Sunday, August 31, 2008

Poll Closed: Results

Results for the poll: Are You Getting MadWorld?

Definetly- 29(Winner)
Maybe, Need To See More- 14
No, Looks Terrible- 5
What's MadWorld?- 21

Glad that definetly pulled through, though I am shocked that so many voted "What's MadWorld", no wonder hardcore games don't come to the Wii as often as we would like.

Wii Ware Top 20 Best Sellers-Week 4

Week 4 of our weekly feature(minus last week, which I had to miss unfortunately).

  1. Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People (1)
  2. My Pokemon Ranch (3)
  3. Defend Your Castle (6)
  4. Dr. Mario Online RX (5)
  5. Wild West Guns (2)
  6. Midnight Pool (--)
  7. Pong Toss-Frat Party Games (4)
  8. Final Fantasy Chrystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (7)
  9. Helix (--)
  10. TV Show King (8)
  11. Lostwinds (9)
  12. Family Table Tennis (10)
  13. Gyrostarr (13)
  14. Cocoto Fishing Master (12)
  15. Block Breaker Deluxe (15)
  16. V.I.P. Casino Blackjack (16)
  17. Pirates: The Key to Dreams (11)
  18. SPOGS Racing (14)
  19. Magnetica Twist (18)
  20. Pop (19)

Sadly, Toki Tori has been bumped out of the Top 20 this week. And I seriously doubt it will ever return. Major League Eating was bumped from the list this week as well, and Lostwinds took a hit and fell from the Top 10.

What will this weeks releases do to the standings of our current games? Will Pop drop out of the Top 20 this week? We shall have to wait and see.

Monday, August 25, 2008

WiiWare/Virtual Console Releases 8/25/08

This week we see one of the best ever for the virtual console, and a game with some decent ideas for WiiWare.

WiiWare

Helix (Ghostfire Games, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Helix is one of the most innovative music-rhythm games ever designed for the Wii console. Use the Wii Remote controller to do dozens of exciting moves, including punches, circles, back fists, hooks and more. Be mesmerized by the eye-popping background visuals, which pulse to the beat of the music. Enjoy incredible replay value with 26 songs to play and three difficulty levels. Try to unlock all of the songs. This game is great for getting exercise plus having fun. No buttons are required, so it's easy for anyone to pick up but difficult for even the best players to master.

Virtual Console

Ys Book I & II (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Ys Book I & II chronicles the first adventures of Adol Christin, a young, red-haired swordsman on a quest to unlock the secrets of an ancient kingdom. As Adol, you search the island of Esteria, gathering clues to unravel the mystery of Ys. Fight monsters that lurk in caves and towers with physical or magical attacks, and use your brain to make your way through dangerous areas filled with traps. In Ys Book I & II, the first titles in the Ys series were put together as a single TurboGrafx CD-ROM. They awed players with their gripping story lines accompanied by fully orchestrated soundtracks, wonderful voice acting and amazing special effects. Don't miss out on your chance to experience this wonderful piece of gaming history.

SAMURAI SHODOWN 2 (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen-Blood, Language, Tobacco Reference, Violence, 900 Wii Points): First released in 1994, this fighting game follows 15 samurai in their individual quests. The rage system, which was popular in the first game, has been further enhanced. Not only does attack power rise when the gauge is full, but the player can also use a special technique that can break the opponent's weapon and force the opponent to fight unarmed. The game also allows for more movement techniques such as back-stepping, rushing forward and ducking, allowing for even more strategies. A fun and important detail of this game: One of the new characters, Cham Cham, was voiced by voice actress Reiko Chiba, an idol in the gaming community.

These games will be made available at 9:00 PCT on Monday August 25, 2008.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Nintendo Power Wii Reviews: The Force, Harvest Moon, Tiger Woods

Nintendo Power has never been considered the best reviews around, often called bias by some, but either way, here are some of the first reviews for the most anticipated Wii games coming out this month.

-Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Wii) - 7.5
-Mario Super Sluggers (Wii) - 7.5
-Tiger Woods 09 (Wii) - 8.5
-Sam & Max Season 1 (Wii) - 7.0
-SNK Arcade Classics Vol1 (Wii) - 8.5
-Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility (Wii) - 6.5
-Ferrari Challenge (Wii) - 7.5

Tiger Woods and SNK did extremely well(how could you mess up SNK anyway?), and The Force Unleashed seems to deliver to an extent. The one review I am questioning is the Harvest Moon review, not that I have played the game, but usually they score a bit higher.

Overall, definetly not a bad month for the Wii fans, all of these should be worth your time in some way, shape or form.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

New Wii Game-House Of The Dead Overkill

First we got House of The Dead 2 and 3, and now, we seem to be getting an exclusive HotD, made by Headstrong studios.
From the looks of the trailer the game will be similar to the traditional HotD gameplay(possibly using the Zapper?), and will feature semi-good graphics(we have seen better, but this isn't bad at all).

Trailer(Warning, mature content...slightly):
House of the Dead: Overkill




Screens:

Now that is how you do a Wii game, the only symbol to appear at the bottom of the screen was the Wii symbol, so it is safe to assume this is exclusive. And given the developers track record(Battalion Wars II), I think it is safe to assume this will be something to look forward too.
House of the Dead: Overkill is due out in 2009, developed by Headstrong studios and published by Sega.

"They came for brains, youll give them bullets"

Monday, August 18, 2008

Naruto:Clash of Ninja Revolution 2-New Character: Bando Confirmed

Characters in Naruto are allowed to have bazookas? Well that is surely a new feature...



So far, Bando is an exclusive character for this game. He has never appeared in any Naruto games/movies/shows, and I don't expect him to ever show up past this game.

Other new character videos
Full Roster Picture

WiiWare/Virtual Console Releases 8/18/08

WiiWare gets some billiards action, and the virtual console gets a great classic game.

My comments in red.

WiiWare
Midnight Pool (Gameloft, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Suggestive Themes, Simulated Gambling, 800 Wii Points): Take a trip across America to make your dreams come true in a pool tournament worth millions. Visit the most colorful bars and meet seven of the coolest players on the circuit, from country music star Travis to Alison the biologist and John the sheriff. Learn the tricks of the trade through tutorials along the way, while advanced players can take on challenges to show off their trick-shot abilities. Keep things interesting with three sets of rules.
Gameloft? Again? Now, I despise pool, never liked it, and I can't stand shallow games based around it. Considering some of the things Gameloft has made, and the fact that billiards games are always fairly boring(go play Wii Play billiards...), I'm going to stay far away from the WiiWare games this week.
Status-Not Purchasing


Virtual Console
Mega Man (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Join the blue bomber in his first-ever adventure as he battles the evil Dr. Wily and his robotic henchmen to restore peace to a troubled world. Mega Man is a super-robot created by the genius scientist Dr. Light. When Dr. Wily goes rogue with an army of six of his own devious robot masters, it's up to Mega Man to put a stop to his nefarious plot by traversing a series of stages rife with enemies, traps and perilous platform challenges. At the end of each stage, conquer one of the robot masters and claim his weapon as your own, using it to your advantage in subsequent fights.
Now here's a good game. The question is, how many Mega Man games do you own? If you own most of the original 8, and just want the first Mega Man, then I would go for it and buy this. If you don't own many/any Mega Man games then I would suggest checking out the collection pack for the Gamecube(Gamecube games work on Wii). The collection pack runs for under $10, and you can get all of the original 8 Mega Man games on it.
Status-Not Purchasing(already own the pack)

