Nimbus Land

Zelda: Ideas: Ocarina of Time Split Graphic Style

2009-03-18T13:12:00.000-04:00

This is an idea I thought of this week that I thought would be cool if they were ever to recreate the Ocarina of Time. Beware that this post will contain spoilers, for those who don't know the story of the game already. I have a lot of Zelda-based ideas and this is the first one I thought of publishing to the blog (it's not like I write much else). I thought it would be cool if you started out the game in a cartoon-like world that looks like the style used for Wind Waker's Toon Link in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, using a character that looked like Toon Link. The environment, characters and items in the world would have the Wind Waker/Toon Link in Brawl look to them. Then after that, at the point where you transform to Adult Link, it would turn into a realistic world with a graphic style a little more detailed and crisp than Twilight Princess. The environment, characters and items in Adult Link's world would have the Twilight Princess/Link in Brawl look to them. Then when you went between the child and adult worlds, the style would change back to whichever world you entered. This could make Ocarina of Time a compromise between people who prefer the realistic adult Links and the cartoonish young Links. That was my main idea for a remake of Ocarina of Time, because I thought a realistic Young Link would look awkward, and that this would be the best way to remake it, if Nintendo were to do so.

General: Umngh

2009-03-11T06:37:00.000-04:00

Yes, umngh is a word in my language, and it means "I'm sorry for not writing anything in my blog because I'm a lazy loser (alliteration!) who forgot that people still read it and decided not to update anything". I'm going to say flat out that I'll have problems updating this one every day, but if I get any more things to talk about/find then I'll try to blog about them every couple days. Onto the next post...

Wii: Mario Kart Wii Tournament #21

2009-03-01T20:16:00.000-05:00

For the start of March, the Mario Kart Wii tournament is in SNES Battle Course 4. You must collect all the coins. The tournament started Sunday morning and will continue until the 10th.

Wii-kly Update: 2009-02-23

2009-02-23T18:58:00.000-05:00

One WiiWare Game and Three Virtual Console Games Added to Wii Shop Channel

Hang onto your hats – and your Wii Remote controllers – as we unveil a set of exciting firsts for the Wii Shop Channel this week. For starters, the new Onslaught marks the first-ever first-person shooter to be released via the WiiWare service. Using the intuitive wireless controls Wii is known for, the game puts players at the center of a pulse-pounding adventure that fans of futuristic sci-fi and multiplayer action will love.

The other big news this week is the hotly anticipated launch of Commodore 64 game titles on Virtual Console. Starting with two classic martial arts games and an awesome car racing title, we're thrilled to add yet another old-school gaming platform to the mix. Virtual Console already offers classic games that originally appeared on a variety of platforms, and with the addition of Commodore 64, Wii owners can expect even more vintage games to rediscover and enjoy. (Congratulations to those of you who deciphered our hidden hints in last week's Wii-kly Update – you'll find a key to all the clues at the end of this installment.)

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

WiiWare

Onslaught (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated T for Teen—Animated Blood, Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Onslaught is an FPS that puts you in the middle of a futuristic war between humans and insectoid aliens. Become part of the Elite Interstellar Strike Force and fight against an overwhelming onslaught of alien life forms. Enjoy the rush of mowing down wave after wave of aliens with machine guns, grenades and more. Feel your heart pound as you battle gigantic boss aliens. Beyond the normal game, Onslaught includes additional modes that let you play with rivals from around the world using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Team up with as many as three other players in Free Battle mode, or compete on special maps to see who can get the most points by killing enemies before time runs out in Ranking Battle mode. (Router and broadband access required for online play. For more info, go to www.nintendo.com.)

Virtual Console

The Last Ninja (Commodore 64, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Animated Blood, Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): The evil Shogun Kunitoki has long envied the powers of the Ninja brotherhood and would do anything to acquire their knowledge. To this end, he has sworn an oath to their total destruction. Once every decade, all Ninja must travel to the Island of Lin Fen, where they pay homage to the Shrine of the White Ninja and receive further teachings from the Koga Scrolls. Seizing the opportunity, Kunitoki summoned forth all the spirits from the depths of the Nether World and flung their full force against the amassed Ninja. None escaped the wrath of Kunitoki. Word of this unnatural disaster soon reached Armakuni, the last Ninja. Gathering all his courage, he has sworn to wreak a terrible revenge on the Shogun and all his followers. What unforeseen hazards await him?

INTERNATIONAL KARATE (Commodore 64, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): INTERNATIONAL KARATE is a simulation of a karate tournament in which one person can play against the computer or two players can compete against each other. During the game, you'll fly to various locations around the world. In all stages of the game, a wise old judge will watch over you and award you either a half-point or a full point, depending on how successful a hit has been.

Pitstop II (Commodore 64, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Pitstop II was the first game that brought serious auto racing action to the computer screen—the thrill of battling an opponent, the excitement of fighting for the lead out on the track, and the suspense of struggling to be the first out of the pits. Third-person graphics and a split-screen display allow one or two players to experience the challenge of car racing head-to-head. Six of the world's toughest tracks are waiting, from Brands Hatch and its hairpin turns to the mile-long straight of Vallelunga. You can practice against the computer, but nothing will compare to the fun of racing against another person. Indeed, Pitstop II proves that car racing was never meant to be a solo sport.

As promised, here's a list of the Commodore 64-related clues that were embedded in last week's newsletter:

In the second paragraph, each sentence contains exactly 64 letters and numbers (not counting spaces or punctuation).
U.S. Route 64 runs from Arizona to North Carolina.
The third sentence ends with a comma and the word "door," hinting at the name Commodore.
"Brick House" was a hit for R&B group The Commodores.
The athletic teams of Vanderbilt University are known as the Commodores.
Pennsylvania's Route 286 passes through a town called Commodore.
The phrases "birthday greetings" and "who could ask for more?" are found in the classic Beatles tune "When I'm 64."

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com. For the latest WiiWare games, click here. Click here for a list of games available on Virtual Console.

DS: Can the DSi Become the Portable Wii?

2009-02-20T22:15:00.000-05:00

Kotaku has recently posted an article covering the different features of the Nintendo DSi and relate them to how they think it will bring non-gamers into portable gaming, just as the Wii brought many non-gamers into console gaming. I think the iPod touch has helped in this regard but for more traditional games, the DSi could definitely help. The packaging is even reminiscent of the Wii's packaging, and the whole "My DSi" marketing scheme Nintendo has planned should help them achieve their "1 DS per player" goal.

DS: DSi Australian and European Dates Announced

2009-02-19T06:43:00.000-05:00

With the Japanese already playing DSi, and the North American release date announced yesterday, the only two major territories left were Australia and Europe, and now both of them have a release date. The Australians will be able to play with their DSis on April 2, and it will cost AUD$300, which is around USD$190. Australians get it in white and black. Europeans get to play on April 3, and it will also come in white and black, leaving North America as the only region with blue and black as their DSi colours.

Nintendo: Nintendo and Sakurai Team Up For New Project

2009-02-18T16:43:00.000-05:00

Today, Nintendo announced the creation of Project Sora, a new subsidiary to be headed by Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros., and will create a new game under his direction.

Officially formed on January 22, it has capital of 200 million yen, 72% by Nintendo, with Sakurai's studio Sora Ltd. and other third parties covering the rest. Sakurai will be the president of the new company.

Today, a website was opened by Nintendo and Sora where they ask for 3D programmers, map production staff, sound effect staff and game planners to begin work by early May for a project planned to be completed two years from now. In an interview section (written in Japanese), Nintendo president Satoru Iwata says the project is "A new experiment, both for Mr. Sakurai and for Nintendo." Sakurai, while not being able to talk about the content of the project, says that "We've started a special project. We're not sure how it will sell or if it will be accepted. Our goal is not just to make a single game. We can promise that you'll be able to experience something different." The project is expected to target core game players, and apart from that, there are no details on the platform or what the content of this will be. You can read more about it in detail at andriasang.com

DS: DSi Launch and Information

2009-02-18T16:25:00.000-05:00

Nintendo published a press release earlier (which I reposted) announcing the release of the Nintendo DSi in North America. The black version was thought to be the only one released when the DSi came over, but Nintendo has also announced a blue colour to be introduced uniquely in the North American launch. For those who haven't heard much about the DSi, it has two cameras (one on each side), an SD card slot, 256 MB of storage, media capabilities (music/photo) and online connectivity allowing for DSiWare in the same vein as the Wii. There will also be DSi-centred cartridge games at some point. Below are some links to previews, information, images and features about the DSi:

DS: Nintendo DSi launches April 5 in the United States

2009-02-18T15:55:00.000-05:00

I know this press release from Nintendo claims it's being released only in the United States but the Nintendo DSi will probably be released in Canada as well.

Nintendo DSi launches April 5 in the United States

(2009-02-18) Nintendo pioneered hand-held entertainment in the ’80s and made it fully mobile with the Game Boy video game system. Now, Nintendo is transforming the way people access, experience, create and share content with the new Nintendo DSi system, the third iteration of the world’s best-selling portable video game system. Nintendo DSi launches in the United States on April 5, 2009, at an MSRP of $169.99. The colors available at launch will be Blue and Black.

"Ever since the arrival of the first Game Boy, consumers worldwide have turned to Nintendo for their portable gaming," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Nintendo DSi builds on Nintendo’s commitment to bringing fun and creative entertainment to everyone, and will allow consumers to personalize and share their very own experiences.”

Some features that will be built into the system and ready to enjoy upon purchase include the Nintendo DSi Camera, Nintendo DSi Sound and Nintendo DSi Shop. The most noticeable feature of the slim Nintendo DSi system is its two cameras – one camera is on the external body, and the second one points at the user when the device is flipped open. As the first truly interactive digital camera in a video game system with 10 different interactive “lenses” that can manipulate your photos, the Nintendo DSi Camera offers an easy way to take and share your photos with family and friends. The cameras also present people with unprecedented ways to interact with their games while giving developers a new tool to devise creative games and experiences. If the touch screen gave Nintendo DS a sense of feel and the microphone allowed it to hear, the two cameras give Nintendo DSi the sense of sight.

Another enhanced feature is the Nintendo DSi Sound application, which serves as both an interactive voice recorder and music player that allows users to play with their music while they listen to it. Users can access different audio filters or control the pitch and speed of recorded voice or music files to alter voices or change the tempo of a song. The mic is located between the two screens when the device is flipped open, and there is also a stereo headphone output that lets users listen to music saved on an SD card, even with the screen shut.

