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Top five best sellers for 2009 tracked for each console
Finding it hard to get interested in the June NPDs? Perhaps a visual aide from the folks at Gamasutra will help boost your enthusiasm. They've compiled the sales figures from all of 2009's NPD charts to find the top five best-selling games of the year thus far on each of the three home consoles.The big winner so far on the PS3 is Killzone 2, trailed closely by Resident Evil 5. On the 360, Resident Evil 5 is currently in the lead, followed by a surprising contender -- UFC 2009: Undisputed. The Wii's current leader is -- who'd have thunk it? -- Wii Fit, followed by Wii Play. For the full five for each platform, check out Gamasutra's writeup.
Wii Fit is UK's best seller for 2009 so far
Nintendo is king of the UK retail gaming jungle, according to ELSPA GfK-ChartTrack data. The House of Mario holds the top four spots for titles sold on the isles during the first half of 2009. Wii Fit Wii Play Mario Kart Wii Professor Layton And The Curious Village Killzone 2 Yes, surprisingly, Killzone 2 did take the fifth spot, beating out Resident Evil 5. ELSPA's director states that the figures indicate "gaming is now mainstream in the UK." And that a lot of people in the UK think they (or a loved one) need to lose 10 lbs.[Via VideoGamer]
Top brands of 2008 owned by Nintendo, EA, Activision, and not Sony
Wedbush Morgan Securities' 2009 industry report includes a list of the top thirty brands of 2008. The report notes that of the companies whose brands appear on the list, Nintendo, EA, and Activision were the only three with more than one brand to generate over $100 million at retail in the US last year.And boy, did they. The top brand of the year, Guitar Hero -- perhaps you've heard of it -- was responsible for $992 million in US sales in 2008. The next two brands, Mario Bros. and Rock Band, generated $761 million and $662 million, respectively.One company is notably absent from the top brands list: "Most strikingly," the report reads, "Sony had no top 30 brands for the third year in a row." Microsoft had two brands on the list (Gears of War and Fable) and Nintendo had four (Mario Bros., Wii Fit, Wii Play, and Pokémon). See the list of brands after the break.
Wii Balance Board Power Up Charging Stand from Mad Catz just dares you to revert to AAs
There's just something so defiant about this "Power Up" charging stand from Mad Catz -- it seems specifically designed to take up as much cubic footage as possible, and even the name is domineering. The stand is bizarrely formed in the likeness of a miniature Wii Balance Board, with a replacement battery pack included in the kit with contact charging points to take out all the exertion of flipping the B-Board and swapping out batteries. A foot pedal release mechanism pops the Balance Board out of the stand, and there are a couple of free-spirited USB ports on the thing for charging up whatever other awkwardly-shaped gadgetry you might have around the house.[Via Unplggd]
Hands-on (and flapping like wings): Wii Fit Plus
While the idea of leaning on a board and waving a stick around may no longer carry an inherent wow factor after everyone has introduced a motion controller, it's clear from just a few minutes with Nintendo's Wii Fit Plus that the company has been thinking of new ways to use its existing technology in gameplay. We weren't allowed to demo the new strength or yoga exercises in the expanded version of the megahit Wii exercise game -- thus sparing a crowd of gaming's best and brightest the sight of us stretching -- but the new balance games were open to us.%Gallery-65357%
Nintendo moves 15 million Wii Fit units in a year, 4 remain in use
Oh c'mon, just admit it -- you rationalized that Wii Fit purchase like so: "Oh, I can't afford this, but it's totally something to make me exercise! So, I'll buy it!" Fast forward two months later, and you're struggling to find space to hide the case. All kidding aside (sort of...), you can't deny the facts, and the facts are that the Big N managed to ship 15 million Wii Fits units in just 13 months. For comparison, it took right around 2.5 years to move 50 million Wii units, so it seems this here title is well on its way to hitting the same milestone in around the same amount of time. Unfortunately, you can't lose weight by simply handing over wads of cash to Satoru Iwata -- feel free to try, though.
Segway rolls its way into Nintendo's Wii Fit Plus
The Wii Fit Plus game may not be bringing any new hardware with it, but it looks like there's a few surprises in the game itself, not the least of which a new Segway mini-game that's been developed in partnership with Segway itself. As you can no doubt guess, that'll make use of the Wii Balance Board and Wii Remote to simulate what it's like to ride on a Segway, with none of the embarrassment or potential pitfalls associated with actually riding one in public. Amazingly, however, they look to have passed up the opportunity for a Segway Polo game and instead opted for a simple balloon-popping game that also involves a "mole-like creature."