NEO TURF MASTERS (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 900 Wii Points): This is a golf game that was first released in 1996. The player picks one of six available golfers and competes on a number of golf courses around the world, including Japan (Fujiyama Oriental Golf Club), America (Grand Canyon Golf Course), Australia (Blue Lagoon Golf Course) and Germany (Baden Golf Course). The game features two modes of play. The first is Stroke Play, in which the player attempts to get the best score by playing all 18 holes. The second is Match Play, in which two players compete to see who can win more of the 18 holes. Grab a friend and get ready to hit the fairway.
Another game from the SNK pack? Arg. Basically, this game(and a number of other recent NEOGEO releases) have been compiled into a collection pack of sorts(much like Mega Man). And you can get the collection pack for under $30 most places. So the real question is...do you want just TURF MASTERS? Or do you want a slew of NEOGEO games, for a cheaper price?
Status-Not Purchasing(I'll get the pack)

So there you have it, this week comes down to a simple question. Do you want the pack? Or the single game?
These games will be released on Monday August, 18, 08 at 9:00 PCT.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

WiiWare-Top 20 Best Sellers-Week 3

Week 3 of our weekly feature shows that Strong Bad is more popular then you would think, and that no one loves the little chickens in the world.

Numbers in parenthesis represent the games spot in the top 20 last week.

  1. Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People (--)
  2. Wild West Guns (5)
  3. My Pokemon Ranch (2)
  4. Frat Party Games-Pong Toss (1)
  5. Dr. Mario Online RX (3)
  6. Defend Your Castle (4)
  7. Final Fantasy: My Life as a King (6)
  8. TV Show King (7)
  9. Lostwinds (8)
  10. Family Table Tennis (10)
  11. Pirates: The Key of Dreams (9)
  12. Cocoto Fishing Master (11)
  13. Gyrostarr (12)
  14. SPOGS Racing (13)
  15. Block Breaker Deluxe (14)
  16. V.I.P Casino Blackjack (15)
  17. Major League Eating: The Game (16)
  18. Magnetica Twist (17)
  19. Pop (18)
  20. Toki Tori (19)

Strong Bad shot up in the rankings extremely fast, faster then any game I have seen so far on the service. It makes me wonder...does the "Most Popular" section in the WiiWare menu really show off the top sellers? I knew Strong Bad would sell well, but not that well. I suppose we will just have to wait and see what the next week brings, if My Aquarium(I believe that's the release tommorow...) shoots to the first spot I'm calling a hoax on this whole "Most Popular"=Top Sellers thing.

Toki Tori is endangered this week, with Prothea being bumped off the charts by Strong Bad. More people need to buy Toki Tori, it deserves better then this.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

New Wii Game- Overlord Dark Legend

IGN today reveals that the newest release in the semi-popular Overlord series will be released exclusively on Wii. That's right, Wii exclusive, after being shunned out of the previous Overlord game, the Wii gets its own.

"It's kind of like Pikmin, except you control evil minions and wreak havoc upon the land."
-IGN

If that doesn't get you at least a little interested in this game, hopefully these screens will...
Screens:

IGN has a small interview with one of the creators, along with one or two more images. Just think an evil Pikmin with lots of dark humor and you have a pretty good picture of what Overlord is all about.

Source

New Wii Game-Capucine

Now this is a weird game indeed...

Info:

Capucine is an exploration / adventure game, formulated as a tale and based on shadow and light opposition.This game takes place in a fantastic universe where everything is dead. The player controls a child who holds a “capucine”. This flower enables her to survive in this desolated world. The little girl can hand on her own life to the surroundings thanks to a beam of light she can cast from her hand. To maintain life, water will be vital. However, the player must be careful not to animate the shadows of the surrounding elements. Indeed, animated shadows will try to steal the flower in order to prevent the child from accomplishing her destiny: revive the World.The main intention is to offer a quiet and disturbing gaming experience where the player explores the surroundings and solves riddles. During the adventure, we want the player to be fascinated by the world he discovers. We also want him to become attached to the main character. The gameplay and the interface must be easy to understand but not simplistic, in order to create an optimal immersion.

