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Pokmon overload for one child
There was a time when the N64 kid ruled the roost of Nintendo overreactions; well, this Pokémon kid featured above is definitely in the running to overtake him. At least the Pokémon kid hasn't had a McDonalds or BMW ad made from his homage or moment of utter blissplosion, but we'll give Madison Avenue to the end of the month to figure something out. Our Pokémon scream decipher technology is on the fritz at the moment, so we don't understand what the kid is screaming about, but we're pretty certain one of our faithful readers will figure it out by comment 10.[Via TheStranger]
VC Friday: Zonked on paper
It's an odd pairing for the weekend for European gamers -- the punk-influenced Air Zonk and the classically adorable Paper Mario! What do they both have in common? A light-hearted approach to gaming and solid offerings for their respective genres. That's something we can get behind. Air Zonk -- Turbografx -- 600 Wii points Paper Mario -- Nintendo 64 -- 1000 Wii points
IGN hands-on with new Turok
Over ten years after the Nintendo 64 debut of Turok, Propaganda Games is getting ready to roll out a PS3 and Xbox 360 update to the dinosaur-hunting FPS. Set on a mysterious planet in the future, Turok and a squad of elite soldiers are tasked with apprehending his former mentor, Roland Kane. Unfortunately things don't go quite as planned and Turok and crew find themselves stuck in the middle of a dense dinosaur-filled jungle.IGN's recent hands-on with the Xbox 360 version of Turok shows that some of the technology and options in the game are "beyond sweet". For example, Turok really lets you get the gore on with creative ways of disposing of dinosaur foes. Sticky grenades on a raptor's back sounds pretty sweet to us. Combine that with an intelligent, living environment, and teammates that do more than serve as ammunition shields and "beyond sweet" sounds like a fitting phrase. Turok will be ready to storm out the gate in Q1 2008.
Conjecture Countdown: 12 days to go
Even with a diminished E3, there's no controlling the wave of rumors that hit the Internet every year before the show. Why fight it? From now until E3 hits, we'll be posting one piece of wild speculation every day. Some may be patently ridiculous, and others just might turn out to be true. Even some of the ridiculous ones might turn out to be true! Rest assured, everything will be totally made-up and unfounded. Except, of course, when we speak about all the ass Reggie is going to kick. That part? Totally true.Rumor: Majora's Mask on DS! We've actually got proof to confirm this one. Check past the post break!
N64 gets a contemporary makeover
The classy white-with-blue light Wii theme can add a touch of awesome to any game console. We won't say anything to impugn the vaunted N64 in any way-- we think the white paint job makes it look damned cool. The paint is nice and smooth, too.Color variations are nothing new for the N64, but Nintendo didn't release one in white. And they certainly didn't put LED's in it. What do you think about this mod? Can you think of any other consoles that would benefit from some white paint?
Wii Warm Up: Defend the N64
We enjoy the retrogaming here at Wii Fanboy. And, since we're Wii Fanboy, we have low requirements in terms of graphics. But man, N64 3D hurts.We actually enjoy the look of old sprites. Big blocky pixels can be appreciated years after they've become obsolete. But the blurry, foggy Nintendo 64 puts us off every time.We know there are a lot of N64 fans around here for some reason, so we'll put the question to you: how can you look at that stuff? Does it still look okay to you? Was there ever a time that it looked okay?
VC Friday: Hey, look, an N64 game!
This week, Europe gets its own milestone 100th game on the Virtual Console in the form of an N64 racer. And it also gets a Turbografx-16 game that most people apparently hate. Not us, though. If we lived in Europe, we'd be downloading right now. Just sayin'.This week's offerings: F-Zero X - N64 - 1000 Wii points J.J. & Jeff- TG16- 600 Wii points Let us know if you go for either of these fine games! We kind of like to talk about games occasionally.
F-Zero X is Euro Virtual Console's 100th game
The N64's ludicrously kinetic racer, F-Zero X (or F0X, if you want to be trite) today marks the 100th release on Nintendo's European Virtual Console service. Pro-G reports that the game arrives on the PAL Wii at a cost of 1000 Wii Points and is joined by side-scrolling TurboGrafx platformer, J.J. & Jeff, for 600 Wii Points.America's Virtual Console received its 100th title last week in the form of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, highlighting Nintendo's steady release of retro titles since the Wii launched in November 2006. The quantity of titles is certainly not an issue, but the lack of enhancements and the occasional, questionable release makes passing judgment on quality and pricing more difficult, especially when we so easily get ourselves wrapped in the warm blanket of nostalgia. We expect things to get interesting once the Wii Shop joins Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network in providing original games.
