggurat-esque Triforce. But we aren't sure we're up to the challenge of cutting and sewing together over 400 squares. In fact, we know we aren't. We're exhausted from reaching up to the number keys just now.Seen any amazing game-related crafts lately? Let us know!
Zelda music nails the golden ratio
Video game music has gradually evolved from background noise to the focus of professional composers and entire communities of remixers. Some tunes are far more recognizable than others, and a few have become so famous that professional orchestras perform them. But what makes one song better than another? The Tanooki thinks it's a little thing called the golden ratio.In short, the formula illustrates a relationship between the parts and the whole of anything from buildings to faces, paintings, apple pie, and bunnies. Artists and thinkers such as Leonardo da Vinci and Salvador Dalí have known about this ratio and incorporated it into their most famous works. Whatever exhibits proportions close to the golden mean seems more beautiful, satisfying, and memorable to us. Music is no exception, and this article shows that composer Koji Kondo has incorporated the magical formula into several songs from The Legend of Zelda series.It's an interesting theory and certainly a great excuse to use when your grandmother wants to know why you listen to the Minibosses so often. But the real question is: do we like a game's soundtrack because of the music itself, or because it accompanies a great game?[Update: TheTanooki has posted a follow-up article explaining the golden ratio in more detail and answering a few reader questions.][Thanks, Christian]
Ocarina of Time warps onto Virtual Console this Monday
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is surely a game that needs no introduction.So, in closing, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be available on the Wii's Virtual Console service this Monday as of 9AM Pacific Time. The chance to ride Epona, exact vengeance upon the Skull Kid, travel through time and hurl verbal atrocities at the Water Temple designers can be yours once again for the sum of 1,000 Wii points ($10, or more rupees than your current purse can hold). [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Confirmed: Ocarina of Time on the VC this Monday
After this morning's news, we hoped that the U.S. would see The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the Virtual Console soon, but we'd only prayed that it might come as soon as Monday. Those prayers, it seems, have been answered. For a mere $10, gamers will be able to relive -- and for some, experience for the first time -- one of the most acclaimed experiences in gaming history. We're counting down the seconds.[Thanks, vidGuy!]
VC Friday: Riots in the streets
Today's news: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time hits the Virtual Console in Europe, and every gamer in Japan and the U.S. shakes their fist and curses Nintendo. What a coup! It seems like things are really hot and cold for Europe when it comes to gaming. Usually, gamers have to pace around, waiting for games and systems that are months delayed, but when you guys get something early, it tends to be pretty awesome. So ... you downloading it today? OoT isn't cheap by VC standards, but is that much to pay for what many consider to be one of the best video games of all time?Today's releases: Kid Icarus -- NES -- 500 Wii points The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time -- N64 -- 1000 Wii points
DS Daily: On Zelda
Remember this? Phantom Hourglass crushed every other option in that poll, and today we'd like to talk about why. What is it about the Zelda franchise that keeps you enchanted? We'd also love to hear about your favorite Zelda memories. We recently re-played the original on the Virtual Console, and rediscovering everything brought back our earliest memories of the series. It's made us half want to play through all of them again! Do you ever get that urge? And for those of you who (gasp!) aren't fans ... what is it about the adventures of Link that turns you off?
President's Day surprise: Jefferson (?) in Twilight Princess
Even after the day, the spirit of President's Day (sure, why not) continues in Videoland. Zelda Dimension posted this picture of a painting found on a wall in Zelda: Twilight Princess, and it looks an awful lot like Thomas Jefferson ... or maybe George Washington? Or maybe dust? Apparently, one of the NPCs is a student of American history. We love finding secrets in Zelda, but we don't like being confronted with a blurry texture in a Wii game. Maybe the Zelda Dimension blogger was using composite cables, and that's why the picture is blurry? Yeah, that's the ticket!We look forward to seeing the Zelda timeline theorists chew on this one.[Via digg]
Miyamoto's future: unique, simple, nonviolent games
Shigeru Miyamoto has spent a lifetime developing hit games for Nintendo -- Mario, Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, etc. Speaking to CNN's Talk Asia, the industry legend disclosed that he hopes to continue working on games for everyone to enjoy that tackle themes atypical for gaming."There is an abundance of themes that people are interested in," he said, "and video games have only touched on few of them." No examples are cited, but would he consider working with serious, mature themes such as heartache, loss, redemption, suffering, et cetera? Miyamoto, alluding to Nintendo's new mantra, also explained that his future projects will be simple enough for all ages to enjoy, which is something he has always seemed to be adept at, though our previously-mentioned themes will probably not feature into universally-appealing projects.The interview touched briefly on violence in video games, a theme Miyamoto does not wish to tackle. "Looking at the overall picture, it is important to understand and feel the pain that people might have ... we also have to take a careful approach, even in the circumstances when we are not portraying direct violence." Though the game legend might have aversion to violence, his words imply that there are cases when non-excessive presentation of aggression is understandable. Then again, if his goal is to appeal to people aged five to 95, then violence is probably something he's better off avoiding.The Talk Asia interview also serves as a primer for those interested in Miyamoto's background; much of the history discussion reads like a Wikipedia entry.[Pictured: Link nonviolently driving a sword into Ganon's head. Don't worry, he doesn't die.]
Wii Zelda reaches one million in US sales
1.1 million Wii units were sold through December. Sales data for January (and a week or so of February) has yet to be released. Still, we can assume that a few-hundred-thousand more units have been sold. The point is there are literally hundreds of thousands of Wii owners who have yet to pick up a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. What's wrong with these people?!We only hope that these so-called "gamers" either (A) went purist, and copped the GameCube version or (B) spent every last penny in their piggy banks acquiring the hardware. If you answered "B," then you best be digging through some couches and amassing the needed funds. What's a Wii owner without Twilight Princess?
Twilight Princess Easter eggs & tin-foil hat conspiracies
Green chus? Bottomless pits of water? Warp birds named after hexadecimal color codes? Maaaybe...IGN forum poster yoshi117's list of Twilight Princess "Easter eggs" isn't entirely useless; in fact, it highlights many of the inconspicuous details that were sprinkled into Nintendo's heralded masterpiece. The importance of these minute elements is often overlooked in game development, but Nintendo EAD proves once again how a little touch of wonder, or harmless act of mischief, can provide a lasting memory.[Thanks, KozWiz; via Wii Fanboy]
Play Zelda on your PSP
Nintendo isn't making a Zelda game for the PSP, but that doesn't mean soon you won't be able to play with Link on Sony's system. Over at the DCEmu forums a user named Zion has created a teaser trailer for a homebrew Zelda game he's creating. The trailer is short, but shows immense promise. If you'd like to find out more check out the DCEmu forums.
Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability
As noted earlier, a list published by UK newspaper The Independent reveals what many already assume; Nintendo's Mario is the best-selling franchise of all time. Coupled with the second best-selling franchise Pokémon (also a Nintendo property), the two series, which have sold a combined 348 million games worldwide, account for nearly 34% of the total sales of the top-twenty best-selling franchises; which include two additional Nintendo IPs ranked in the top ten, Donkey Kong and Zelda. So what's Nintendo's secret?Cross-culture appeal, spin-offs (e.g., racers, sports titles, puzzlers), brand saturation (e.g., apparel, card games, TV shows), and E-ratings all appear part of a profitable formula built for the long haul.
