miis
Latest
Nintendo's Miyamoto says Miis could make the jump to the 3DS
Nintendo already dropped a hint that Miis could be heading to the 3DS by including some Mii-like characters in the Pilotwings demo at E3 last month, and Shigeru Miyamoto himself has now offered some further confirmation that Nintendo is at least looking at the possibility. Speaking with IGN this week, he says that it is "something that we're definitely giving consideration to," and that Nintendo wants to "continue to try to allow people to use their Miis on different Nintendo systems going forward." While that's not quite a complete confirmation, it definitely sounds like your Mii could be with you for a long time to come.
'Wii Party' revealed by Iwata (think: Mario Party with Miis)
Screenshot party in the gallery!During his financial results briefing to investors, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed the next game in the company's flagship "Wii" series: Wii Party. The game, Iwata said, is designed to be a "marquee party game for Wii" -- akin to Mario Party minus some of the frills, like the board-game framing or the Waluigi. You could also think of it like any of the dozens of minigame collections already available for the Wii, but with the potential to be good. Wii Party joins Wii Sports and sequel Resort, Wii Play, the Wii Fits, and (cough) Wii Music in the Wii-branded game series. The party game stars player-created Miis (instead of Mario characters) and includes a "Living Party" mode that uses just the Wiimote. 1–4-player games shown in screenshots include sugoroku (the Japanese board game that's also the basis for WiiWare's Family Pirate Party), "International Vacation Game," "Mii Jyan," roulette, and bingo; and 1–2-player games, filed in the "Pair Party" category, include Mii compatibility check, "Balance Ship" and Mii Match. "Nintendo has not launched a marquee party game since Mario Party 8, launched in summer 2007," Iwata told investors (through translation). "However, since Wii is usually being played by several people at once and the global sales of Mario Party have reached 7.6 million units, a party title has great potential. This is one of the titles which, we hope, will play an important role for this fiscal year." In other words, Wii Party will be released, at least in Japan, before the end of March 2011. The best thing about Wii Party? It'll allow Nyko to bring back the canceled Party Station as a game-specific accessory. %Gallery-92519% [Via Kotaku]
Ulala and BD Joe get behind the wheel in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
It seems like the cast of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing will never cease to expand. Not only has Sega tapped almost all of its memorable characters (including Shenmue's Ryo), but its roster is also starting to encompass games outside of the Sega realm, including Banjo-Kazooie, Avatars and Miis. Today, the Sega blog reveals Space Channel 5's Ulala and Crazy Taxi's BD Joe. Check 'em both out in the new trailer above.
Revolutionary: It Ain't Mii
As the New Year approaches and some of you are making your resolutions, it's a natural time to reflect on who you are and who you would like to be. Two years ago when I brought home my Wii and was sculpting a likeness of myself in Mii form, I was doing just that sort of reflecting. Recently, Sony opened up their new Playstation Home service to public beta and Microsoft unrolled the New Xbox Experience. With these additions, it has become possible to create an effigy of ourselves across each platform, so I'd like to give you my impressions of my own three representations. I can tell you right now, a couple of these ain't pretty.
Activision announces new sports game for Wii
Titled Big League Sports, Activision's new game is taking inspiration from the many other minigame compilations available on the console. Due for release in North America this holiday season, the new game emphasizes "a singular focus on putting players in the most thrilling situations while competing in their favorite sports." The "favorite sports" it speaks of? Tennis, basketball, football (American style), soccer, lacrosse and hockey, with each sport featuring its own "hit the shot and the buzzer" moment, although we're not sure exactly what that means (some kind of tension mechanic?).The final version of the game will feature 22 events across six different sports and various game modes, including single game, marathon, and tournament. There's also going to be a character creation mode which, you guessed it, means there is a strong chance the game will have Mii support. Look for Big League Sports this holiday season.
Rare says Avatars were in production before Wii even launched
Oh Rare. Do you honestly expect us to believe this? Nonetheless, it's their story and they're sticking to it.The fine folks behind that Banjo & Kazooie business have commented that Avatars are not an attempt to copy the lovable Miis from Nintendo. Head of art, Lee Musgrave, says "It was an idea we had, even before Miis were part of the gaming scene, of putting these characters that you have an affinity with, not necessarily as part of the Xbox dash, but somewhere in the Xbox that you would play multiple games with, that you would have multiple experiences with that same character."Musgrave further added that "Microsoft did not turn up one day in a speeding car and say, 'They've got Miis - do something!' It wasn't like that at all; it was something that fell into place over a period of time." But was that period of time really the year the Xbox 360 was on the market before Wii's arrival? We're not sure we're willing to swallow the red pill on that one.%Gallery-31705%
GC 2008: Miis go on Wii's Guitar Hero World Tour
We've just heard from our man at the Leipzig Games Convention Jem Alexander, and he's got some exciting news for fans of pint-sized rocking: Miis will be used in Guitar Hero World Tour's Wii version of the game. He didn't say how, so we're hoping that they'll play Oompa-Loompa-like minature roadies who rush onto stage and fix broken strings for the full size rockers. But we doubt it.Oh, Jem also passed along that all versions of the game would include exclusive European tracks, which is secret code for "you'll have to buy them later through DLC."