Virtually Overlooked Week: Alisha's picks
Virtually Overlooked has taken over Wii Fanboy! All this week, members of the staff will be outlining their personal picks for future Virtual Console releases.My path through gaming history is very haphazard and filled with missed turns. Somehow, I managed to skip several really amazing titles that I probably would have played for hours and hours, until they were imprinted in the deeper layers of my brain. I guess I just got really attached to the games that I played and loved, and as a kid with limited resources, I couldn't or wouldn't go hunting for new games. Even so, looking back at the avalanche of titles that shaped my early gaming "career," I can't help but think -- could anyone have played everything? Who were those people, and why wasn't I borrowing all their games?But I didn't miss everything, and the games I played were games I loved. I swear, after I finally put it aside, I could have probably played the original Legend of Zelda using only my toes and a half-working controller. Well, through the Octoroks and Tektites near the beginning screens, at least. Even now, the sight of those guys makes me smile. And did anyone else have one of those awesome Zelda watches? During school hours, those things were a lifesaver. But we've already got the inaugural Zelda on the VC -- so let's look at a few of my loves that are as-yet unavailable.
Make your N64 look brand new again
Chances are that you probably have an old N64 sitting around somewhere, gathering dust. If not, you can pick one up on eBay for around twenty bucks. The trouble is, it's probably covered in grime, stickers, lint and other crud. However, now you can restore that console and the cartridges to the showroom luster they deserve.Check out the guide Shamoozal has put together that'll take you step by step through the cleaning process. You'll have to visit eBay again for a couple of tools (ironically one is an N64 Cleaning Kit), and pick up some simple things like q-tips and rubbing alcohol (what's in that Cleaning Kit anyhow? A damp washcloth?) and get to work.Although you might spend more on the cleanup than you did on the actual console, making it look shiny like it was right out of the box = priceless. Folks will take one look and say N64? More like NEW64, amirite?
CNET's best video game controllers of all time
CNET UK recently unveiled a "totally subjective" top five list of the best video game controllers of all time. Heading the pack is Atari's one-button joystick, joined by the SNES controller, and the N64 and PS2 controllers. Surprisingly enough, the Xbox 360 pad lands on the list for being the first to make wireless design a standard. The Wii remote was mentioned but quickly dismissed, as it hasn't been around long enough to prove itself as a revolutionary device.It's a rather obvious list that omits innovation in favor of time-tested design. Atari's joystick was nothing short of groundbreaking in its day, as were the SNES and N64 controllers. And we're just broken to bits that the PS3 boomerang never had the chance to fight for a spot on this list.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Paper Mario pencilled into the VC release schedule
The N64 version of Paper Mario is soon to hit the Virtual Console, according to a recent magazine article.If you've just finished Super Paper Mario and are after some more dimension-shifting hyper-realism , then this is the place to get it. The 2001 classic is more of an RPG than its younger sibling, with turn based combat, so bear that in mind if you're thinking of shelling out the Wii points. No news on release dates as yet -- we'll keep you posted.
Does the VC threaten modding communities?
OK, we may be incredible Nintendo fanboys, but this is just something that flew under our radar. We never had any idea that these mods were actually out there, trying to make N64 games better. Of course, they're working with ROMs and other illegal materials, but we're sure some of them out there are doing this in a legit fashion, not to mention that these individuals must actually love the game, what with investing so many hours into giving it better textures and whatnot. We're not here to argue either side of that coin.But no, instead we're here to ask a question: does the Virtual Console kill the N64 modding community? Probably not, considering that years of being discontinued has hardly gotten in their way. So, we doubt digital distribution is going to be the one that finally finagles a wrench into the cog that is this modding community. And we can't say we condone piracy in any way, but those higher-res shots of Ocarina of Time really look nice.What say you all?
The Top 7 Nintendo Mistakes are sure to offend somebody
GamesRadar has just put up their list of historical Nintendo blunders, and ... wow. We hope they're wearing flame-retardant clothing. The list has seemingly noble enough intentions: to analyze how Nintendo went from the absolute biggest name in video games to pretty much third place. Ultimately, it's probably meant to incite arguments, and they'll get plenty of them.But if there's anything we've learned from years of being on the Internet and from specializing in Nintendo discussion, it's that any negative word about Nintendo will summon a cacophony of fanboy hate. Never mind that a lot of the things on the list (with one very notable exception) are definitely huge mistakes and probably did contribute to Nintendo's semi-downfall in the pre-DS days. Let's try to buck the trend here. Let's have an open discussion about Nintendo's missteps, instead of screaming at naysayers and trying to spin the Virtual Boy as a good thing.
