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One New Yorker mods his Wiimote and nunchuk
You know, we've probably told you fine folk a million times what town our heart currently calls its home. But, even we can appreciate an inspired and love-driven mod, even if it highlights sports teams we could care less about. And, even though the LED lights under the analog stick and buttons has been done before, the paint jobs are what really got our attention.For some more images, check past the post break.
TGS07: Kohler says Umbrella Chronicles just better without the Zapper
Some people are all in favor of the Zapper, as we discussed this morning, but Game|Life's Chris Kohler is not among them ... at least, not when it comes to Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. After trying the game several times, he has consistently found that the Zapper is less optimal for this game than the simple naked combination of the Wii remote and nunchuk. At TGS, he was playing co-op with a freelancer who was even excited about the Zapper and its potential with the game. He played without, and she played with -- and halfway through, they switched.Once finished, he asked her which she preferred ... and she agreed with him. The Zapper may end up being great for other games, but in Umbrella Chronicles, it seems to make actions ungainly rather than precise, particularly when one has to reload or pick up objects. This makes us doubly interested in seeing how the shell affects other games, like the pack-in Link's Crossbow Training, but for now, we think we may just stick to the remote and nunchuk. After all, the remote is a pointing device all on its own, and we've seen just how fantastic it can be for shooting.
Wii Zapper, with Zelda minigame, shipping 11/19 for twenty bucks
As much fun as Wii Sports, Wii Play, and all the rest of the PG games on Nintendo's latest console are, we suspect that what gamers have really been waiting for is the ability to shoot all manner of enemy on-screen a la the Duck Hunt days of old, so itchy trigger fingers will be pleased to learn that we've finally been clued into the enabling Wii Zapper's $20 pricetag and November 19th release date. In announcing this all important info, Nintendo also revealed that the plastic housing for Wiimote and Nunchuk will ship with Link's Crossbow Training, which sounds like an archery sim set in the exciting world of Zelda. Other games that will support the Zapper include Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, Sega's Ghost Squad, and various other titles that will surely push Wii Chess even lower down your stack of games.
Companies making components for Wii getting rich
If you're in the parts industry, you're likely sleeping on a large mound of money and enjoying the company of the most expensive of entourages. You've probably got bedroom furniture made from dinosaur bones, you're so filthy rich. That is, according to Tech.co.uk, who are reporting that numerous manufacturers of components that make up the Wii and the Wiimote are seeing large profits from the console's popularity.This has even caused these manufacturers to open dedicated teams within their ranks. Analog Devices, responsible for the accelerometer in the Wiimote, have dedicated some of their existing space to manufacturing this part for the Wii exclusively. Another company, STMicroelectronics, makes the corresponding sensor in the nunchuk and are in the process of dedicating space to producing that.
DIY'er puts the Wiimote on your Xbox 360
We've seen some pretty wild Wiimote mods in our day, but this control rig for the Xbox 360 definitely springs into the upper echelons of Wii-hackdom. This particular DIY effort involves a rather varied list of components, including a Wiimote and Nunchuk (obviously), an Xbox 360, a PC (in this case the Samsung Q1), a MagicBox XFPS, custom drivers, and a "black box" consisting of a hard coded microcontroller and spliced PS2 cable. Just a few things to get the job done. And the end result? A fully compatible, reticule-smoothing, Halo 2-ready Wii control system for your Microsoft gaming rig. Don't believe the hype? Hit the video after the break to see what it's all about.[Thanks, Francis]
Wii Airplane Controller brings more needless plastic into your life
What makes this so comical to us is how the nunchuk and Wiimote are situated in their plastic device in the way that we naturally hold them anyway. So, what is the point for such an accessory? There really isn't one, we imagine, but like the kid that was dropped off right at the front of the school and had to kiss his mom goodbye back in our younger days, we felt the need to point and laugh at this thing.Even if the thing is only $13, we can't imagine anyone actually needing or wanting it.[Via Engadget]
It seems like forever since we talked about Opoona
Seriously, the last time we had anything to report on the game was back in May. May, people! That is way too long to go without anything about our favorite nunchuk-driven game. Finally, our thirst may be quenched, as JeuxFrance has put up a new video for the title. In it, you'll find everything that initially piqued our interest in the game, so be sure to head on over and check it out.
