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Wii MotionPlus patent suit thrown out
A federal judge in Seattle has dismissed a patent infringement lawsuit against Nintendo of America, which claimed that the company's Wii MotionPlus peripheral violated a patent owned by Triton Tech of Texas. Originally filed way back in the prehistoric times of 2010, the lawsuit named both Nintendo and Apple as defendants, alleging that both companies had violated its patent, No. #5,181,181: "Computer apparatus input device for three-dimensional information." The abstract, available in full here, describes a device that uses accelerometers and rotational sensors to calculate movement across three dimensions, and then wirelessly transmit that data back to a central computer. While that does sound like a dead ringer for the Wii MotionPlus when put in a nutshell like that, there was evidently enough minutiae in the patent's full-length definitions to keep Nintendo in the clear.
Nintendo's Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and golden Wiimote headed for November 20th release
It's hard to believe Link (read: you) has been saving Hyrule and the kidnap-prone Zelda for 25 long years. To commemorate this video gaming milestone, and its upcoming Skyward Sword installment, Nintendo's issuing a limited edition Fabergé egg. Alright, we kid, it's actually the golden Wii Remote Plus we told you about back at E3, except now we've got a release date and pricing. Hitting retailers' shelves on November 20th, gamers can opt for the golden remote bundle at $69.99, or the standalone game for $49.99. Although the swanky controller won't be sold separately, all initial units of both offerings will come with a gratis The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert music CD. You can head past the break to check out the Big N's official presser.
Nintendo announces gold Wiimote for Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Nintendo just announced at E3 that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for Wii is "finally done," and it also revealed that it'll have something of a surprise to mark its release this holiday season: a limited edition gold Wiimote. That, of course, comes with MotionPlus built-in, but details (including a price) are unfortunately a bit light otherwise. We'll let you know more as we get it.
Rumor: Target cutting Wii price to $170 on April 18
We kind of expected to see additional evidence of an upcoming Wii price drop if it's true, but now we have conflicting evidence. While rumors currently have the system dropping to $149.99 on May 15, images posted on GenGame show what appear to be an internal Target communication about the price changing to $169.99 this Monday. The Target information refers to "Black Wii Console with Motion Plus Controller," which could either be a semi-accurate description of the most recent Wii hardware configuration (which includes a Wii Remote Plus), or a previous iteration which came with Wii Sports Resort, a Wii Remote, and a MotionPlus add-on. If it's the latter (and these images are real), then this is a clearance of outdated hardware; if it's the former, it's a likely signal of a manufacturer price drop. In either case, it means the possibility of cheaper Wii hardware.
Sony's Move.me database used to create gesture-enabled mouse driver (video)
Unless you're into weird promotional mascots, video games, or measuring the rotation of the earth, the PlayStation Move probably hasn't caught your eye. Here's an idea: what if you could wave it about to control your PC? Earlier this week, electronics hobbyist Jacob Pennock used the Move.me C library to build a gesture-controlled mouse driver, and we've got the project's tech demo after the break. Watch as Pennock launches Facebook by drawing an "F," starts a video with a jaunty "V," and closes a few items with a quick "X" motion over the offending windows. Control motions are loaded through the creator's own gesture recognition library, called hyperglyph, which he claims can record motions with 98 percent accuracy. As Move.me is currently a closed beta, Pennock is keeping the source code under wraps, but he hopes to eventually put the driver to use controlling a gesture-based Linux media center. Pretty neat, but not quite enough to stave off our Kinect hack envy. [Thanks, Robert]
Virtua Tennis 4 lobbed to retail May 10
Sega is sending Virtua Tennis 4 for PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii over the net May 10. Now if don't know the release date, it's your own fault. (And with that, we're out of tennis jokes.)
Virtua Tennis 4 coming to PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii this spring
Sega has lobbed out its official announcement for Virtua Tennis 4. Previously announced only at a Sony conference, the new Sega note reveals that the tennis sequel is bouncing to Xbox 360 and Wii as well, all due in spring 2011. All three versions will include motion-control capabilities -- the PS3 version's Move compatibility was known (and motion controls for the Wii are obvious, though they will be "MotionPlus" controls), but this will be the first true tennis "sim" to make use of Kinect, since March's Top Spin 4 will not be Kinect compatible. In addition to those new waving-at-the-game options, Virtua Tennis 4 also brings a new "World Tour" mode that builds a unique career path based on your decisions on the court. Spoiler alert: Deciding to win more will result in a better career. "Match momentum" is also new, adding an on-screen gauge that builds your player's "confidence" as it fills. The new online mode provides tournaments and matchmaking services for "the most engaging online experience for tennis gamers ever." Combined with the motion controls, that's going to result in a lot of really awkward-sounding, breathless voice chat.%Gallery-114770%
FlingSmash review: Just a fling
In general, I don't believe in factoring price into an evaluation of a game's quality. The artistic and entertainment value of a game is completely separate from its, you know, value. But there was basically never a point during my time with FlingSmash that I wasn't thinking about how it was about right at $10 -- which, if you take out the $40 that a Wii Remote Plus would cost on its own, is its effective cost. In my defense, Nintendo must have looked at it the same way, since it is only selling the game in bundles with controllers, despite all indication that it was originally conceived as a "normal" retail game (it's been in development at least since October of 2008, when it was announced at Nintendo's media summit, and the E3-era box art showed it being sold separately from the MotionPlus). The production values are nice, but it bears the design hallmarks you'd expect from a budget game: it's extremely brief (like three hours), it's shallow, and it's built around one reasonably insane idea. Luckily, FlingSmash falls on the "stupid fun" side of the superficiality continuum I've just invented.