Capucine is based on four fundamental principles:
- Give life rather than take it.
- A unique gameplay element: the beam of light.
- Build your own path.
- The player creates his own enemies.


Screens:

Sounds like it at least has some decent ideas going for it, and I don't know if its trying to be that freaky, but those screens scare me as much as Fatal Frame does.

De Blob(Wii)-More Screenshots

De Blob has always looked fine graphically, nothing special, but definetly nothing to complain about. It features some great use of real colors(no greys and blacks mixed together), to create a game that is extremely easy on the eyes.

I have never been a real big fan of the game(always thought it looked fine, just never bothered to research it). But after seeing these screens I think I need to give De Blob a thorough look, because I am most certainly interested in this game now.
Screens:
Now that's style, we need more games that look like this on any consoles.
Source

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Sky Crawlers-New Famitsu Screens

Sky Crawlers has always looked like a brilliant game in the graphics department, and we can only assume that the gameplay will be very good as well(made by the Ace Combat team).

Now, Sky Crawlers has even out done itself in terms of graphics, with these latest screens from Famitsu magazine.

If they manage to replicate these in-game(I assume these are cutscenes), then we have a very good looking game on our hands right here, lets hope Ace Combat team can pull it off.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Virtual Console/WiiWare Releases 8/11/08

We see the release of the first episode in StrongBads series of games, and a few little-known Virtual Console games.

My comments in red.

WiiWare
Strong Bad Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated T for Teen-Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,000 Wii Points): Charming. Suave. Awesome. These are the words Strong Bad would use to describe himself. In a world gone mad, only one man can be trusted to save the day. A man with an attitude. A man called Strong Bad. As the star of the Homestar Runner Web cartoons, Strong Bad has been answering e-mails (in boxing gloves), pranking his friends, pummeling his enemies, and making people with questionable taste snort milk out of their noses for years now. And he's branched out to star in Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, a monthly five-episode series. In Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner, Strong Bad's plans to beat the snot out of Homestar backfire, and he ends up with an unwanted houseguest cramping his styIe Now he needs to get life back to normal by any means possible. But wait, there's more: Teen Girl Squad comics, achievements, funny costumes and arcade games. You can even send pictures and messages to Wii Friends using Strong Bad's computer. So how about it? Can you handle Strong Bad's styIe?
I really like TellTale games, and if the episode is fairly long then I can see myself getting each of these(5 in total).
Status-Likely Purchase

Virtual Console

Break In (TurboGrafx16, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Tobacco Reference, 700 Wii Points): Gather up to four players for an authentic game of pool right in your own home. Choose from six billiards games including 9-Ball, Rotation and Carom (a game played without pockets). Use Simulation mode to calculate the perfect shot, or select Action mode and check out what went wrong with your missed shots. With all that to choose from, Break In gives players-from beginners to experts-all the elements necessary to enjoy a great game of pool. But it doesn't stop there. Select Technique to practice your angles or even go for a trick shot. Get some help from the CPU and hone your skills. With Break In, you'll be a pro in no time.
I've never heard of this game, but from the looks of things I really haven't been missing much, so far it doesn't seem like it's worth 700 points at all.
Status-Not Purchasing
Star Parodier (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 900 Wii Points): Star Parodier is the hilarious spoof of the cIassic Hudson shooter Star Soldier. In this parody, there are three playable ships for players to choose from: the ingratiating PAROCEASER, the hot-headed BOMBERMAN, and the ever-so-introverted PC-ENGINE. Players control one of these unique and original ships and set off to blast their way through eight stages on the planet PAROSON. The comical characters take the color and flavor of the Soldier series to the next level and are guaranteed to leave players mesmerized. In addition to the normal game mode, there are also the familiar two-minute and five-minute attack modes, making Star Parodier the complete package that is sure to have players coming back for more.
I played Star Parodier waaay back in it's original form. It's a decent game, but not something I want to spend 900 points on.
Statys-Not Purchasing