Wii Warm Up: The worst controls
Earlier this week, we spent a little time talking about some of the best motion-sensing control schemes offered by Wii games so far -- so it's only fair that we dedicate a little time to the worst that you've experienced since launch. We've managed to avoid some of the games that are supposed to be really awful, but can definitely say that about half of Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz definitely left something to be desired (and yet, part of the game was fine). We've heard horror stories however, that many games are far worse. How about you? What's the worst you've tried to suffer through on the Wii? Feel free to get into the gory details.
Four different controller options for Super Smash Bros.
Today's Smash Bros. blog update provided two things we've all been waiting for since the countdown went up: New information of any kind The controller the game will use. Those of you who said they'd adapt the game to Wiimote/Nunchuk play were right. Those of you who said they'd keep the Gamecube controller compatibility: you were right. Those of you who said it would use the Classic Controller: you were also right. Those of you who said you could play the game with a Wiimote turned on its side: if you existed, you would have been right as well.We had cooled on the subject of Smash Bros., but now we're as excited as we were when we saw Snake pop out of that box. Not only is this going to extend the life of the game (by allowing players to master four different methods of control) but it is also going to allow for different styles of play, and therefore more variety in strategy and technique.
Opoona's website does not require the Nunchuk
Koei has opened the official website for their adorable Wii "Lifestyle RPG" Opoona, and the site is as colorful and, well, round as everything else we've seen about the Nunchuk-only game. There's not much English to be found, but the links all have English labels, allowing you to navigate with ease and find visual content. Clicking around will get you plenty of screenshots, and the "dark rogue" link takes you to a gallery of enemy creatures. They are mostly-- that's right-- colorful and round. It's kind of a major theme in the design.
Obscure II set to scare up some action on the Wii this year
We actually played the first Obscure game and the similarities between it and the teen horror flicks of the late 90's (The Faculty, Disturbing Behavior) were all well and good, just the game itself wasn't very fun. Nor was it very good. Regardless, we're getting a sequel to the game in Q4 of this year.Still, the news of the franchise seeing a sequel on the Wii manages to excite us just a little. We are survival-horror fans by nature, even if it is "whiny-teen survival horror," so the prospect of attacking enemies and navigating a dangerous environment with the Wiimote and nunchuk is a welcome one. We'll just have to wait until we see more before passing judgment ...
More Opoona screens for fans of cute space RPGs
Koei has released some new screens from Opoona, showing more interaction around the space station area. Some of the locations revealed include a coffee shop, an art museum, and a library. Little Opoona looks quite cheerful as he explores these areas, for someone who just became separated from his parents. He's the spheroid Ryo Hazuki of the future.This latest update brings us the names of some of the characters in Opoona's world. His father and mother are called Daddiina and Mommiina, which is just adorable. Gordy, the captain of the space station's guards, a young boy named Ted who wants to grow up to be a guard, and a young honor student named Mira round out the known cast. It's starting to sound like an RPG, isn't it?
Taking air guitar to higher levels
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Taking_air_guitar_to_higher_levels_Nintendo_Wii_Fanboy'; Forget Guitar Hero -- these guys are doing it for themselves. Turning the Wii controls into a guitar, that is, and it's pretty awesome. Clearly, this guy doesn't need no instructions to know how to rock. Half the fun of the Wii has been seeing all of the creative uses people have drummed up for the controls. Hit the jump to see this latest in action.
Wiimote and nunchuk form like Voltron
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Wiimote_and_nunchuk_form_like_Voltron'; While one could just go ahead and mod their Wiimote into a gun, Joytech is set to offer gamers a less permanent solution for their needs. Dubbed the Sharp Shooter, this little thingamabob allows one to take their Wiimote and nunchuk, confine them into this gun-like apparatus and then go ahead and play shooters or FPS titles in that way. No word on when it's going to release as of right now.We think reader BPMΩ said it best when he questioned how confining the nunchuk and Wiimote together into this thing would affect the accelerometer in both once they're essentially bundled together. It's a good point, one that is strong enough to probably break the sale for us. Then again, they could send us one to review ....[Thanks, BPMΩ!]