In the world of software, Nintendo DSi will be the platform for the most relevant and fun on-the-go games and applications. The Nintendo DSiWare application will populate Nintendo DSi with software that can be downloaded using Nintendo DSi Points directly to the portable system, just as WiiWare has with Nintendo’s Wii console. Developers big and small are invited to create software that makes use of the properties and functions of the hardware. Nintendo DSiWare games and applications will be available at a range of values, starting at 200 points.

In addition to downloadable games, Nintendo DSi is able to play games made specifically for the system and sold at retail. The system can also play most Nintendo DS™ games, and will have access to a library of more than 850 titles originally made for that system.

Also on April 5, a new Nintendo DS game, Rhythm Heaven, will join this roster of games available for both Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS owners in the United States. Having sold more than 1.6 million copies since its July 2008 launch in Japan and still increasing sales today, this infectious game challenges players to tap and slide the stylus on the touch screen in time to original music created by legendary Japanese pop-star producer TSUNKU♂. Simple gestures with the stylus combined with fun music and quirky visuals make Rhythm Heaven a completely unique musical experience for players of all ages.

Additional features and news of Nintendo DSi will be revealed as April 5 approaches. For more information about Nintendo DSi, visit www.nintendodsi.com.

Wii-kly Update: 2009-02-16

2009-02-17T06:35:00.000-05:00

Two WiiWare Games and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel

Outer space meets inner space at the Wii Shop Channel this Presidents Day. A new WiiWare title will have you soaring across the astral plane, while a vintage NES shooter for the Virtual Console invites you to battle your way through the innards of an alien creature. Choose a hot new WiiWare game or a Gradius spin-off. It’s what the presidents would have wanted.

In other news, the Wii-kly Update has a fun surprise coming soon for all our fans. We can't tell you the secret just yet but maybe we’ll offer you some hidden clues. From AZ to NC, if you’re a fan, your applause could rattle your walls, windows, door. You might enjoy this news whether you live in a brick house or Vanderbilt dorm. Even people living along Route 286 in rural Pennsylvania ought to be excited. It’ll feel like a bunch of birthday greetings and, really, who could ask for more? But that's about all we can say for now, so be sure to check future Wii-kly Updates.

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

WiiWare

Evasive Space (Yukes Company of America, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Launch a one-of-a-kind mission to rescue the stars. The universe is going dark, and it’s up to you, Konki the Stellar Guardian, to set things right. Dr. Dark Matter and his roving band of space thieves have stolen many of the Constellation Stones that make up the heavens. It's time to suit up, power up, recover the Stones and once again bring light to the night sky. Using the Wii Remote controller's unique pointer capabilities, simply point and thrust Konki through 20 dangerous time- and collection-based missions in the harshest of environments. Navigate through narrow, mazelike astral caves riddled with space worms, steam pipes and mining drills. Explore vast space stations while avoiding turret fire, mines and huge crushing gears. Weave through cluttered asteroid fields and gaseous planetary rings. Evade the hazards, pick up precious items and ship upgrades, and save the Constellation Stones before the night sky is lost forever.

Virtual Console

Life Force (NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): This classic shooter, originally ported to the NES in August 1988, is a spin-off of the seminal Gradius series. Pilot the Vic Viper through six stages of intense action, alternating between horizontally and vertically scrolling environments, and take on wave after wave of enemies. Destroy particular enemies throughout the game (which takes place within the body of an enormous alien) to release power-up capsules and equip your ship with your choice of more powerful weapons, extra speed and shields. Utilize the power-ups carefully, though, as a fearsome guardian lurks at the end of each stage and won't be easily defeated. You can go it alone or bring along a friend to take on the challenge simultaneously. Do you have what it takes to save your planet?

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.
For the latest WiiWare games, click here.
Click here for a list of games available on Virtual Console.

Music: Mario Paint Compositions and Remixes

2009-02-16T21:24:00.000-05:00

Over the long weekend here where I live, I spent a lot of time on YouTube listening to songs remade in Mario Paint. Mario Paint was a creative game for the Super Nintendo released with the SNES Mouse, where you could draw and create animations, but the main part of the software that has kept the game in use for over a decade is the music creator. If you search Mario Paint on YouTube, you'll find over 10000 videos where people have used the game to create versions of video game music and popular songs using the limited instruments of Mario Paint, or it's hacked Windows counterpart (which is also much more lenient on note structure), Mario Paint Composer. Mario Paint Composer was not made by Nintendo, and allows creators to create music with more than three notes per bar, as opposed to the original game, which restricted the user to three notes a bar for music creation. I found the Mario Paint songs more impressive, but it's very hard to find some made with the original software so you'll find a lot done with Mario Paint Composer, which is still impressive given the instrument restraints. I've included some very good renditions as well as some you may know if you don't listen to much video game music:

Super Mario Galaxy - Gusty Garden Space Remix

Mission Impossible Theme

Thriller by Michael Jackson

Macarena

Tetris Type A

Chocolate Rain

Weezer - Pork and Beans

Of course, these are only a few songs you can find. If you want to find others, just search "Mario Paint" in YouTube and you'll find lots of songs made with it.

Wii: Mario Kart Wii Tournament #20

2009-02-15T22:19:00.000-05:00

For the start of the second half of Febrary, the Mario Kart Wii tournament is in GBA Bowser Castle 3. You must go through all the gates in order, and it is restricted to karts only. The tournament started Sunday morning and will continue until the 25th.

Microsoft: Microsoft Stores Officially Announced to be Launched Soon

2009-02-12T21:40:00.007-05:00

In a press release today, Microsoft announced their intent to launch their own Microsoft Stores, which I assume would be in the same vein as Apple's Apple Stores. Ars Technica asked its readers what they'd want to see in a Microsoft Store, and I think that I'd have to agree that they should push the Xbox 360 for sure, because no other stores would be able to provide service for them as well as they would. Windows has managed to create its own following that probably knows more about it than Microsoft, and while I think Windows should definitely be in those stores, Xbox 360 should be a major component as well.

DS: DS Lite "Onyx" Has Been Discontinued

2009-02-10T06:12:00.011-05:00

A rumoured GameStop daily newsletter states that the Nintendo DS Lite "Onyx", or Black as most call it, has been discontinued:

DS Lite Onyx hardware systems have been discontinued and stores will no longer be replenished on this product. Once your store sells through its current stock of this item, please remove any empty DS Onyx display boxes (onyx color only) from the sales floor and discard. Please continue to display the other colors of the DS Lite system display boxes on the sales floor (eye level and above perimeter of DS software section, above the DS accessory section, etc).

This isn't very unusual, and is only to be expected when the DSi is coming out so soon, but I thought Nintendo was going to sell both simultaneously until the end of the year. Perhaps they thought that people would be confused by the DS Lite and DSi difference so made sure there was only one of them in each colour.

Wii-kly Update: 2009-02-09

2009-02-09T16:12:00.015-05:00

Two WiiWare Games and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel

No matter what you've got planned for Valentine's Day, the latest additions to the Wii Shop Channel have what it takes to get your heart pounding. A new WiiWare game transports you to an eerie high school haunted by supernatural villains, while a classic Virtual Console title puts you in the heat of battle as a heroic mercenary. And remember: Just because these games are made for single-player action doesn't mean you can't share the excitement with your special someone.

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

WiiWare

LIT (WayForward Technologies, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Violence, 800 Wii Points): Dark creatures have taken over Jake's high school, and it's up to you to guide him through each classroom in order to be reunited with his girlfriend Rachael. Existing light sources must be used smartly to create bridges of light for Jake to cross. One false step and Jake gets pulled into the darkness. Along the way he'll encounter twisted versions of his school's faculty, which must be battled in order to advance. LIT is a horror/puzzle game that requires the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers. It contains 30 levels, five boss battles, replay modes and several unlockables, including multiple endings, Dark Mode timed challenges and an unlockable character.

Virtual Console

Wolf of the Battlefield: MERCS (SEGA GENESIS, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Violence, 800 Wii Points): Following a rash of terrorism outbreaks and increasing opposition from guerilla fighters, the U.S. government has decided to hire a group of professional mercenaries to undergo secret missions, battling through enemy lines to go where no ordinary soldier would dare to go. Based on the popular arcade game, the SEGA GENESIS version of MERCS lets you play as a MERC and also adds an original mode, allowing players to choose from five different characters. Take no prisoners as you shoot, drive jeeps and tanks, and clash against huge bosses to accomplish your mission.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.
For the latest WiiWare games, click here.
Click here for a list of games available on Virtual Console.

Sonic: Sonic and the Black Knight Preview

2009-02-08T20:51:00.011-05:00

On the Sega blog Sonic City Blognik, they wrote a preview of Sonic and the Black Knight, the upcoming Sonic game for Wii. Some of the features covered are fairies, which give you specific bonuses, missions to do in-game, unlockables, and character themes. Read more about it here: http://blogs.sega.com/sonic/2009/02/06/sega-japanese-event-pt-3-aauks-sonic-the-black-knight-preview/

Metroid: Metroid Prime Teaser (Japanese)

2009-02-06T21:00:00.023-05:00

Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes are both slated for release under the "New Play Control!" series of Wii remakes of GameCube games. In Japan, the first game is coming February 19, and the second one is coming soon after. But there may be more games than those just in the original trilogy. Nintendo opened a Japanese portal where you can see both the 1 and 2 remakes as well as Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. At the bottom of the page though, it says "Another Side Story -coming soon-", followed by Japanese text that says "The Metroid Prime history followed from the perspective of a space pirate." Is this a new game or just some web-based feature for the website, as IGN predicts? Hopefully a North American teaser site comes up soon for us to read about this.

Robots: Little Island Promises To Craft You In Creepy Robot Form

2009-02-05T20:39:00.008-05:00

Little Island is offering to make a miniature robotic plush version of you that can be used for VOIP, has a built-in camera to see what the robot sees from abroad, and can also check RSS feeds and the weather. It even has a 500 MHz Geode processor to calculate all this and comes at $2000. I can picture people placing it at the dinner table when their children are away or if their parents are at work, just weird. Imagine a whole family of these!

Wii: The Truth About Wii Fit And Weight Loss

2009-02-04T19:30:00.015-05:00

A recent Forbes article discusses whether people actually play Wii Fit after buying it or if it just becomes a fad. Brian Crecente from Kotaku is featured thoroughly and had some things to say about it:

"I don't know a single person who has bought the game who uses it routinely after a month," he claims, stressing that getting results from the game requires dedication and real physical exertion. "What Nintendo did is they tapped into that desire people have to be healthier... Everyone wants to work out, but nobody really wants to put the effort into it."