So, WiiWare finnally sees the release of StrongBad, and the Virtual Console recieves a decent game in Star Parodier.
These games will be released at 9:00 PCT on Monday August 11, 2008

Sunday, August 10, 2008

WiiWare-Top 20 Best Sellers-Week 2

Week 2 of our weekly feature on the top 20 best selling Wii games.
This week features some massive upsets, as Pong Toss has overthrown Pokemon Ranch as the number one selling WiiWare game, and Wild West Guns shot its way to the 5th spot in less then a week.

Numbers in parenthesis represent the games spot in the top 20 last week.

  1. Pong Toss-Frat Party Games (4)
  2. My Pokemon Ranch (1)
  3. Dr. Mario Online RX (2)
  4. Defend Your Castle (3)
  5. Wild West Guns (--)
  6. Final Fantasy: My Life as A King (5)
  7. TV Show King (6)
  8. Lostwinds (8)
  9. Pirates: The Key of Dreams (7)
  10. Family Table Tennis (10)
  11. Cocoto Fishing Master (9)
  12. Gyrostarr (11)
  13. SPOGS Racing (13)
  14. Block Breaker Deluxe (14)
  15. V.I.P Casino: Blackjack (15)
  16. Major League Eating: The Game (12)
  17. Magnetica Twist (16)
  18. Pop (17)
  19. Toki Tori (18)
  20. Prothea (19)

It's sad that Toki Tori is slipping so far back in the sales department, and that Pong Toss has taken first place.
I'm actually very surprised at Pong Toss, I can see why games like Cocoto Fishing Master or TV Show King sell, but Pong Toss doesn't seem like something that anyone would be attracted to...guess I'm wrong though.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince: Wii Screens

Harry Potter games aren't typically the cream of the crop, best you could find, type of games(though I had fun with Chamber of Secrets to be honest). So far, the latest Harry Potter is shaping up to be a fairly dissppointing game graphically. Lets hope it looks better in motion.


Screens:
That last screen doesn't look half bad, but Harry's face is deformed in the others...and thats just sad.

Mushroom Men:The Spore Wars-New Screens

One of many unique games coming exclusively to the Wii in the next few months. Mushroom Men shows off a little more of what it can do in these screens, graphically, it's not a bad looking game at all.


Screens:

That last screen is impressive, and I love the atmosphere of the game. Kinda reminds me of Pikmin in a way.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Poll Closed: Results

Results from the poll "Will you be buying Wii MotionPlus?

Yes-108(Winner)
No-15

Im actually surprised that so many people voted no, though I can see why.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Virtual Console/WiiWare Releases 8/04/08