Wii Fit Plus shapes up for fall, lets you 'be' Mario
As expected, Nintendo has seen fit to announce Wii Fit Plus during its E3 presser. The new fitness software is planned for release this fall in two flavors: bundled with the Wii Balance Board and as stand-alone software.According to Cammie Dunaway, the new Wii Fit "moves in an added direction" beyond the original, by enabling users to "create a specific workout program that's perfect" for them. Six new strength and yoga activities can be mixed and match depending on what goals they're shooting for, and there's a revamped interface focused on creating seamless routines of 20, 30, 40 minutes (and conceivably more).Strengthening the "core" appeal, Plus will introduce 15 new minigames -- juggling, skateboarding and something called "perfect 10" were shown, the latter requiring players to move their hips to select numbers that add up to 10. "Brain Age for your backside," Cammie said. The most exciting minigame: a forward-moving "platforming" level using gameplay elements from the Mario series.
Rumor: Wii Fit Plus features revealed, heavily online-focused
The lid's been blown off Wii Fit Plus; been there, done that. But, if your inner fitness nut is craving more info, Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper has posted some potential details on the title.Supposedly, Wii Fit Plus boasts some new online connectivity to allow family members and friends to compete in the loss-of-flabby-arms race. Also, the new software is supposedly going to allow for more accurate measuring of weight and center of gravity, though it's said this improvement comes from the software side, and not some new Balance Board Nintendo has been hiding up its sleeve.While we can't comment on this new information from Nihon Keizai Shimbun, it's pretty much a done deal on this whole Wii Fit Plus business. Remember to have those bingo cards ready, folks![Via IGN]
Nintendo trademarks 'Wii Fit Plus' and 'Art Academy'
Nintendo's core needs a workout, but it looks like the company may be planning to pump up its casual audience even more at next week's E3 with Wii Fit Plus. Originally uncovered in April via purported retailer listings, the game's title has been officially trademarked by Nintendo in Japan. Heck, there's even a logo for the game. Since the month-old rumor has borne fruit in terms of an accurate title, we're more likely to believe the November 2009 release date it claimed.Also trademarked by the Big N is Art Academy, a previously unheard -of title with no target platform mentioned. Detailed drawing would seem to lend itself more to DS, though we can't help but imagine a game in the vein of Wii Music in which players "paint" great works of art -- the Mona Lisa, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel -- simply by waggling the Wiimote around.[Via Siliconera]
EA SPORTS Active for Wii in stores now, taunting us with its toned abs
Well, we have to admit a certain principled aversion to any console game that involves jumping, the flailing of the arms, cardio-whatever... anything, really, that Richard Simmons might approve of. It's bad enough that we're being asked to turn in our traditional controllers in for a balance board, but are we really supposed to believe that Electronic Arts -- the company that single-handedly ruined our health during the 1980s as we stayed up for weeks at a time on the quest to save Skara Brae -- could, or should, present the world with a "personal trainer in a box?" Well, if you're one of those people, you'll be happy to know that EA SPORTS Active for Wii is now available in retail stores Stateside, with worldwide release slated for May 22. Video after the break.
The 'Wii Riiser Aerobic Step' for ... the Wii Balance Board
From the folks that brought you ... erm ... a bunch of case mods for the Xbox 360, comes the "Wii Riiser Aerobic Step" for your Wii Fit Balance Board. Just in case you were unsatisfied with the heights that the existing step peripheral offered, Zoozen has gone out and created an attachment to boost the level up to a more challenging four inches.The company contests this is the average height of an actual stepper (which we won't point out also costs significantly less than the Wii Fit and "Wii Riiser Aerobic Step" combined), and as such, will help "improve your step aerobic workout." While we're sure this peripheral would attach to your Balance Board that much easier than two pieces of equally sized wood, we're not so sure it would serve a different purpose. Zoozen's "Wii Riiser Aerobic Step" is available now for the not-so-nice price of $39.99.%Gallery-50908%
Quantify the burn with the Wii Fit Calorie Meter
Why doesn't Wii Fit include an estimate of the calories you burn during exercises? That would be really useful. Nintendo seems to agree, at least -- it has created a Flash application that does just that. The Wii Fit Calorie Meter couldn't be easier to use, unless it were in English! Push the big green button in the middle to start, then enter your weight (in kilograms). You can then click on each exercise you've done (or plan to do) and tell the calculator the number of sets you've done of each. The app will add up your calories as you go!We suspect we'll see this thing in English soon enough, but the interface is so easy to figure out, there's no reason you can't augment your Wii Fit exercise routine now.[Via Famitsu]
Corleone staying power: Godfather II holds 2nd spot in UK charts
For another week in the United Kingdom, Godfather II has managed to secure the illustrious second spot on the top entertainment software list. According to Chart-Track, this is the second week in a row the game has been in the number two spot -- but there are some titles releasing to the PAL territory that could topple this kingpin. It'll be interesting to see what the charts look like next week.Of course, Godfather II was predictably bested again by Wii Fit, so it's not all gabbagool and broken kneecaps in the UK. Not yet, anyway ...