I would have to disagree with that statement. I've had Wii Fit for over a month and I still use it routinely every day, or whenever I can. Then again, I also have a major wish to be physically fit and since I suck at sports this was my next best outlet. What about you? If you bought it, did you continue using it? If you didn't, why didn't you want to?

Mac: iLife Starts Going Intel

2009-02-03T20:15:00.008-05:00

PowerPC users such as myself will groan as they discover that the Lessons in GarageBand '09 will be the first Intel-only parts of iLife, and the rest of the suite will require more high-end PowerPC computers than before. It seems that the age of the PowerPC is finally over and we shall all have to move to Intel within a couple years or else have irrelevant computers.

E3: More Returns to E3 2009

2009-02-02T16:37:00.015-05:00

For the past two years, the most well-known video game convention, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, was a shell of its former self, going from a 60,000 person event to just 5000, and publishers started leaving to do their own events because of the reduced size. For 2009, E3 is being brought back closer to how it used to be, with more space, unimaginably loud music, spectacles and the scantily clad booth models used to attract people to publisher booths. All of these things were at the old E3s, and in an attempt to bring the show back to its former glory and atmosphere, it's bringing all the E3 staples back, including those previously mentioned. Companies are even coming back, including Activision, Atlus and Vivendi, all of whom previously chose to hold their own events instead of going to the shrunken E3 of the past two years. It looks like E3 will once again become a huge event, and perhaps to celebrate Nintendo may make a huge announcement at the show (Zelda anyone?)

DS: Iwata Projects DS Sales Over PS2

2009-02-02T16:20:00.017-05:00

Nintendo president and CEO Satoru Iwata says the Wii and Nintendo DS still have some time to grow their respective audiences before being replaced. In a briefing picked up by Gamasutra, Iwata said that the ultimate potential of the DS could reach 152.2 million units, eclipsing the current record held by the PS2 at just over 140 million units. He did acknowledge that after five years on the market, sales could start to dip because of the five-year rule, which claims that a console typically has only five years on the market before being replaced with a newer version. He said that he thinks that Wii and DS purchases may still hold steady past five years because of the new audiences found with both Wii and DS, but now that the DS is reaching its five year anniversary this year, it still may start to slowly drop in sales as people anticipate a replacement.

Wii Shop: 2009-02-02 Update

2009-02-02T15:57:00.025-05:00

Two WiiWare Games and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel

If you've got a taste for the eclectic, check out this lively lineup of additions to the Wii Shop Channel. One new WiiWare title combines brisk winter sports with pulverizing power-ups, while another blends intuitive puzzle dynamics with various multiplayer options. Meanwhile, a classic Virtual Console game invites you to assume the role of a certain adventurous hedgehog. With diverse releases like these, players of all stripes are sure to find something they'll love.

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

WiiWare

Snowboard Riot (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): This snowboard racing and battle game can be enjoyed by multiple players and is compatible with the Wii Balance Board accessory. In an intense scramble for first place, guide your character down the slopes while snatching up items to attack and defend against rivals along the way. Up to four players can battle and participate in various ranking modes via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

LONPOS (Nintendo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Looking for a puzzle game that anyone can play, but still offers plenty to master? Look no further than LONPOS, with its straightforward premise and large variety of puzzles to solve. Each puzzle revolves around a rectangular playing field of 55 spaces. Using a set of 12 pieces, the goal is to place every piece into the playing field, filling it completely. The higher the level, the more pieces you'll need to fit correctly into the playing field. Challenge yourself with two single-player modes or bring a friend to compete against or cooperate with. When you think your skills are worthy, use Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to check out how you compare with other LONPOS players or download additional puzzles and backgrounds. (Router and broadband access required for online play. For more info, go to www.nintendo.com.)

Virtual Console

Sonic Chaos (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Play as Sonic or Tails in Sonic Chaos, which was originally made for the SEGA MASTER SYSTEM. Dr. Eggman (a.k.a. Dr. Robotnik) has stolen the Red Chaos Emerald to create nuclear weapons. This has thrown the remaining Chaos Emeralds off balance, causing them to transport to a parallel universe. As a result, Sonic's home, South Island, is sinking into the ocean. Speed through various levels in your crusade for the six Chaos Emeralds. Perform Strike Dashes and Super-Peel Outs as Sonic, or Spin Dash and Fly as Tails, and restore order in Sonic Chaos.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.
For the latest WiiWare games, click here.
Click here for a list of games available on Virtual Console.

Wii: Police Use Mii For Wanted Poster

2009-02-01T18:42:00.005-05:00

Some bloggers in Japan found a wanted poster for a hit-and-run, which was unique because the suspect's composite is a Mii instead of a lifelike image. Perhaps the police stuck witnesses in a room with a Wii and asked them to recreate him?

Source

Stats: Penny Arcade Readers

2009-01-31T20:49:00.007-05:00

Webcomic website Penny Arcade released statistics of their users this week, which probably gives a good insight to the traditional gaming population itself. Some interesting statistics:

Console Ownership:

PC: 86.3%
Xbox 360: 54.1%
Wii: 53.5%
PS2: 52.7%
Nintendo DS: 51.5%
iPhone/iPod: 29.9%
XBOX: 26.2%
PS3: 24.5%
Sony PSP: 20.5%

Internet Usage:

Cable/DSL: 84.7%
LAN: 8.0%
Fios: 3.0%
WiMax: 0.7%
56k Modem: 0.5%
Other: 3.1%

Mario: Mario Explains Relationships For Us

2009-01-31T20:46:00.006-05:00

Kotaku has an article collecting many different images from Reddit, part of a series of relationship metaphors in Super Mario Bros. They start with the image to the right but get funnier and more inappropriate as it progresses.

Internet: 60 Mbps Internet Service

2009-01-30T18:08:00.023-05:00

In the United States, Charter Communications announced their intentions to launch a 60 Mbps service, which would be the fastest available for US consumers. The FIOS fiber-optic service from Verizon and Comcast's new high-speed internet service are the current fastest at 50 Mbps (megabits per second). Of course, all these services are blazingly fast when compared to other services. For comparison, the provider I use has a maximum download speed of 6 Mbps, the fastest cable speeds usually offer 10 Mbps, your average light cable speed is 1 Mbps and dial-up is usually 56 Kbps (kilobits per second).

Windows: Windows 7 Also In Many Versions?

2009-01-28T21:12:00.009-05:00

A very likely rumour going around is that Microsoft will adopt the same way of selling Windows 7 as it has in the past with previous OSes: by selling many versions. I never understood this mentality, and can understand why Leopard comes in two distinct versions: Standard and Server. I don't see why they can't sell Windows as just Windows 7 and Windows 7 Server, and then give the option of installing extra features as needed. One version of the standard Windows is much simpler, and you can still keep the server edition. It's one of the reasons I always liked the Mac approach. The only reason Windows comes in so many versions is so Microsoft can make even more money than it already does.

Gaming: The Greatest Game On Every Platform

2009-01-28T20:46:00.007-05:00

GamesRadar has compiled a list of the greatest games for every platform (so far), and I really enjoyed reading through it. I agreed with a lot of their choices (Link to the Past for Super Nintendo and Super Mario Galaxy for Wii of course), but it was interesting to see the other ones I hadn't thought of. Read the article here.

BlackBerry: BlackBerry Storm Sells Past 1 Million

2009-01-28T15:09:00.005-05:00

Despite negative reviews, the BlackBerry Storm reached the 1 million sales mark, having been out for only two months. I think it definitely has to do with the marketing behind it. Bell Mobility in Canada is aggressively pushing the Storm in all their ads, just like they did with the Samsung Instinct a few months ago. Then again, Bell doesn't get to carry the iPhone, unlike competing carrier Rogers Wireless, who has exclusive carrying of iPhones in Canada.

Cloud: Why a 'Google Web Drive' Won't Kill Windows, the PC or Anything Else

2009-01-27T19:48:00.013-05:00

This article by Wired discusses why Google's "GDrive" won't replace Windows, Mac OS X, or any other off-line operating system. GDrive an online storage system that lets you edit and store documents directly online, and the article addresses my two issues with it: trust and price. I personally don't feel ready to trust a company with my whole computer's content, and I'm sure you'll end up paying a fee to store so much in an online storage area.

Review: Animal Crossing: City Folk (without Wii Speak)

2009-01-25T08:31:00.001-05:00

Rating: 4 (Great)
Price: CAD$49.99
Developer: Nintendo EAD Software Group No. 2
Publisher: Nintendo
Release date (Canada): November 16, 2008
Genre: Simulation

A lot of other game review websites grade Animal Crossing: City Folk much lower than previous games because they say it is too similar to Animal Crossing: Wild World. I have not played Wild World, so I can't judge based on that, so I'll be writing from a newcomer's point of view, because this is my first Animal Crossing game.

In a nutshell, Animal Crossing is a series about starting a new life in a small town. You converse with your local animal neighbours by making small talk, trading items and delivering presents. You can also go to the shops and places around the town to buy clothes, furniture and more items.

Most of your time in Animal Crossing is spent trying to earn Bells: the currency of the game. You find them in trees, you can get them from animals, but the main place to earn them is by selling things at Tom Nook's shop. Tom Nook is the animal that owns the store in the town where you buy furniture, seeds, tools, and more and you can sell almost anything there. He also gives you a mortgage when you first get a house, and once that is paid off, I think there are four more mortgages to pay. I haven't finished paying mine off yet but I'm pretty sure I'm on the third extra mortgage.

One of the most well-known differences in this Animal Crossing is the city. If you've played previous ones, many of the people who came in randomly will show up there instead. There's a hairdresser, a fortune teller, a theatre and an upper-class store among other things in the city, but you'll find yourself going there maybe once a week, because there just isn't a lot to do there, especially if you find yourself tight on money. If you go to the city, money dictates the time you'll spend there, and even if you have a lot of money, you'll probably only be able to spend a maximum of an hour there before getting really bored and wanting to go back to the town.

A part of Animal Crossing that really boosts the replay value is the collectibles and secrets. At first, it doesn't look like you can do much, but you'll find a museum (as in previous games) to donate all the fish, bugs, fossils and paintings you find. You can donate to the town fund and after a LOT of Bells have been donated you get rewards in your town. You can collect sets of items by shooting down presents from the sky, and by exchanging presents at Nook's customer rewards machine. There is just so much to find and discover that it will take months before you have really discovered everything there is to see in the game.