This week we recieve a few classic titles on the Virtual Console, and a cowboy shooting game of some sort.
My comments in red.
WiiWare
Wild West Guns (Gameloft, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen—Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Draw your revolver to see if you're the fastest gun in the West. Adjust your speed and precision as targets or enemies appear in front of you. Point and shoot to earn more points. You can aim at anything, so be sure to explore the environment for elements that will earn you more shooting points. Identify your enemies among the characters you encounter, but don't shoot at innocent citizens. Take part in an Old West-styIe-train attack, or challenge your skills in a variety of increasingly difficult shooting challenges in other beautiful, cIassic and lively Western environments. As you progress through challenges, you'll earn medals and rewards, making for nonstop, addictive action. Play in a two-player multiplayer mode where you and your partner can combine points, or play against each other to find out who's the fastest gun in the West.
The first FPS like game on WiiWare, and another game I hadn't heard of until yesterday. WiiWare World gave it a decent review(7/10), and I think that should speak for itself when deciding whether or not you will purchase the game. I, personnally can't stand the graphic design for the game, so I won't be touching WiiWare this week.
Status-Not Purchasing
Virtual Console
Sonic The Hedgehog™ (Sega Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Based on the original Sega Genesis version, Sonic The Hedgehog was re-created as the first Sonic game for the Sega Master System. Not just a straight port, this version includes new stages, bosses, some different zones and a level map. The most noticeable difference, however, is that the Chaos Emeralds have to be found within certain stages other than the Special Stages. Dash through six Zones (including special zones that were only available for the Sega Master System version) and face Dr. Eggman (a.k.a. Dr. Robotnik) at the end of every Zone.
Now, I have never played the Master System version of Sonic The Hedgehog, but from what I hear the Genesis version is superior, I can't confirm this myself, but if true, I would reccommend just getting that version for the 300 extra points.
Status-Not Purchasing
SPLATTERHOUSE™ 2 (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated M for Mature—Blood and Gore, Violence, 800 Wii Points): SPLATTERHOUSE 2 is the sequel to SPLATTERHOUSE, released only on the Sega Genesis. A few months after escaping from the first mansion in SPLATTERHOUSE, the main character, Rick, once again encounters the Terror Mask and must use its powers to rescue his beloved Jennifer. Rick will need to punch, slash, smash and even chainsaw his way through a haunted mansion against unspeakable horrors and terrifying bosses to make it out alive.
The first M rated game on the Virtual Console(and WiiWare...), SPLATTERHOUSE 2 holds up the SPLATTERHOUSE name nicely, and if you enjoyed the first one, you'll enjoy the second one.
Status-Likely Purchase

So there you have it, Wild West, Sonic and SPLATTERHOUSE all in one week. Sadly, no YS Book 1 and 2, Megaman 1 or StrongBad this week, hopefully the coming weeks will bring good news on those games.

These games will be released Monday August 4, 2008 at 9:00 PCT.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

WiiWare-Top 20 Best Sellers-Week 1

Now that WiiWare has gotten more then 20 games(21 to be exact), we have decided to launch our weekly feature, WiiWare-Top 20 Best Sellers. This will list the top 20 WiiWare games per week, and the position they were in the week before.

Since this is the first week, everyone will be listed at the same number they are at now, next week the numbers in the parenthesis will change.

Top 20 Best Sellers:

  1. Pokemon Ranch(1)
  2. Dr. Mario Online Rx(2)
  3. Defend Your Castle(3)
  4. Pong Toss-Frat Party Games(4)
  5. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as A King(5)
  6. TV Show King(6)
  7. Pirates: The Key of Dreams(7)
  8. Lostwinds(8)
  9. Cocoto Fishing Master(9)
  10. Family Table Tennis(10)
  11. Gyrostarr(11)
  12. Major League Eating: The Game(12)
  13. SPOGS Racing(13)
  14. Block Breaker Deluxe(14)
  15. V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack(15)
  16. Magnetica Twist(16)
  17. Pop(17)
  18. Toki Tori(18)
  19. Protothea(19)
  20. Critter Round-Up(20)

The only game that isn't listed is Star Soldier R, which was sadly bumped out of the top 20 sellers this week(thanks to that rotten Frat Party game).

Will tomorrow's releases(suspected to be some sort of shooting game) bump any of these games out of the list? We will see next Sunday.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Naruto: CONR2-G4 Videos-Reveal Team Jutsu+More!

G4 released a plethora of videos two night ago, revealing a good deal of new content for Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2. Yugua attack patterns shown, team attacks revealed, two ANBU named and shown, plus some more gameplay footage for Asuma and Kurenai.

Team Jutsu Shown+Yugao, Asuma, Kurenai Movesets


More Team Justu+ANBU Named, Shown+Sasuke Second State Shown


Ultimate 9 Tailed Naruto Shown+More Yugao


Really does look like they have put a lot of effort into making this game a lot better then the previous version. Yugao and the ANBU look fine, and the team jutsu should be interesting(particularly, who pairs with who).

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