Star Fox 64 arrives, Virtual Console does barrel roll
After last week's serious focus on kingdoms waging war, it comes as a relief to see Nintendo's Virtual Console service returning to its former status, namely that of an anarchic menagerie of anthropomorphic troublemakers. This week, we have foxes recklessly piloting spaceships, dragon's uttering foul words and mutated turtles kicking people in the face. Just who's in charge here? As you might have surmised (admittedly, the headline is a big help), Star Fox 64 (N64) tops the list of retro goodies arriving on the Wii today: Star Fox 64 - N64 - 1,000 points ($10) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - NES - 600 points ($6) Dragon's Curse - TurboGrafx 16 - 600 points ($6) All three titles are available for download now. What isn't available for download at this time, however, is an explanation as to why we're expected to shell out 100 points ($1) above the NES norm for Konami's turtle brawler. Perhaps we're being fined for that terrible pun in the last sentence.
Nintendo 64 tech demo videos still make us cry
Remember anticipating a 3D The Legend of Zelda? How about the excitement Final Fantasy 64 stirred up? Gaming was making its first leap into 3D in the mid-90s, and Nintendo was primed to usher in the new generation with its powerful Nintendo 64. Tech demo videos got gamers hot and bothered with the prospect of playing our favorite franchises in glorious 3D. While the graphics pale in comparison to today's games, we have to admit, they're still pretty cool to watch. Hit the jump for the videos, and be prepared for the tears of joy.
In Defense of the Virtual Console's pricing
We've surveyed your irritation with the Virtual Console's rates and even had you calculate the exact amount of Wii points you've been swindled out of so far, but VGamp's Chris Sinclair argues that the game downloads aren't expensive at all. Chris listed eleven reasons to support his claim, even admitting that he would be willing to pay more for the retro titles. While he might come across as an inflexible apologist, some of his points make sense.According to Chris, you're getting a deal whenever you make a purchase on the Shopping Channel. For example, let's say that you put out the cash for Soldier Blade, a title that sometimes sells for $50+ on eBay. You're scoring a discount on a relatively rare game that's guaranteed to work decades from now, and you don't even have to pay for the TurboGrafx-16 console or the controllers to play it with. As an added bonus, many of these emulated games look better than they ever did before.Alright, so we're still not entirely convinced that Altered Beast is worth the 800 Wii points Sega is asking for, but we can see where Chris is going with this. What do you think? Does the pricing seem justified after considering his points, or do you still feel like you're being fleeced?
Today's most recreated video: Goldeneye Live Action N64
This is by no means new stuff, and might be old to some of you, but it's so darned good that we had to share it. Some people with a lot of time on their hands recreated GoldenEye in live-action goodness, complete with the score and sound effects from the game. That garage scene is FTW!While that whining alarm sound brought back too many nightmares, this really makes us want to drag the N64 out of storage and hook it up, just to play GoldenEye again. If Nintendo sticks this on the Virtual Console, it'll go through the roof.[Thanks, uakronkid]
Rare on Banjo VC: "It's possible"
In a response to a young Rare fan's letter posted in their Scribes column, Rare discussed the possibility of some of their franchises coming over to the Virtual Console. The Donkey Kong Country sequels are likely, because Donkey Kong is a Nintendo-owned property. But games starring Diddy Kong, the Rare-created pal of DK, are not as clear-cut.The main focus of the letter was Banjo-Kazooie, which is a Rare-owned property. The Rare "scribe" diplomatically said that "it's possible" for Banjo games to appear either on the VC or on the Xbox 360 Live Arcade. Our advice? Don't wait for any N64 games to come to VC, because they are slow in arriving.[Via Play-Nintendo]
SNK president talks about Neo-Geo and online games [Update 1]
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Nintendo_not_letting_publishers_add_online_functionality_to_games'; Ben Herman, who runs SNK Playmore USA, is almost as excited about Neo-Geo games on the Virtual Console as we are. In a recent interview, he discussed SNK's VC plans and Nintendo's operation of the system in general.According to Herman, who, of course, can't give details, SNK expects to release "a certain limited number of titles per month," which is enough to have us cheering, because that's a lot more than the N64 is getting. It's also a much brisker release schedule than the Neo-Geo ever had. The best news, in our opinion? Herman is interested in the Virtual Console as a means of releasing lesser-known and niche games. SNK isn't sure yet whether the Neo-Geo games on the VC will be the AES home versions or the MVS arcade cartridges. We had no idea there was a difference! Of course, there has to be bad news, and it's kind of big: Herman says that Nintendo is not letting publishers add online functionality to games, VC or retail, and probably will continue this restriction throughout 2007.Herman goes on to talk about Nintendo's console library, saying that Nintendo has all of the code for third-party NES and SNES games and needs only permission to release them. Which means Konami officially has no excuse for the fact that we haven't played Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse on the Wii yet. Konami, you're on notice![Update: added the sad, sad news about online games.]