As shown in the picture to the right, looking up at the sky as you could in Animal Crossing: Wild World will show you any constellations you may have formed or, on occasion, the aurora (borealis or australis) will appear. On New Year's Day after midnight, you'll see fireworks in the sky as well.

That brings me to events. There are events for major holidays such as Christmas (Gift Day), Easter (Bunny Day), Thanksgiving (Harvest Festival) and New Year's Day, as well as ones based on the day of the week. There's a fishing tournament day, flea market day and on Saturdays at night, you can listen to K.K. Slider and get a recording of the song you heard, which is probably the event my brother and I most look forward to.

Overall, the game is enjoyable and you'll want to come back to play it whenever you can. Graphically, it looks much improved over the original N64 to GameCube port, but there are still some spots where it could use a facelift. It does run very smoothly all the time (never went below 60 frames per second), the sound is nice and the music is okay. Regrettably, my online experience has been very limited. I've only registered a friend and haven't even played with him yet, so for more online and Wii Speak you may want to read one of the other reviews on the Internet. From what I hear, it works very well when you're together. If you're looking for a game different from what you normally play for Wii, Animal Crossing: City Folk is a great choice.

Rating: 4/5 (80%)

Apple: Happy 25th Birthday Mac!

2009-01-24T08:43:00.001-05:00

Today marks the 25th birthday of the Macintosh series of personal computers from Apple. Macs have come a long way since the first Macintosh pictured to the right. I remember our family's first Mac was a Macintosh Performa in the 5000 series, as is the computer my grandparents use to this day. For a while, my dad thought it would be a good idea to give me and my brother a Windows 98 computer to share, which I attempt to block out of my memory. The only thing I remember about that computer is that my brother played around with the .exe files and we ended up with 0 bytes left on the computer, eventually just getting blue screens over and over. I can never thank my brother enough for killing that thing. My mom got an iMac G3 for herself a while later at the same time my dad went for a Compaq (with Windows ME, of course) because "the Mac stuff doesn't work on my office computer", and my brother and I inherited the Performa. Eventually that thing crashed - probably when we figured out our dad's password and played around in his Admin login - and I was temporarily given a hand-me-down Performa in 2002, which had too much garbage installed to function, and on Christmas in 2003, I was given a Power Mac G5 for the family to use, which I thought made no sense at that time being a 11 year old eager for goodies on Christmas morning. A few months after, my mom bought a PowerBook G4 for herself and gave my brother the iMac, which he keeps in his room and it runs really slow now that he's put games on there.

I still have the Power Mac G5 to this day and I'm actually using it to type up this blog post! People are astonished that it still functions extremely well for a 5 year old computer, but Macs are easier to take care of, and the only thing stopping it from being relevant a few years from now is that it isn't Intel-based. Since it was my Christmas present, I've managed to make a compromise with my family that I get first "dibs" on using it and I only have to get off if my brother needs to type up a science report in Pages or something.

Enough about my Mac story now. Instead, I'm going to post some articles other outlets have been writing on the 25 years of Mac and if you like, tell me your Mac story in the comments. If you don't have one, you could write about when you'd want one or what you find most interesting about them. If you're a Mac-hater, then you could always write about what you don't like about them. Here are some articles I've found on the 25 years of Mac:

Finally, I'd like to add two videos: one where Steve Jobs presents the original Macintosh (back when home computers still had black backgrounds and green text), and the 1984 commercial played during the Super Bowl.

Wii: Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics

2009-01-23T18:42:00.001-05:00

Following the success of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (especially in Europe), it's hardly surprising that there have been rumours of a sequel based on the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. IGN has independently confirmed that Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics will be announced next month. It should be interesting to see Mario and Sonic bring their friends to Canada.

Apple: Six Worst Apple Products Of All Time (According to Macworld)

2009-01-23T17:34:00.000-05:00

Macworld has posted a list of the six worst Apple products of all time as part of their 25th anniversary series. I heard the Pippin was pretty horrible but I'd like to see Apple try and crack the TV-based console market again (maybe even as an Apple TV 3.0).

Wii: Winter

2009-01-20T21:48:00.000-05:00

No, this article is not about the season, despite the timing of my post. It's about a survival horror game in the truest sense that was in development for three years and now has a very questionable future. IGN posted an exclusive feature on the game, which they were first shown two years ago, asking president Dan O'Leary of n-Space, the developing company of the game, all about it. In the developer's own words, the game's premise "revolves around an unnatural snowstorm that has settled over a small town in the Midwest, effectively closing it off from the outside world. The main character, Mia, begins the game inside a wrecked ambulance with no recollection of how she got there. As she treks off towards the small town, she starts to see signs of something monstrous that is traveling with the storm.

"At first the player is tasked with simply keeping Mia alive, and this involves sheltering her from the ever decreasing temperature and the rising level of snow. We wanted to challenge the player to think, "What would I do in this situation? Where would I go to get warm? How would I start a fire or create heat with limited resources?" Soon we learn that Mia has some connection to the storm itself and the creatures that begin to appear. Meanwhile the entire town is being transformed by snow and ice - doors that were previously accessible are now blocked, forcing her to climb through second story windows or walk on rooftops. The snowstorm is as big an enemy as anything in the game and ultimately we find out what IT is and why it is here."

The idea of the game sounds interesting, and certainly unique, because most "survival" games involve shooting down zombies Resident Evil style, not using your wits to survive a disaster. According to the developer, this game has been having trouble finding a publisher because most publishers think that the Wii is for kid games like Imagine Babyz. Personally, I'm sick of searching for the good Wii games amid all the trash that surrounds them, and if people started developing like most major developers do for DS, then the whole Wii situation would be a lot better.

Piracy: The Russian Gaming Market

2009-01-19T06:37:00.000-05:00

Gamesindustry.biz posted an interview yesterday they had with Inna Bukatina, who is Head of Licensing at Games Factory Interactive, about the Russia and its games. Piracy in Russia has dropped by 40% in four years (from 99% to less than 60%) in the major cities, but is still rampant in the rural areas because organizations find it challenging to combat piracy on such a huge scale, so focus mostly on the cities. I found I had to agree with one of her comments on Nintendo:

Well, firstly people in Russia prefer products that are more universal, that can be used for a number of different purposes. For example, a PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Portable can be used for games, or films, and so on.

But the Wii is only for games, and for very specific kinds of games. The gaming society in Russia is pretty young, and I remember when Nintendo attempted to attract more people from older demographics - they put on their last slide a babushka, an old woman, in a headscarf sitting in the countryside and playing on a DS... but actually it's very hard to see that really happening in Russia.

I know that in other parts of Europe, older age ranges are playing these games, but in Russia they don't know what to do with it - they never owned a computer, and probably never worked with a device that's more technical than a telephone, for example.

It might be given as a gift, to parents, for example - but that's why it's a difficult market. The DS has a following, but there's a lot of piracy there too, and it's of course much more expensive than the GameBoy.

My grandparents fit the same description. I know most North Americans say that even seniors can play with ease, but my grandparents had problems playing Wii Sports and still don't understand how the DVD player works.

Wii: Mario Kart Tournament #18

2009-01-18T20:27:00.000-05:00

The second Mario Kart Wii Tournament this year kicked off a few days ago, this time in Funky Stadium, where you have to collect 60 coins as fast as possible. I only really play Mario Kart Wii for the tournaments now, and even then I may not even do them. It's nice to see tournaments still coming out for people who want that extra content, but I'd like to see more content for games like Super Mario Galaxy or Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Online: Chinese Gamers Must Give Real Names

2009-01-17T21:04:00.001-05:00

Gamers in the People's Republic of China will become required to use their real name for registration in online games later this year. Four online game companies were suspended from operating because they did not have a "mandatory anti-addiction system". This seems to be similar to when Tencent, makers of the most popular Chinese messenger program QQ, attempted to force users to register with their real names under orders of the Shenzhen police, but in the end they made it optional because it was too hard for them to enforce.

Final Fantasy: Final Fantasy XIII Not Coming To North America Until 2010

2009-01-16T21:21:00.001-05:00

Some people already predicted this (Jeremy Dunham of IGN one of the more notable ones), but it seems Final Fantasy XIII is being pushed to April 2010 here in North America, while the Japanese will still get the 2009 release. The game was first shown at E3 in 2006 and is still yet to be released. My body had been labelling the game "Release date: TBA" for a long time now so I don't seem to be that surprised that it would be pushed.

General: No Post Tonight

2009-01-15T21:37:00.000-05:00

Tonight I have just way too much homework to even function so I'll see you all tomorrow!

Apple: Steve Jobs On Medical Leave Until June

2009-01-14T20:34:00.000-05:00

Apple CEO Steve Jobs sent an email to his employees stating that he will be on a medical leave of absence until June:

Team,

I am sure all of you saw my letter last week sharing something very personal with the Apple community. Unfortunately, the curiosity over my personal health continues to be a distraction not only for me and my family, but everyone else at Apple as well. In addition, during the past week I have learned that my health-related issues are more complex than I originally thought.

In order to take myself out of the limelight and focus on my health, and to allow everyone at Apple to focus on delivering extraordinary products, I have decided to take a medical leave of absence until the end of June.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for Apple’s day to day operations, and I know he and the rest of the executive management team will do a great job. As CEO, I plan to remain involved in major strategic decisions while I am out. Our board of directors fully supports this plan.

I look forward to seeing all of you this summer.

Steve

Personally, I think Apple will do fine even if Steve is lowering his presence at Apple. It seems like his personality has been etched into the company so he's pretty much there all the time. Plus, it's nice to see Steve getting some time alone without people making rumours upon rumours about his health. Let the man live!

First Impressions: Windows Live Home and Profile

2009-01-14T19:45:00.000-05:00

For a few days, I've been playing with Windows Live Home, which is Microsoft's social tool and web portal to fit in with their Windows Live branding. More specifically, I've been using all the tools directly accessible from Windows Live Home, including Profile, People and Mail. This website has actually been up for a while but very few people seem to know about it so I didn't think it would hurt to bring it up again.

The best way I can describe this bundle of services is as a very basic version of Facebook combined with normal services such as Mail. On the front page, you're greeted with things you'd normally see on a web portal like news and mail, but you also get a "What's new with your network" category, which shows you a feed of your friend updates like Facebook would. It pulls status updates from Messenger updates, so when people say things like "Working on a major project" as their personal message, it updates at Windows Live Home and also at Windows Live Profile. To be honest, there isn't much more to say about it, except that it seems like a beta version of something that could be comparable to Facebook, so I'm keeping my eye on it.