Godfather 2 whacks competition in UK, debuts at number 2
The UK likes its crime, apparently, as EA's Godfather II has managed to soar to the #2 spot on the region's sales charts. Sure, we've seen a few Guy Ritchie flicks in our life, but we're fairly surprised that you lot turned out in droves to check out the exploits of the Corleone family. The game even managed to topple Resident Evil 5 and Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, which we all know are like crack to the UK.Godfather II was not able to keep Wii Fit from the top spot this week, however. But, hey, the sky is still blue and the grass is still green, so what did you expect?
NYC schools testing Wii Fit for Phys Ed.
Some New York city schools are testing a new program for physical education, one that utilizes Nintendo's popular Wii Fit package. Trading in dodge balls for Balance Boards, several different schools received free bundles from Nintendo, but Lori Rose Benson, head of the Department of Education's Office of Fitness and Health Education, admits she wasn't on board at first. It didn't take her long to get with the program, however, as she realized that "students learn in lots of different ways and that we can engage students in physical activity through gaming and through interactive techniques," which is really what's important. Well, that and making sure you block all of those soccer balls.%Gallery-23865%
Rumor: Release list dates Wii Sports Resort with MotionPlus, reveals Wii Fit Plus
A GoNintendo reader by the name of Maxemillian_X recently snapped a picture of an upcoming release list from an Amsterdam-based gaming retailer which reveals two interesting pieces of Wii news. The first (and somewhat more reasonable) item is a supposed July 10 release date for the Wii Sports Resort and Wii MotionPlus bundle, as well as the standalone MotionPlus peripheral.The second eye catching release date on the list is for Wii Fit Plus, which is apparently due out November 19, giving us plenty of time to find out what the hell it is. Given the pictured release list's dubious origins (we don't know what store it came from), we're taking it with a healthy dose of trepidation. Still, a summer release for Wii Sports Resort and a follow up to Nintendo's exergaming cash cow don't seem beyond the realm of possibilities.
April Fools: Wii Fit Balance Board gag
As if convincing more people to buy Wii Fit than Halo 3 wasn't a big enough gag already, it looks like Nintendo's Balance Board has yet another yuk up its sleeve. If it had sleeves, anyway. Those who fire up Wii Fit today will be greeted with the April Fools' Day joke featured in the video above."Joke" might be too strong a word, actually. It's not really ha-ha funny so much as it's "Mom-would-like-this" funny. Of course, given Wii Fit's demographic, that might be the point ...
Punch-Out! will support Wii Balance Board
This ain't your dad's Punch-Out! No, with Balance Board support, it'll be your mom's Punch-Out!The Italian Nintendo site leaked details on the various control schemes found in the upcoming Wii-make of Nintendo's classic boxing game. The first two modes are as-expected: play with the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to recreate the physical motion of boxing, or play with the Remote on its side to play it NES-style. The third mode documented takes advantage of the Wii Fit Balance Board, allowing players to dodge attacks by shifting their weight. Coupled with the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, this mode should provide quite a workout.[Via IGN]%Gallery-33783%
NPD Group: Wii Fit has outsold Halo 3
If you were still wondering how wide the mainstream appeal for Nintendo's hyper-successful Wii Fit actually is, here's a good example. The NPD Group recently confirmed to Kotaku that in addition to its first place finish in the February NPD charts, Wii Fit broke the 6 million sales mark, pushing it past Halo 3's 5.9 million copies sold. A fairly remarkable feat, considering Bungie's opus has been on the market 8 months longer than Wii Fit -- and for $30 cheaper, to boot. Pehaps if Halo 3 did more to help shed them chunky pounds, it'd still be in the lead.