Rumor: Nintendo to reveal Animal Crossing MMO at E3
The picture above comes from the latest edition of the UK Nintendo Power, and the tag line up in the corner says "It's been a while. It's time to revisit an old friend. How's your village doing these days?" Looks like news about the Animal Crossing MMO for the Wii is just around the corner.And you know what else is just around the corner? E3. The Nintendo Power issue is using the image, which is actually art for the old DS version (here's hoping we'll see actual Miis in the new Animal Crossing), as a teaser for next month, and it's a pretty good guess that by the time next month rolls around, Nintendo will have told us something about the new version at E3. Massively will be there of course, so we'll keep our eyes open.Tom Nook is about to own your soul again -- but this time, he'll do it online.
Source: 'Avatars' to be Microsoft's answer to Miis and Home
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Rumor_Avatars_are_Microsoft_s_take_on_Mii_s_and_Home'; Any time one video game company attempts to capitalize on another company's good idea, there's always a bit of backlash from the fans of the company copied. We can only imagine the kind of retribution Microsoft will soon face from fans of the Wii's Miis and the PS3's Home -- if our sources are accurate, their upcoming "Avatar" service bears a striking resemblance to Sony and Nintendo's pre-existing lookalike creators."Avatars", mentioned in an independent survey for Microsoft (as taken by an X3F tipster), will supposedly be used in place of gamer pictures, and will give Xbox Live subscribers an animated, customizable online persona. The meager amount of information provided for the service claims it will be available "this holiday for all Xbox Live connected members", and "this Spring for all new console owners." This information lines up nicely with details recently relayed to Joystiq by a trusted source, who tells us that a robust "avatar" (source's term) creation service which blends the customization options of Home with the in-game functionality of Miis would comprise a substantial chunk of the 360's fall update. With the breath of E3 hot upon our nape, we're sure to hear something more concrete about this service in the coming month.
Wii Warm Up: How important is Mii integration?
A lot of games, both upcoming and already released, support the use of Miis. Miis are great, as we've all certainly made our fair share of them. But, we were wondering just how important is Mii integration? It doesn't really add much to games, as it's pretty much just the ability to slap a cartoonish mug where it otherwise doesn't belong. Some of you probably can't live without it, though. Is Mii integration a feature you look for in a game now? What's your favorite game to support Miis and why?
Friday Video: This dog has a hunger for Miis
When house pets attack (video games) must be the theme for the FFV this week, as DSF is featuring a frisky feline and we here at Wii Fanboy present a dog with a dislike for all things Mii. As you can see above, its mouth claps open and shut as it tries to consume the virtual representation of a real human being. We just fear that once the dog puts two and two together, it'll realize that attacking Miis in the real world is much more satisfying. Also, real life Miis probably taste better.
Wii Warm Up: More Mii
Miis are great fun, and it's pretty easy to make a reasonable approximation of yourself, provided you already look like a caricature, like we do. But there are so many more features we could have. Putting aside the obvious expansions of existing features-- more hair and eyewear options, for example-- we can think of one major addition that would make us super happy: custom t-shirts. Let us import an image or just draw one. A Mii is just not me without a video game t-shirt.What would you add to the Mii creator palette?
Mii City, Population: These Guys
Having broken out of the Mii channel's sterile confines, these characters were spotted at Canada's Anime North convention last May. One can only imagine what costumed horrors the blue-shirted Mii was subjected to that would leave his face in a permanent state of fright -- a heavyset guy with a ZZ Top beard dressed as Sailor Moon? Or a muscly Batman gyrating in a pair of speedos? Check past the post break for another photo of these two Miis hamming it up for the camera.