Mac: Google Chrome for Mac Coming Before July

2009-01-13T07:02:00.001-05:00

Since late last year, Google Chrome has been on Windows, and users of the browser have generally liked it, but as usual, Mac and Linux users got nothing. Google says that they have been working on a Mac version for a long time now, and Google co-founder Sergey Brin even says that he checks in with them everyday to make sure they work properly. The team working on the Mac version has just got it to be functional and is still working to make it more stable.

Mac: Apple Posts Information on 17" MacBook Pro Battery Changes

2009-01-13T06:55:00.000-05:00

Last week, at the 2009 Macworld Expo, Apple announced the new unibody 17" MacBook Pro, the last of the Apple notebooks to be updated with the unibody design. They also announced that it would have a non-removable battery, but that battery would last up to 8 hours on a single charge and could last about 5 years. To replace the battery, you would have to send it to Apple or go to an Apple Retail Store and get them to replace it for you. The cost of this procedure was said to be USD$179, so if you live in other countries like I do, you can see what it will cost in your country by visiting their support page. For us Canadians, it will cost $219 before tax, which isn't that bad.

CES: A Wii Zapper That Looks Like A Crossbow

2009-01-13T06:48:00.000-05:00

At CES 2009, some video game bloggers have noticed CTA Digital's Crossbow for Wii, which is a crossbow-looking Wii Zapper shaped holder that is undoubtedly influenced by Link's Crossbow Training. Apparently, there is a laser sight that allows for maximum accuracy at the front of the crossbow, which sounds just as cool as the faux-wood finish on the exterior of the crossbow.

Sony: Sony Expected to Post First Loss in 14 Years

2009-01-13T06:38:00.000-05:00

According to Nikkei, Sony is expected to post their first operating loss in 14 years, a loss of $1.1 billion (100 billion yen). In December, they said that they would have to cut 16,000 jobs and pull out of businesses to come back to even, mostly due to the global recession. This would be Sony's second loss since it became public in 1958. Some other Japanese companies are taking similar measures, with the notable exception of Nintendo, which I'm quite sure is operating at a profit.

Music: Fan-made Legend of Zelda Medley (Voice and Violin)

2009-01-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

YouTube user Diwa De Leon performed a five-man violin and voice Legend of Zelda medley and posted it to YouTube last week, and it's been going around the Internet this week so I just noticed it was up yesterday night. It's a really good medley of different Legend of Zelda music, with a significant portion coming from my perhaps overly blogged The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Music: The Roost

2009-01-11T20:35:00.001-05:00

The Roost is a coffee shop in the Animal Crossing series where the pigeon Brewster will give you a cup of coffee for 200 Bells (the currency of the Animal Crossing world). The music that plays in The Roost is sad, reflecting on Brewster's general mood, but is a nice melody to listen to. Today's music post, while not really a "retro" song, is a song that most people don't hear but really should.

Animal Crossing: Wild World
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
(Unable to find a video for Animal Crossing: City Folk)

Animal Crossing: Wild World

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

DS: Bob Ends His Protest Early

2009-01-10T20:30:00.000-05:00

If you've been following game websites recently, you may know of Robert Pelloni, the person who spent five years making "bob's game", an RPG-like game for the Nintendo DS, all by himself. He then spent the last year or so trying to get Nintendo to let him get the SDK (software development kit) to develop on DS (even managing to get all the minimum requirements), but he never got the SDK and he keeps getting redirected to other people at the company, so he started a 100-day protest (locking himself in his room) during which time he wanted Nintendo to let him obtain the SDK. Over that period of time he has been sending out messages that have gotten crazier and crazier, eventually claiming to be "better than Miyamoto, Itoi, Kojima, etc." Today, he said he has ended his protest and is giving up on his mission to get the SDK. If you want to learn more about this situation, visit his website.

Apple: MacUser's Opinion On The Mac Box Set

2009-01-09T21:48:00.000-05:00

On Macworld's MacUser website, one of the editors put up an opinion piece on why Apple released the Mac Box Set. Apart from the most obvious reason (getting older Mac users such as myself to upgrade to Leopard), they have a few other ideas of why the Mac Box Set was released, which make a lot of sense when you think about them. Snow Leopard, Apple's next version of Mac OS X, was a factor MacUser suggested, since a box set including iWork and iLife as well as the latest Mac OS X may make people more likely to buy Snow Leopard, which is supposed to have only incremental feature upgrades and mostly built around optimizing the system and making it more secure. Visit Macworld.com to read the article.

Wii: Japanese Import Video Demos (DK: Jungle Beat and Pikmin)

2009-01-08T20:30:00.001-05:00

Josh Thomas from WiiFolder has imported both New Play Control Donkey Kong Jungle Beat and New Play Control Pikmin from Japan, and has provided two long demos for those who want to see what they are like on Wii. Looking at these demos definitely made me confirm that I want to play them.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Pikmin

Mario: New Play Control Mario Power Tennis Controls Revealed

2009-01-07T18:36:00.000-05:00

For those who don't know, Nintendo is releasing a series of GameCube remakes for Wii called "New Play Control", which bring motion and IR controls to popular GameCube games. One of these games is Mario Power Tennis, which us North Americans get in March, and the Japanese are getting next week. The controls for the different motions used in the game were recently released, and I will list those below for you to read:

Serve - Swing the remote downwards then swing it forward to serve the ball.
Top Spin Swing the remote diagonally from bottom right to top left.
Slice Spin - Swing the remote diagonally from top right to bottom left.
Smash - Move your character to a spot marked with a star. When you’re standing on the star swing the remote up to down smash the ball.
Drop Shot - This uses same up to down motion as the smash move, but you don’t need to stand on a star.
Lob - The opposite of the drop shot motion. You swing the remote down to up to lob the ball.
Flat Shot - Swing the remote horizontally left to right. Backhand swings are done by doing the reverse motion.

Hopefully the controls work well in this game, as I could see having some issues with the moves that involve swinging "forward", as this is more complicated than the moves in Wii Sports, which can be simplified to just backhand and forehand.

Source: Siliconera

Apple: Macworld Expo 2009 Keynote

2009-01-06T20:24:00.000-05:00

Apple's final Macworld Expo keynote took place today, with many evolutionary aspects being introduced. I've summarized the points of today's keynote by Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing.

iLife '09

To start, iPhoto '09 has introduced new features building onto Events, which was introduced in iPhoto '08. The first one is called Faces, which recognizes faces in all your photos. If you assign a name to a face, it will show all the photos of that person, and you can say whether it has correctly identified the person or not. The second one is called Places, which uses geotagging in recent digital cameras and phones (such as the iPhone) to locate which landmarks or places you took your photos at. You can then browse by place by using a map interface. iPhoto also has Facebook and Flickr buttons where you can send photos directly to the services. If someone else labels a person on Facebook, the label will come back down to your iPhoto.

iPhoto's slideshow feature has been updated to include themes, which present the pictures in different ways. The slideshows crop the photos for the show to centre faces in the middle of the photo. There are also new book themes that include maps so information about the place is presented on the adjacent page.

Secondly, there is iMovie '09, which improves on the radically different iMovie '08. A precise editor has been introduced like the older timeline, which lets you edit each track individually, and makes it really easy to fix up video and audio. Dragging and dropping brings up menus of how you want to use the clip. Movies can be outfitted with dynamic themes that create automatic titles, transitions and other effects based off the theme. A unique new feature is animated travel maps, which lets you put those maps with moving locators that you see in movies into your own movies, based on where your photos were taken. For people who can't film well, iMovie '09 has video stabilization that helps reduce jitter in videos that people import.

Third is GarageBand '09, this year's upgrade to Apple's easy-to-use music sequencing software. The biggest new feature is called Learn to Play, where you can learn to play instruments by plugging in your instruments and playing along with the teachers in the software. For free, 9 basic guitar lessons and 9 basic piano lessons are included offhand, and you can download the ones you need when you want to learn them. They also have professional artists

The final part of iLife to be updated is iWeb '09, this year's upgrade to Apple's simple web development software, which now has FTP authoring. Apple says that iDVD, their DVD creation software, was not updated, but I assume there will still be an '09 version to work with this year's updates.

iWork '09

In Keynote, the iWork version of PowerPoint, a new Magic Move feature can make slides morph into each other with very seamless transitions, added with new slide designs. They also have a new app for iPhone called Keynote Remote, which lets you control your presentation from your iPhone or iPod touch, and will cost $0.99.

In Pages, the iWork version of Word, it has a new clutter-free full-screen view so you can completely focus on your work. All menus are still accessible in full-screen. There is also an outlining tool that helps you plan out the outline of your project before writing it. Pages also now includes Mail Merge support with Numbers, MathType and EndNote.

Finally, in Numbers, the iWork version of Excel, a slew of Excel-like features have been brought over, including easier formula work, and new themes. You can also link charts to Pages and Keynote.

To bring these all together for online sharing, Apple has introduced iWork.com, which is currently a free beta but will become a paid service. You submit your documents, spreadsheets and presentations to iWork.com and you can invite people to review and download your copies for further editing, in PDF, iWork or Office formats.

Mac Box Set

For those who don't have Mac OS X Leopard yet but still want to enjoy iLife '09 and iWork '09 (iLife requires Leopard) can buy all three in a bundle making it cheaper to purchase all of them separately. I don't have Leopard yet on my Power Mac G5, but I'm really interested in getting the set because I want all three products.

Other notes

I have been writing this for hours so if you'd like to learn more about the new 17-inch MacBook Pro, visit Macworld here, and if you'd like to learn about the iTunes updates (DRM-free!), visit Macworld here. Finally, if you want to watch the keynote, Apple is streaming it here.

Apple: Steve Jobs Has Hormone Imbalance

2009-01-05T18:11:00.000-05:00

Steve Jobs disclosed in a rare personal letter today to the Apple community that he has a hormone imbalance, which has been causing the dramatic weight loss many have been noticing this year. When it was announced last year that Phil Schiller, not Jobs, would be doing the Macworld keynote taking place tomorrow, rumours spread that his health was to blame, so he wrote this letter explaining that it's not as bad as everyone has been theorizing and that he will remain as CEO of Apple, Inc., hoping that we don't worry about his health and enjoy tomorrow's expo. Concerning the health issue, Jobs wrote:

Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause—a hormone imbalance that has been ‘robbing’ me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.