Nintendo Wii Remote Plus is just $39, gets included in shiny new red bundle
We've been waiting for it to get more official in more places, and Nintendo's finally spilling the beans on the American release for its Wii Remote Plus. As you'll surely know, the controller takes that unsightly MotionPlus attachment and bundles it right into an otherwise stock looking Wiimote, and will do so at a very fair price of $39.99. That new model will also be included in a new Wii bundle, in which the little console is so charmed by its new controller that it's blushed into a bright crimson (again). Or maybe it's the included copy of New Super Mario Bros. Regardless, that'll be $199, and that new, 25th Anniversary red DSi XL bundle Nintendo announced last month is official too, costing $179. All three launch in just a couple weeks, on November 7, so get ready to ditch those dongles. %Gallery-105661%
Wii Remote Plus and FlingSmash launch in Europe in November
Nintendo will release the Wii Remote Plus, which combines a Wii Remote and MotionPlus add-on, in Europe on November 5 -- six days before the Japanese release date. The new controller will be available in black, white, pink and blue. Nintendo has yet to announce a price, but the price in Japan is equivalent to a normal Wiimote, so it'll probably be a similar deal in Europe. If you want to get a Wii Remote Plus early, and if you have the money, a red one will be included with the Super Mario Bros. anniversary edition Wii on October 29. If you'd like to pick up a game with your Wii Remote Plus, but not a whole system, you'll be able to buy a FlingSmash bundle on November 19.
Nintendo announces Wii Remote Plus with built-in MotionPlus tracking
As a follow-up to this morning's announcement, we now have some shots of Nintendo's colorful new Wiimote. Still no extra details, but what we do have is confirmation from Nintendo that they are indeed building the Wii Remote Plus, which combines a Wii Remote with its Wii MotionPlus gyro add-on into one Wii Remote-sized package. We spotted the controller in a FlingSmash bundle last week, the telltale "smile" text below the Wii logo, and now all we really need is a price and a launch date. Hopefully we'll be getting all of these colors when this lands in the US as well, but since this is a Japanese presentation that Nintendo is making this announcement, we can't be too sure.
Iwata confirms Wii Remote Plus
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that the company is indeed developing the Wii Remote Plus, integrating Wii MotionPlus into a much handier all-in-one design. No release details, but FlingSmash hits Japan on November 18 and the device has been spotted as a pack-in with the game Stateside.
Nintendo 3DS ships in Japan February 26, US and Europe in March, auto-generates Mii from camera (update: video!)
Enough with the rumored prices and launch dates for the 3DS already, let's get official. Nintendo just announced a February 26 ship date in Japan for ¥25,000 (about $298). It'll then land in the US and Europe in March for an undisclosed amount. Launch colors are aqua blue or cosmo black. At a press event in Japan, Nintendo demonstrated the ability to take your picture using the 3DS' front-facing camera and then automatically converting the image into a Mii -- you can edit it too using Mii Studio on the 3DS. You can even merge two photos into a single image if you choose. Images can then be exported as QR codes in wireless "tag mode" or as a file to the bundled 2GB SD card. Ninty also announced a special edition Super Mario DSi LL (no hardware changes) set to launch for ¥18,000 in Japan on October 28th. It also confirmed that a Wii Remote Plus is in development (it'll be announced at a date some time in the future) and a partnership with Fuji TV that will trial 3D video streaming to Nintendo's new handheld. Finally, a virtual console-style store was show serving up downloadable Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games to the 3DS. Update: Nintendo just launched its 3DS microsite in Japan with a bit more product detail including new feature overview and software lineup videos found after the break. There you'll see a built-in pedometer with activity graph and what looks like background multitasking (or at least a state save) letting you launch other apps and then return to a game at the exact same point you left it. Nintendo also demonstrates the Mii Plaza app that lets you collect and view Miis from 3DS owners you pass throughout the day (even when the 3DS is sleeping); Augmented Reality gaming with six AR cards included in the box; a long-press home button for in-game access to web browsing, WiFi toggle, and more; a Book app; and note writing / diary software.%Gallery-103589%
PDC World Championship Darts: Pro Tour gets Move, MotionPlus support
The latest iteration of O-Games' "phenomenally successful" PDC World Championship Darts franchise is getting two no-brainer features: support for PS3's Move controller and Wii's MotionPlus add-on.