Gaze into the Mii-rror Universe
Somewhere in the outer limits of the universe, wedged uncomfortably between a zone of unceasing twilight and a dimension where normal things don't happen very often, lies the Mii-rror Universe. It is a peaceful place, populated by eerily silent cartoon doppelgängers, their mannerisms as polite as their heads are bulbous. For each entity in our world -- real or imagined -- there exists a Mii, happily wandering about, napping on its feet and enjoying the company of others. We've been given glimpses of this Mii-rror Universe before, but none have been as clear as this one. Mii Plaza user, Atkafighter, provides an unobstructed view of the realm and of our own deranged, pop culture universe. Take a good look. One never knows when an omniscient glove might descend upon this fragile world, drag an inhabitant away by its hair and then stick the poor thing in an envelope marked for a destination unknown. [Via Wii Fanboy]
Nintendo team playing with Miis in Twilight Princess
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Nintendo_team_playing_with_Miis_in_Twilight_Princess'; During an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, MTV's Stephen Totilo threw out a speculative question: Had Nintendo experimented with using Miis in Zelda: Twilight Princess? Miyamoto answered that, in fact, the developers at EAD had in fact been playing with that feature! After completing the game, the team started experimenting with putting Miis into the Twilight Princess engine, just for fun.So, working at Nintendo is so awesome that programmers continue working on their games after they've shipped for recreational purposes. That is a shining endorsement if ever there was one.The MTV Multiplayer site is set up so that it's impossible to link directly to the story; you'll have to scroll down or search for "Nintendo's Miyamoto On One-Handed 'Mario,' Miis In 'Zelda".
Mii pants hacking
Blogger David Hawley has apparently uncovered, using a hex editor, the future of Nintendo avatar pants: "Special Miis" with pants of gold. If you can get your Mii over to your PC, then you can edit it in hexadecimal to create such a Special Mii. Special Miis cannot be copied, only moved; if you try to put two identical Special Miis in a Plaza, they will disappear.He has also figured out how to make "foreign" Miis, who are adorned with the blue pants worn by Miis made in other people's Wiis and visiting your Plaza. We have yet to verify this with our own Miis, so be careful when performing code surgery on your Mii.We wonder what Nintendo thought gold pants would be an appropriate reward for. Maybe they're planning a Studio 54 Channel?
Nintendo raining on EA's Mii Parade
One of our astute readers was just speculating in the My Sims DS comments thread about why EA didn't use Miis in My Sims, especially given that the Sims as they appear are very similar to Miis, and now we have an answer: Nintendo is being stingy! According to a quote in Next Generation from a producer at EA named Eric Chartrand, Nintendo hasn't let any of its third-party friends have development tools for integrating Miis into their software. Whether this means they haven't yet or they won't is still unknown.Nintendo not cooperating with third parties... this sounds familiar somehow. We hope this isn't an ominous portent for the future of non-Nintendo games.The Next-Gen article is not just about Miis, although they do figure into the whole idea about user-created avatars and content as a step into, and reaction to, the Web 2.0 participatory culture. It's a pretty good read.[Via NeoGAF]
Miiplaza.net connects Mii lovers
Since the Wii's launch Miiplaza.net has stepped up to disseminate ideas on Mii creation. The site also has an extensive friends list, so once you've created Miis you'll have someone to share them with -- after completing the standard ridiculous steps to get a friend. The site continues to grow and update as more people discover it as a one-stop-shop for all things Mii. It would be nice to tab between Miiplaza using the Opera browser and the Mii creation screen, but that's a conversation for another day. Miiplaza is great and we look forward to its evolution and growth as more things Mii-friendly become available on the Wii.See also: Web sites step up to connect Wii owners
Mii Channel misses (Wii annoyance #008)
Don't get us wrong, we love the Mii Channel. We've spent hours tinkering around making versions of ourselves, our friends, our families, celebrities, strangers, that homeless man on the corner in front of our house, etc. Good times. But for all the fun of avatar creation, there are a few niggling issues with the system that we'd like to see addressed. More face building options - I know Nintendo claims there are, like, a gazillion possible unique Miis to be made on the Mii Channel, but despite the wide array of selectable facial features, there are still some important things missing. The first thing I noticed when trying to make a Mii version of myself was the lack of sideburns, meaning my Mii doesn't look a lot like me. Some of the other face parts, like the nose, lips and eyebrows, could also use more options to choose from. A Mii Lobby - Why is there no way for me to share my Miis with people besides those who I actively register as friends? I want to be able to free my Miis to roam the world at large, and I don't mean by uploading a picture to some online clearing house. And I want to be able to download Miis from strangers who choose to share them in some sort of Wii-accessible, searchable online database. I know your worried about little Johnny coming across a Mii named "PenisMan" or something, but parental controls can prevent this from being an issue. Editing others Miis: So my friend makes a Mii version of himself and sends it over. It's perfect in every way, except the mouth is a little too high. In an ideal world, I'd make a quick edit and send it back to my friend, possibly with a note making fun of his low-hanging mouth. Instead, I try to edit the Mii and get an annoying message telling me "you can't edit Miis you didn't create." I can understand not wanting to let people plagiarize other people's Miis, but it doesn't seem too hard to add an "originally created by" area to acknowledge the original Mii creator while still allowing for people to build on the works of others. We know the Mii Channel can be updated through the Wii's system update function. So how about it, Nintendo, how about making an already great feature even better?PS3 delights vs. PS3 annoyancesWii delights vs. Wii annoyancesXbox 360 delights vs. Xbox 360 annoyances