The Board of Directors made a separate statement concerning Jobs stating that "if there ever comes a day when Steve wants to retire or for other reasons cannot continue to fulfill his duties as Apple’s CEO, you will know it."

Zelda: An Interesting Link to the Past Take

2009-01-05T16:26:00.000-05:00

Mikaël Aguirre (under the name Orioto) on deviantART has been making a series of artistic remakes of classic video games for a few months now, such as this one called "Through the Night" based off the first outdoor screen of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I really like the style of his drawings and the character choices he made, like using a realistic Toon Link in this drawing, or using Paper Mario in his Super Mario World reinterpretation. Click here to view his collection of video game inspired artwork.

CES: Samsung Unveiling 7 Millimetre Thick TV

2009-01-04T18:54:00.000-05:00

Samsung is planning to show a flat-screen TV measuring 6.5 mm at it's thinnest point at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week. It will measure 7 mm at it's thickest and will be backlit with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This would be the thinnest LCD TV ever shown, beating the previous record of 8 mm set by Philips. Thinner TVs using OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) have been produced by Sony, but this is the thinnest using LCD technology.

I think this kind of thing is crazy, and is one of the reasons why I'm so interested in CES every year. I love looking at the kind of technology they come up with and I'm certain there will be something to blow our minds this year as well. It makes you wonder how you get the thing on the wall though, especially when screws are normally longer than a centimetre!

Wii: Predictions for 2009

2009-01-03T20:52:00.001-05:00

2008 was an interesting year for the Wii, starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit, and ending with Animal Crossing: City Folk. I have a few predictions for 2009 that I hope/think will happen as listed below with commentary on a few:

NHL 2010 All-Play finally comes to Wii (90% chance)
I can not believe that EA has not released an instalment of the NHL series for Wii yet! This was one of the first games I thought of when they announced the design of the Wii and it's been on every other home console but really makes the best sense on Wii. They could use Wii MotionPlus to make shots more accurate and put in Pond Hockey as their "accessible" mode to start.
Wii Sales Pass 75 Million (95% chance)
Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus ends up being a huge success (100% chance)
This game actually has some hardcore gamers interested too, and will make other people shocked at the 1:1 control the game offers.
A New Wii Series Game Is Announced (95% chance) They show off a new one every year...
Kid Icarus Announced (50% chance) That was the big prediction last year and just recently the developers rumoured to be making it shut down so it could be taken by someone else or just forgotten...
Star Fox Wii Announced (30% chance) I have a feeling that a Star Fox has to come out some day.
Zelda for Wii (85% chance) This is more of a hope than a prediction, but 2008 was the first year since 1999 where there were no Zelda games at all, for handhelds or home consoles. Also, it's been three years since Twilight Princess and there should at least be a trailer or something out this year to signal the next game is on its way. The chance that it uses Wii MotionPlus? 25%.

Those are all my Wii predictions for 2009. Hopefully most of them come true (maybe all of them!). I was even a little conservative with my predictions, and can admit that there were probably a few others that should be on there, but those are all I have for now.

Astronomy: Dark Skies Awareness

2009-01-02T19:38:00.002-05:00

Astronomers are interested in seeing the night sky, but lights from cities block one-fifth of the world from seeing galaxies such as the Milky Way. Because of this, as part of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, they have started a campaign called Dark Skies Awareness, which hopes to reduce light pollution. By lowering our dependency on lights, we can help astronomers study the universe and help the environment. According to Wired, millions of birds in North America die each year because the lights in our cities confuse them. If you want to learn more about this project, go to the Dark Skies Awareness website.

Apple: Another Web Application Rumour

2009-01-01T19:12:00.002-05:00

Just when I thought that iWork on the web was a so-so idea (leaning towards bad), Seth Weintraub from 9 to 5 Mac, who spread the iWork rumour, posted in his Computerworld blog how he now thinks iMovie will "largely (if not entirely) be a Web Application" as well. I really hope for Apple's sake that this doesn't happen, for so many reasons that the mere idea of an online iMovie that's as featured as the desktop version is ridiculous.

First off, anyone who's done some heavy, even medium, editing in iMovie knows it's quite demanding. It's often a good idea not to have to many other things open when doing iMovie editing unless you want things to go really slow. Doing this on the web with a reasonable connection would probably end up with very long periods between making edits, because the application would have to render the video with the edits before letting you do the next edit. I still can't get over one of the paragraph's this person wrote:

Apple is largely believed (by me at least) to be moving its iWork applications to the Cloud as well. This would tie in nicely with the new iMovie's Web Applications. Imagine editing a movie in iMovie online then importing it into a Keynote presentation online. This would be a great feature.

Just that fragment, "Imagine editing a movie in iMovie online", makes me cringe just thinking about how that would end up. Unless you are doing very simple videos of your dog running and want to put some primitive filters on it, it would take forever to edit compared to an everyday iMac. Plus, if you have iMovie online accessible to Mac and Windows users, then what stops Apple from bringing the rest of iLife over, which is part of the reason why most people buy Macs in the first place. I just see it as a bad move that could end up being bad for users and for Apple. Most of the negative comments posted by users on the Mac Forums at MacRumors pretty much sum up how I feel about this. Maybe I'm already in the mind set of an old guy, but the whole idea of using pure Internet-based software is scary and risky to me.

Holiday: It's 2009!

2009-01-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

It is no longer 2008 and is now 2009! I'm very excited about what may happen this year, and I have already made a few personal resolutions that I hope to keep. This blog started earlier this year I believe (I deleted a few of the first posts a long time ago so I can't remember anymore) but I started really pushing my posting habits in early November, so it's fair to say this blog really only started in November. I'm hoping this year that I keep up my habit of posting often, as I have been doing. Although this was complete coincidence, this post actually marks the first time I've used an image of my own instead of borrowing someone else's. I think that will be a good habit for me to get into.

Thanks for all the people who read my blog: both the frequent readers and the infrequent. It took me a long time to get some long-term readership and I'm very grateful for all your traffic, not because I'm greedy and must have the most but for me, mostly because it encourages me to write more when I know someone else is reading what I write. I hope you all have a good 2009 and I'll probably post again today or tomorrow.

Apple: Everybody Thinks They Know What's Next

2008-12-31T16:54:00.001-05:00

Wow. I look back into the Macworld, Ars Technica and MacRumors feeds and what do I see but a ton of Apple rumours about what is coming soon. Here are a few prevalent ones:

9 to 5 Mac claims that iWork '09 will be web-based, moving the applications from Macs to on the Internet. As long as there is either an offline version or offline access to it, I'm pleased about it. I'm private about what I have and I don't care how secure the online database is, I just don't want some stuff on there.
The Unofficial Apple Weblog believes that a new Mac mini will be announced at Macworld Expo 2009 next week, with new features such as dual optical drives and design changes in line with Apple's new black and aluminum motif. They could also feature use of the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card which replaced the Intel integrated graphics in MacBooks.
Ars Technica says there have been rumours of a Mac tablet similar to a larger iPod touch, with a screen of either seven or nine inches. Personally, I think iPhone OS would work better for a tablet than Mac OS X so agree with this idea more than a Leopard-based tablet.

The one thing we do know Apple is doing soon is showing or releasing Snow Leopard, the sixth upgrade for Mac OS X. It will be interesting to see what gets announced at the Macworld Expo next week, and I'm pretty sure there will be something we have not even thought of yet.

General: No Posts for a While

2008-12-29T17:16:00.000-05:00

Ok so this may explain why I have not/am not posting for now. I have Drivers' Ed this week and after 6 hours of classroom I'm really pooped and the last thing I want to do after I come back is blog. I'll take some time to write New Year's Eve and New Year's Day but for the rest of the week there really is nothing else for me to write and I don't have the time to spend searching for articles to talk about. This post is of course, written with no anger or frustration, just that I'm really tired this week and I just won't have the time, plain and simple. Hope to see you all Wednesday!

General: Christmas Lunch at Grandparents'

2008-12-27T07:55:00.000-05:00

Today I'm taking a two hour trip to my grandparents' house with my family to eat a nice lunch and share presents with my mom's side of the family. I forget when we usually get back but I may not be posting tonight if we get home too late. If I don't get to posting tonight, I'm sure I'll find something for tomorrow!

Wii: Wii Lens Cleaning Kit Now Available

2008-12-26T07:44:00.000-05:00

This may not seem like much, but one of the greatest accessories for the Wii ever, the Wii Lens Cleaning Kit is available for purchase off the North American Nintendo Stores (http://store.nintendo.com/). The kit, which can be bought all together for $9.99 CAD or separately, cleans the parts inside the Wii the same way a DVD cleaner would. The difference is that using Nintendo's Wii Lens Cleaning Kit, you don't void their repair service like you would with a DVD cleaning kit.

Holiday: Christmas Time!

2008-12-26T07:43:00.000-05:00

My Christmas was exciting yesterday! Playing with my new presents, making the turkey and having oh-so-good French toast in the morning were probably the highlights of the day. Among the presents I received, I love Animal Crossing: City Folk, because even at night, when all the stores are closed in the game, you can still find people to talk to or things to do, and I know I'll be playing this game for months straight. Link's Crossbow Training is surprisingly fun, mostly because I love seeing all the Zelda environments and the Wii Zapper isn't as bad as most people find. It feels a little cheap to use because it's just a shell, but it's pretty comfortable overall and when I get to reviewing it, the review will probably be pretty favourable. (Note that the Wii Zapper wasn't just for Link's Crossbow Training, but as an accessory for all my dad's shooting games which are Zapper compatible). That's pretty much all I have to say about my Christmas on the technical side, I hope you all are having a good holiday and I may be posting something else today when I find time!

Holiday: Digital Photo Christmas Ornament

2008-12-24T07:29:00.000-05:00

While I may not be Christian, I still celebrate Christmas for the giving and family aspects, and so I think I can weigh in on tree decoration. I'm not quite sure where the line crosses acceptable and unacceptable for Christmas trees, but I'd find a digital photo Christmas ornament to be something that wouldn't be on my family's tree. I always liked the bulbs, bells, tinsel garland and home-made ornaments, but a digital slideshow in a bulb on the tree would be too much of a distraction. I think the only electric thing on the tree should be the lights, and not flashing ones either but still lights.

However, if you're the kind of person interested in that sort of thing, there is a very large selection of digital photo ornaments to choose from. The one pictured above is one I've seen in stores nearby (Hallmark had them I believe), and while I don't know the store price, on Amazon it's selling for around $24.99. It holds "up to 50 photos" to display in slideshow mode (my guess is 50 MB storage space), has a full colour 1.5" screen, a clock and a timer. To load pictures, you have to connect it by USB to Windows 2000 or higher (no Mac support, boo).

