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‘What the Golf’ is coming to the Nintendo Switch on May 21st
The goofy non-golf game What the Golf is coming to the Nintendo Switch with extra modes and features on May 21st.
'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]
THQ ships gold-plated Wii to Queen of England
Buckingham Palace will be getting a special delivery today as THQ plans to deliver a golden Wii earmarked for the Queen.The pack will also include a copy of the newly released BIG Family Games, as Philip, Charles and the rest of the royal gang compete for the living room crown. The publisher hopes the PR stunt will amuse Queen Elizabeth, though we hope the 83-year old monarch doesn't throw her arm out swinging the console's presumably heavier gold-plated remote.
More like Complicated 2000
D3 Publisher has its Simple Wii series, which consists of cheap, original Wii games designed on a low budget. The company also has its Simple 2000 Series Wii, which consists of cheap Wii games designed on a low budget. The difference, aside from the extra number? The new Simple 2000 Wii games are actually ports of old Simple 2000 series games for the PS2.The first two Simple 2000 Series Wii games have both been enhanced with new features: Simple 2000 Wii Vol. 1 THE Table Games, which includes Solitaire, Reversi, Go, Mahjong, and other games, now has online play; Vol. 2 THE Party Games, which includes Sasuke-like athletic challenges, plate spinning, and sports-based minigames, now has waggle.
Beer Pong with less beer, more tossing, extra controversy
It's official: Beer Pong was way too controversial for the family-friendly Wii, and the forthcoming lulzworthy WiiWare game has undergone a name change. Beer Pong: Frat Party Games is now Frat Party Games: Pong Toss. What, like taking the beer out of the name takes it out of the frat party? That will certainly work. Next up: Frat Party Games: Quilting. You know how those boys at the chapter house like to fight over the best remnants.Here's the thing: in this case, it really did work. Not only is Beer Pong now operating under a different title, but all the references to alcohol have been removed, too. Publisher JVGames already made the change (in response, we assume, to previous protests), which resulted in the assumed rating being dropped down to E. Now, a whole new argument has arisen, thanks to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who feels that, despite the lack of beer anywhere in the game (it's juice in them there cups), an E rating will encourage underage drinking. Blumenthal wants an AO-rating, which just ain't happening -- liquor references in games rates teen, per the ESRB.The ESRB is having none of it, though; they smartly responded with a racing game analogy: if you pulled the same stunts in real life as you do in a racing game, they'd certainly be illegal. However, as they noted, many racing games are rated E. So why give this one, with no overt alcohol use and no illegal behavior whatsoever, a restrictive rating?From the screenshots, we can't help but think people should have not only left this one alone, but also be celebrating this game as a PSA. If drinking makes everything look like this, we're taking the first train to sobertown.%Gallery-27047%[Via Game|Life]
Party Crashers won't crash our parties
We know what you're thinking: the Wii needs another minigame compilation!The latest in the line of "party games" is Party Crashers, which has a crash test dummy theme to it. Specifically, the game was inspired by Twelve Interactive's Cid the Dummy -- a multiplatform game that's not even out yet. Even worse, many of the games will have to be unlocked, and if you've ever played a party game with a "feature" like that before, we're sure you know how annoying it is.There'll be twenty-five minigames available in this title, which will range from puzzles to music-based games. To get an idea of what these will entail, some of the activities include "Pie in the Face," "Chinese Plates," "Dummy Cannonball," "Pizza Delivery," "Treasure Island," and "Dummy Dance." You won't be able to play such tantalizing-sounding minis until next April, though, since that's the planned release month.Even though we're labeling this as do not want, we're glad we had an excuse to listen to the Crash Test Dummies' "MMM MMM MMM MMM." We always find a silver lining!
Buzz! developers relocate - hiring for upcoming PS3 projects
Relentless Software, the developers behind the multi-million selling Buzz! games, have moved into a new, bigger office in Brighton, south England. Despite being big sellers in their home territory, the only Buzz! title that made it out of Europe was Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party. So chances are many of you non-Europeans have yet to experience the series. For those who don't know, the games try to emulate a TV game-show. Complete with buzzer controllers (see attached image) and smooth voiced announcers. They're great fun, especially when in a party context.It looks like we could soon be seeing more games from Relentless as they are celebrating their new development office by hiring in some fresh blood for upcoming PS2 and PS3 projects. More party games on the PS3 can only be a good thing, in my opinion. We'll keep you posted on any developments.[Via PS3Forums]
Bomberman: Act Zero bombs
I'm publishing Dirk Dorkelson's Bomberman: Act Zero rant in near entirety:According to the Official Xbox mag review, which gives Bomberman: Act Zero a whopping 4 out of 10, the ultimate party game won't be playable at parties. For some bizarre, boneheaded reason, the game is only multiplayer if you play it online. A quick check of Konami's website seems to confirm this, with it listing the game as a single-player game, with 2-8 players online.Sadly, this also probably means that my married friends who I game with online all the time won't be able to play the title with me over Xbox Live unless they take turns playing. Lame.How the hell could they screw up something so basic? Isn't the true joy of Bomberman inviting a few friends over and blasting the hell out of each other while having a few beers?Also, the game has 99 levels in the single-player mode. But you can't save your progress.OXM calls it "impossible to love." Color me disappointed.