'Wii Remote Plus' shown on FlingSmash packaging
Though Nintendo's quirky, somewhat under-the-radar throwing game FlingSmash doesn't seem like the most likely partner for the launch of a new accessory, it would appear that's exactly how Nintendo is handling it. The GameStop listing for the Artoon-developed Wii game shows that it's bundled with a "Wii Remote Plus," and still due November 7. Given FlingSmash's MotionPlus requirement, we can safely guess that the Wii Remote Plus is a Wiimote with the MotionPlus already all up in it -- a trick we've seen from third parties. Nintendo confirmed the existence of the controller to Eurogamer, declining to offer any more details. No GameStop listing was found for just the controller, leading us to suspect that FlingSmash was always intended as a pack-in with the Wii Remote Plus (its Wii Play, so to speak) -- which neatly answers the question of why Nintendo would make FlingSmash a full-priced retail game. We're contacting Nintendo for more details, since it probably knows a bit more about its own release plans than GameStop. Update: Nintendo has "nothing to announce at this time," a representative told Joystiq.
Nintendo Wii Remote Plus with built-in 'Plus' tipped in FlingSmash bundle?
We've been expecting a Wiimote with built-in MotionPlus for a while now -- after all, Nyko already builds the Wand+ with those succulent MotionPlus gyros built-in. Still, Nintendo has seemed slow on the uptake, outside of a mysterious FCC berth in May, so we were surprised to see this upcoming first party, MotionPlus-required FlingSmash title arrive on a GameStop order page with "Wii Remote Plus inside!" emblazoned on the box. Interestingly, the product description still mentions attaching the MotionPlus "accessory" to your Wii Remote, but the Wiimote in the picture does look just slightly different than normal with a curved bit of text below the Wii logo, and when Eurogamer pinged Nintendo Europe about it, a spokesperson said the Wii Remote Plus "is real" but "We have nothing to announce on this at the moment." Hopefully this all clears up soon enough so that millions of Wii owners can have an excuse to buy a new game in the noble name of hardware procurement.
Wii Ping Pong paddle reviewed, loved, unavailable for purchase
We've seen our share of downright silly controllers for the Wii (we're looking at you, CTA), and we were expecting more of the same, but we'll be darned if no less an authority than self-avowed Wii Sports Table Tennis addict Paul Govan (from Gamepeople.co.uk) hasn't given the Wii Sports Table Tennis Bat high marks all around: it's weighted like a proper paddle, the build quality is decent, comes with a battery and a charger and, most importantly, it "replicates all the features of [the] Wiimote and MotionPlus perfectly." Unfortunately, the reviewer states that this is a prototype from an as yet unnamed Chinese manufacturer, and has no idea when they might become available. Way to harsh our buzz, man.
Buy Metroid: Other M at GameStop, get $20 off MotionPlus remote bundle
Mom: Hi there, my son was asking for a new Wii game. Meteoroid or something. GameStop clerk: He's probably looking for Metroid: Other M, the hot new action game from Nintendo. Mom: Yes, that's the one! I'll take a copy, please. Clerk: Ma'am, you're in luck, because we're offering $20 off the Wii Remote MotionPlus bundle with every purchase of Metroid: Other M. Mom: That's okay. Geoffrey already has a remote. Clerk: But this is MotionPlus. It adds a whole new level of sensitivity to the Wii experience! Mom: Oh, so this meteoroid game needs that then? Clerk: Well, no, but ... Mom: It enhances it somehow? Clerk: Not really. Mom: Then why would I want that? Clerk: ... Mom: ... Just bag the game.
Conduit 2 includes optional MotionPlus support
High Voltage Software experimented with support for the MotionPlus peripheral in The Conduit, but omitted it from the final game. Sega announced today that the sequel will allow players to augment the game's controls with the underused gyroscope peripheral. According to the announcement, in addition to general response improvements, the MotionPlus will improve "edge tracking and transitions to pointer control" -- which sounds like it should make the experience of accidentally pointing off screen while turning somewhat less infuriating. If you are living a MotionMinus life and still want to play Conduit 2, don't worry: it's totally optional. Conduit 2 will be out this fall.
Nintendo Wiimote RVL-036 mysteriously clears the FCC
We can't say for sure what's new here but that wireframe outline is most definitely a Wiimote. The Nintendo-branded Bluetooth device just passed through the FCC courtesy of Hon Hai Precision, aka Foxconn. There's very little in the way of detail here other than a new RVL-036 model number reminiscent of the console's "revolution" roots. Perhaps the new Wiimote finally integrates the MotionPlus add-on? Who knows, but it certainly makes sense given Miyamoto's recent comments. At least we can be certain that it's exactly 12 times better than the model RVL-003 Wiimote shipping today. Another FCC document grab after the break.