Gaming Acceptance: Tech Leaders' Favourite Video Games

2008-12-23T16:25:00.003-05:00

This article is a good example of how video games seem to be more accepted now (especially in the last few years) than ever before. The people profiled may be tech leaders but they're still not stereotypical gamers. Not only nerds, teenage boys or anti-socials play, but a significant portion of people who don't fit into those categories as well. I know a few of my friends play them now, and a few years ago they said that they'd never get into playing them. Most people also seem to now realize that playing the Sims or simple iPhone games are still games, so if they express enough interest in those games, they're technically gamers. Hopefully in the next decade games can be as accepted as much as TV, movies, books or music is. I know most parents don't care if their children watch any TV or movies, as long as they're the appropriate ones (even then, some parents let their children watch ANYTHING).

The article above is also nice because the people talk about what they've learned from the games they play. There is always some lesson or tactic to learn from a game, just like you can learn something from reading a book or listening to music.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Defenders Released For iPhone

2008-12-22T16:48:00.000-05:00

A game similar to Final Fantasy Tactics has been released for the iPhone and iPod touch called Crystal Defenders for $7.99. This is what the App Store has to say on it:

Crystal Defenders is a defensive strategy game in which players deploy popular jobs from FINAL FANTASY Tactics A2, such as Black Mages and Soldiers, to fend off encroaching enemy hordes and prevent them from stealing their party's crystals.

If you're interested, you can download Crystal Defenders Lite for Free or the full Crystal Defenders for $7.99 off the App Store on your iPhone or iPod touch, or from the iTunes Store on your Mac or PC.

Retail: GameStop Prototyping More Friendly Stores?

2008-12-22T16:38:00.001-05:00

A user on the forum NeoGAF living in Gainesville, Florida thinks he/she may have found a prototype GameStop, that is, one with a completely different look from the current ones that may signal a new type of GameStop. GameStop is the largest game-specific store in North America, operating under the names GameStop and EB Games in most places. The user had this to say about the stores:

First off, it's three times as large as a standard Gamestop, with two separate wood-inlaid counters and high-quality flooring. There were no less than EIGHTEEN separate demo kiosks around the store, including a giant custom kiosk for Guitar Hero: World Tour. They were even demoing Valkyria Chronicles(!). Also littering the outer walls, amongst the games, stood high-definition touch-screen displays that you could browse the store catalog (picture D), as well as manually search for any title to check for a game description, price (both new and used), and whether or not the game is currently in-stock. Both these touchscreen displays and several of the kiosks feature those high-quality audio cone things mounted above. Also, thanks to these displays, I found out Prince of Persia is selling for $40 new due to some Amazon price drop. Awesome. I bought it. The front of the store had several more high-definition displays showing the newest releases (picture C), and near the back was a four-person DS/PSP congregation with some spiffy modern-look red chairs (picture B), which looked oddly like a hookah. It was quite an experience, and despite my loathing of physical media, I'd head over to Gamestop more often if they were all like this. The employees stated that more would pop up soon, if this one (these ones?) did reasonably well.

I would enjoy a more friendly GameStop environment, since the place is really targeted towards Halo and Grand Theft Auto fans. If you want to see more of what the user had to say, you can look at it at NeoGAF.

Final Fantasy: FFCC: Crystal Bearers Media to Come with Echoes of Time

2008-12-22T16:25:00.001-05:00

Many followers of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, the main Final Fantasy series for Nintendo consoles, have been wondering about the Wii game in the series, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers for around three years since it was announced, and all we've seen are a few screenshots and a trailer or two from that time. Many people thought it was cancelled when Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time was announced with a tentative release date, but if you buy Echoes of Time for Wii, Square Enix says you will find a new trailer for Crystal Bearers accessible from the game's main menu. I've been looking forward to Crystal Bearers and I hope that it comes out within the next year or two!

Gaming: The Top 7 Fictional Holidays

2008-12-22T16:13:00.002-05:00

GamesRadar's latest top seven list lists the top seven fictional holidays in video games. I'd definitely have to agree with the Star Festival being one of the top ones. Although Bowser came to crash their party, the festival seems to be a great celebration of gathering in the Mushroom Kingdom, and it must be a shame that it comes only once every 100 years.

DSi: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time DSi Design Revealed

2008-12-22T16:07:00.000-05:00

The currently Japan-only successor to the Nintendo DS and DS Lite, called the Nintendo DSi, has a special edition for the new RPG Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, which will be released in Japan and North America next year. It will be released with the Wii and DS versions of the game next year. I wonder if the cat (prominent in the game's logo and on the DSi) fits into the game somehow or if that's just an artistic thing they chose.

Mario: The Deep Story of Super Mario Bros.

2008-12-21T17:52:00.000-05:00

A blogger was looking through his old games and found a manual for Super Mario Bros., and started to read it. He then found an interesting storyline for the game:

One day the kingdom of the peaceful mushroom people was invaded by the Koopa, a tribe of turtles famous for their black magic. The quiet, peace-loving Mushroom People were turned into mere stones, bricks and even field horse-hair plants, and the Mushroom Kingdom fell into ruin.

The only one who can undo the magic spell on the Mushroom People and return them to their normal selves is the Princess Toadstool, the daughter of the Mushroom King. Unfortunately, she is presently in the hands of the great Koopa turtle king. Mario, the hero of the story (maybe) hears about the Mushroom People's plight and sets out on a quest to free the Mushroom Princess from the evil Koopa and restore the fallen kingdom of the Mushroom People. You are Mario! It's up to you to save the Mushroom People from the black magic of the Koopa!

That's certainly a different story than most would expect! I don't remember there being any black magic while you played, and how would Toadstool (now Peach) be able to "undo the magic spell"?

Super Mario Bros had a deeper storyline?

Internet: My Avatar Editor

2008-12-20T21:27:00.001-05:00

Some of you may have noticed that I have a Mii of myself on my Blogger account. I made this with a great tool called My Avatar Editor, which is designed to make Miis on your computer. The former version was shut down for being too similar but hopefully this one becomes different enough in interface to be kept online. The final version is not up yet, but you can track progress and try out the betas at their Blogger account.

Music: Clu Clu Land

2008-12-19T16:14:00.002-05:00

Clu Clu Land is a somewhat obscure game that was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the mid-1980s around the world, where you controlled a fish called Bubbles. This post is about the music from that game, which was remade as a medley in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I have embedded a gameplay video including the music below, as well as the Brawl remake. (Warning: People prone to seizures from strobe effects should probably not watch the first video.)

Clu Clu Land
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Clu Clu Land

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Flash: Achievement Unlocked

2008-12-18T20:05:00.000-05:00

There is an amazing Flash game called Achievement Unlocked on Armor Games, which I had a lot of fun playing. It parodies the Achievement system of the Xbox 360, which gives you "achievements" for almost anything. It's funny and once you find out the secret, really easy to play.

Zelda: IGN Presents the History of Zelda

2008-12-17T20:36:00.000-05:00

IGN has a new feature containing 10 pages of Zelda history, called "IGN Presents the History of Zelda". It's a great read for people who want to know about the history of the series, and even has a little quiz to test the knowledge of the most geeky Zelda fans. This gets me all excited hoping for that new Zelda in whenever that comes out, which should be good! That's all I can really say about this, but it is one amazing feature that I thoroughly enjoyed.

IGN Presents the History of Zelda

Macworld: Macworld Expo 2009 To Be Apple's Last Appearance

2008-12-16T20:48:00.000-05:00

Today, Apple said that this year's Macworld Expo, the largest Apple event run every year since 1984, run by Macworld, will be Apple's last appearance at the Expo. They also said that the keynote this year will be from Phil Schiller, senior VP of Worldwide Product Marketing, who presented a few times throughout last year along Steve Jobs, who is known for his defining keynote speeches every year. Macworld Expo organizers IDG World Expo are hoping to keep the event running through 2011 despite losing the keynotes from Steve Jobs and the loss of Apple's appearance at the show. Apple seems to take the same route Nintendo has been taking, where they hold their own summits and events at times throughout the year that they feel would be good to announce a new product. Apple has done this with iPods, which are usually announced every September, WWDC (their developer conference) and the October notebook update they had last year, among other events. This decision may also be part of a mission by Apple to phase Steve Jobs out of centre-stage in case he suddenly passes away, as their stock would most likely drop dramatically, since he is known for being behind many of the products there. Hopefully all parties make their transitions well, and are just as successful (or more successful) in the future as they are now.

Nintendo: Club Nintendo Launches

2008-12-15T18:34:00.000-05:00

My Nintendo is now officially Club Nintendo! Although there seem to be many issues with the server (it was up for a few minutes before shutting down again), the goods list looks very promising, and if you enlarge the picture I've embedded with the grid of items, you can see some pretty cool things on there (like the Game and Watch Collection for DS!!!). Hopefully the site goes up again... former My Nintendo members must go through the registration process again as far as I know, but I think you're able to use your old username/password.

Nintendo: Club Nintendo Page Updated, Coming Very Soon

2008-12-14T07:38:00.001-05:00

Club Nintendo is an amazing program in Japan that Nintendo set up to reward their customers, giving out gifts like soundtracks, special controllers and TV remotes shaped like Wii Remotes. It is in Europe as well, but the program there only gives out stickers and wallpapers and such. For a while now, it's been known that Club Nintendo is coming to North America, and there has been a page set up at club.nintendo.com where the future website will be. It's now been updated with a notice that reads:

Club Nintendo will soon be replacing My Nintendo as your home for Nintendo product registration, sweepstakes, newsletters and exclusive Rewards - So come back soon! During this time, creating new memberships and logging into My Nintendo are unavailable. Your My Nintendo account will transfer to Club Nintendo. You can log in as soon as Club Nintendo comes on line! Repair and part orders: If you need to track a part order or check the status of a repair, use our part and repair lookups on the left side of every page at support.nintendo.com after you select your region. You do not need to be logged into your My Nintendo account to use the lookups. Nintendo's Tech Support Forums: The Support Forums will be in a "read only" mode until Club Nintendo is launched. All existing Forum topics, posts, and replies will remain available for those looking for technical assistance with Nintendo products. No new threads or messages can be created until Club Nintendo launches.
What can I do at Club Nintendo?
Earn Coins for registering Nintendo products and completing surveys
Redeem Coins for limited edition Rewards
Earn a set amount of Coins each year to gain Gold and Platinum status
Create a Family Account and invite members of your family to join
Register your newly purchased Wii console or Nintendo DS on Club Nintendo and extend your warranty

Disabling My Nintendo, which is the way to use their site, is something they would only do when they need to update other sections of the site. Club Nintendo must be coming in the next few weeks, and if you already have an account with Nintendo, it will be transferred over to Club Nintendo. Maybe the NSider forums will come back in the form of Club Nintendo forums!