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 could bring fun wrestling games back to Nintendo
Remember way back during the days of the N64 when wrestling games were pretty much the most fun thing to play? You would talk so much trash to your friends, about how you could totally own them with Eric Bischoff and his, like, 5 different moves? Tossing your opponent outside the ring, only to rain down on them with chair strikes over and over and over ...Well, those were the days and, based on the embedded video past the post break, they could very well be returning. The video gives us a gameplay demonstration on how the Wiimote and nunchuk will work together and allow you to destroy your opponents in the ring.[via Gaming Age]
New Opoona screens still don't explain the controls
We've had our eye on Opoona since the initial announcement-- an RPG for the Wii is, at this point, a rarity, as is a game from Koei that doesn't involve beating on thousands of soldiers in ancient China. But, of course, the real issue with Opoona is the control scheme, which uses only the Nunchuk. Whaaaaa? Unfortunately, these new screens don't really provide an adequate explanation for that design choice, though they do a pretty good job of showing the game in action, as does this new trailer. Sure, the Nunchuk is adequate for cycling through menus and for analog movement, but so is the Wiimote. We don't exactly get it.What we do get is the art design and the environments. We are completely buying what Koei is selling over here, because the look of Opoona is basically Lego Phantasy Star Online. Anything that recalls the vaunted PSO gets our attention. We've posted some selections from the gallery after the break-- if you're interested, be sure to follow the "read" link and see the full 35-image preview.
In love with LEDs? Mod your Wii Nunchuk.
There's really no reason you shouldn't have a little blue LED symmetry going on between your Wiimote and Nunchuk, so WiiCade's whipped up a quick (albeit not necessarily so easy) lighting mod to make that extra controller light up like a firefly. Sounds like it shouldn't take too long (and why would it?), and hey, if you screw up at least you only ruined a $20 add-on.[Via Wii Fanboy]
Koei announces Opoona for Wii, Nunchuk-only
A one-handed Dynasty Warriors spinoff, ideally played blindfolded (or while watching something else), was the announcement we'd been hoping for. Sadly, Koei revealed it's got a fresh concept in the works for Wii. Opoona, named after its main character, is a quirky action-rpg in which players must travel to various intergalactic colonies by obtaining special licenses associated with certain jobs (e.g., rescuer, idol, detective) in order to solve the mystery of Opoona's siblings' disappearance and determine who or what has landed his parents in the hospital with serious injuries. Koei claims that Opoona is controlled entirely with the Nunchuk controller.Some relevant names have been attached to the project, including Artepiazza's Shintaro Majima as lead artist and Sachiko Yukimura as planning director; both industry vets have been involved with numerous Dragon Quest games. Most notably, Final Fantasy XII composer Hitoshi Sakimoto will handle music production.Koei has not announced a release date for Opoona, but unconfirmed sources have targeted summer 2007 in Japan.
Finally, an RPG for the Wii-- and it's Nunchuk-only?
Opoona is a new game from Koei that casts players in the title role, as a visitor to planet Landroll who must earn job licenses to gain access to areas of the planet and investigate the incident that injured his parents. These licenses correspond to jobs, which the player is free to choose.Opoona is also a game that is controlled entirely with the Nunchuk. The game uses an "Active Bombom" combat system wherein players whip projectiles with the nunchuk. Movement outside of battle is also controlled by the Nunchuk, leaving your poor, neglected Wiimote dangling lamely from its tether.The control system has us intrigued. There must be more to it. There has to be a reason for using the Nunchuk over the Wiimote, other than gimmickry, and we look forward to finding out. Please, have a look at the two regrettably small screens after the break and ponder the issue!
Thrustmaster waggles out Wii charging stand and controller sleeves
Alright, so they're not the first peripheral company out the door with a stand / case / charger combo unit for the Wii -- that honor belongs to Nyko's $30 Wii recharge station -- but Thrustmaster does aim to be the cheapest. The $25 T-Charge NW provides a set of black silicone sleeves, one for the Wiimote and one for the oft-neglected nunchuk, and a stand that not only holds both of them, but charges via USB. Not interested in the charging functionality? Settle for the $15 T-Care NW stand which just holds the combo, and comes with the sleeves. Not feeling the stands at all? The silicons sleeves are sold solo for $10. Lastly, for the completists out there (you know who you are), get the T-Charge NW and the T-Care NW with accompanying sleeves all bundled together for $35.%Gallery-1697%