Game of the Year: IGN Best of 2008 Readers' Choice Polls

2008-12-13T20:13:00.000-05:00

IGN has opened up their annual "Best of" Reader's Choice Polls, which is where you can vote on your favourite games of each category for 2008. They have many categories for you to vote from, genres and consoles. If you want to influence the vote, head to http://games.ign.com/articles/936/936564p1.html and vote today!

Sales: November 2008 (US & Japan)

2008-12-12T20:31:00.001-05:00

For those who don't know what the NPD Group or Media Create are, they compile sales numbers and other statistics. Around halfway through the following month, they will release their sales numbers from the first month. November was an interesting month in video games, and it showed that Nintendo is definitely selling their consoles faster than ever before. The NPD Group released the sales numbers for November 2008 in the United States, the Wii sold the most units, with over 2 million being sold in the US alone, and selling more than the 360, PS3, PS2 and PSP combined.

Wii - 2,040,000
Nintendo DS - 1,570,000
Xbox 360 - 836,000
PSP - 421,000
PlayStation 3 - 378,000
PlayStation 2 - 206,000

In Japan, Media Create released the sales numbers for November 2008, the Nintendo DSi sold the most units. Clearly the DSi is being received well in Japan, and it will be interesting to see if North Americans embrace the DSi as well, because the DS Lite has been extremely popular here.

Nintendo DSi - 126,648
Wii - 56,702
PSP - 54,782
PlayStation 3 - 30,309
Nintendo DS - 12,096
Xbox 360 - 9,988
PlayStation 2 - 5,743

Google: Google Chrome Out of Beta

2008-12-12T06:46:00.001-05:00

Google has announced that Google Chrome, their web browser, is now out of beta. This came as a surprise to me because they usually have products in beta for years (is Gmail still in beta after so many years?). One reason posed by Macworld in their article about this is that the fierce competition between web browsers pushed Google to get it out of beta and into being a full product. Now that it's been released fully, the Mac and Linux versions should be coming soon and Google will start their marketing campaign.

Blogger: Geotagging

2008-12-11T19:20:00.000-05:00

A new thing you'll probably see me do on my posts is this feature called Geotagging. That pretty much tells you where the post was written from, or whichever location the blogger chooses to tag. It's cool because if you only want to reveal little bits about your location (eg. I'm only going as far as my province in Canada), then you have the option to, or even just say "I'm from Canada".

Mac: Apple Sends Out Leopard Update Betas?

2008-12-11T19:08:00.001-05:00

I've been wondering why sites make such a big deal about the incremental upgrades to Mac OS X (10.5.5, 10.5.6, etc.), and apparently Apple sends out different betas or "builds" of their updates. I suppose it's weird to me because I never remember them doing that with Tiger (which I use), but with Leopard they seem to make some huge deal about every update that gets released.

Either way, for those of you who want to know about the next one, Mac OS X 10.5.6 is rumoured to be coming Friday as a free update to Leopard users.

Wii: Dragon Quest X Will Be Made For Wii

2008-12-10T06:42:00.001-05:00

With the drought of RPGs for the Wii, the only really major one released being Tales of Symphonia, it's good to see the level of support Square Enix is giving to the Wii. We already know about Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, but as of yesterday's press conference, Dragon Quest X, an instalment of the Dragon Quest series (VERY popular in Japan), is coming to Wii as well.

iPhone: SimCity

2008-12-09T19:34:00.000-05:00

It seems that these days, SimCity is a series being brought to every platform in the gaming industry, and I couldn't be happier. SimCity is one of my favourite game franchises EVER, and I'm so happy to see it in all the places it has been showing up. In the last year, SimCity DS 2 and SimCity Creator for Wii were released, and SimCity for the iPhone and iPod touch was announced a few months ago. Some review sites are getting opportunities to play beta versions now, and they seem to be positive about the game. I know at least one of my friends will probably want to get it, and I think any other SimCity fans should as well, when it comes out.

Simcity: SimCity iPhone Impressions (Kotaku)

Console Comparison: All-Console Avatar Showdown

2008-12-09T19:21:00.002-05:00

GamesRadar has a really funny comparison of the Avatars, Miis and Home characters from each of the consoles, comparing how each character would look on each game console. For those who don't know the difference, the semi-realistic ones on the left are the Xbox 360 New Xbox Experience Avatars, the caricature ones in the middle are Nintendo's Miis on the Wii, and the lifelike ones on the right are from Home for PlayStation 3. You can visit it here: http://www.gamesradar.com/f/all-console-avatar-showdown/a-20081209123154147083.

Events: Happy 40th Birthday, Mouse!

2008-12-09T17:35:00.000-05:00

Today, we celebrate the 40th birthday of the computer mouse, which is one of the most major innovations in consumer electronics. Macworld took the time to write an article on the computer mouse, which I encourage people to look at for an interesting read. I found out some things in there that I didn't know about the mouse (eg. Logitech producing them before Apple). They also wrote an article on their five favourite computer mouse-like inputs, some of which are literal mice, and some are trackpads and other inputs. I have another link to each below:

iPod: Engraved iPods Are Yours For Life

2008-12-09T16:59:00.001-05:00

This is something that has been mentioned for many years, but is a good reminder for those wanting to buy an iPod for someone this Christmas. As many know, engraved iPods cost the same as usual iPods and don't add any shipping time, but engraved items are not returnable. This is the main reason why companies do free engraving at no monetary cost or time loss for you. Companies such as Sony earn one million dollars from not having to take back engraved items, which would probably go the same for other companies including Apple. This makes it extremely important to make sure you do not give your gift recipient the wrong iPod. Unless you are completely sure that the recipient wants the iPod (it's also hard to resell engraved ones), stick with one that is not engraved, especially considering the hard times many people are going through, and that they may not be able to buy the one they were hoping for instead.

Flash: Dangeresque - Roomisode 1: Behind the Dangerdesque

2008-12-08T15:53:00.002-05:00

Homestar Runner is a well known series of Flash cartoons and games run by the The Brothers Chaps, who also own a video game project called Videlectrix. Recently, they started a series of games called Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People (SBCGAP), which was made by them and Telltale Games for WiiWare and Microsoft Windows. That game is split into small parts released every few months or "episodes". Now, Videlectrix has started a series of "roomisodes" based off the Homestar Runner universe, starting with Roomisode 1: Behind the Dangerdesque, starring Strong Bad as Dangeresque who must solve a crime, all within the confines off his office. Oddly, this comes out at around the same time as Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People - Episode 4: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective for WiiWare and Microsoft Windows, so it may be a complement game to SBCGAP.

Play the game here: http://www.homestarrunner.com/dangeresque.html.

Square Enix: How To Design A Character the Square Enix Way

2008-12-07T20:46:00.001-05:00

At Check Your HUD, they have made their own short tutorial on how to make a character like the Final Fantasy and other RPGs creators Square Enix. Anyone who's played one of the more recent Square Enix games (anything since Final Fantasy VII, excluding old remakes), you will notice that the men and women look very similar.

Handhelds: Can Apple Beat Sony and Nintendo at Their Own Game?

2008-12-07T20:22:00.002-05:00

An article at Technewsworld discusses the state of the iPod touch and if it could end up being the dominant gaming device, surpassing the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. I know a lot of people personally who play games on their iPod touches, but based on the nature of most of the games on the iPod touch at the moment, the game market is in its infancy and until the iPod touch game market matures, it will probably live in harmony with the battling DS and PSP. I think for the iPod touch to be more competitive with the DS and PSP, it should have some form of feedback that lets you feel that you've touched a button, because people who play more traditional games will probably find the touch screen get in the way of controlling the game. Even the Wii and DS, which both use unconventional methods of control, have an option of using standard buttons for actions and movement. Can you imagine trying to control a character like Mario with finger-touch and tilt? I may be a traditional thinker, but I see the use for some tactile feedback while playing.

Flash: Castle Smasher

2008-12-07T09:28:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for a good time-waster, Castle Smasher is a Flash game that will take at least an hour or two out of your day. The game has five levels where you have to destroy the castle completely before you run out of stones in your catapult. Destroying certain towers will bring out soldiers who will try to attack your catapult, and some will give you more stones to throw. After each level, it will let you increase the stones you have at the start of the level, make the stones hit more times in one throw, or increase the guards at your catapult. It's very fun and is hard to master. Visit it at Newgrounds.

Music: The Dark World (Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past)

2008-12-06T22:11:00.002-05:00

Come and listen to this week's music post! Today, a song from the third game in the Legend of Zelda series, The Dark World. This song has been remade at least once (in Super Smash Bros. Brawl) and is one of the more recognized songs from A Link to the Past. The first song you hear when you start the second half of the game, it makes you feel like you're in a military zone, which is fitting because Ganon's forces have taken over the area.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Mario: Top 7 Super Mario Games

2008-12-06T17:34:00.001-05:00

The Super Mario series is the most popular video game franchise ever, selling over 200 million units of over 200 games (yes, 200!). This makes it extremely hard to choose just 7 top Mario games, but I have introduced criteria for the top 7 Super Mario games: it must be one of the core platformers in the series (eg. Bros., World, 64, Sunshine, Galaxy, NSMB).

7. Super Mario Bros. 2

Super Mario Bros. 2 did not actually start as a Mario game, but as an game for the Famicom Disk System called Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. Because of this, Bros. 2 is considered the "black sheep" of the franchise, as it was very different from the other Mario games for the early Nintendo systems. It was the first game where you could choose to play as Princess Peach (then known as Toadstool in North America) and Toad. Before the start of each level, you could choose to play as Mario, Luigi, Toadstool or Toad, and each one would have an advantage and disadvantage. Mario was an all-around character with no significant pros and cons, Luigi was able to jump the highest but was unable to stop as fast as the others, Toadstool was able to float across edges and Toad jumped the shortest but was very fast. Luigi's high jump and low friction is a feature that has carried into most of the newer Mario games.

6. New Super Mario Bros.

Many younger gamers never got a chance to play the older side-scrolling Mario games, so Nintendo released one of the best Mario games for a handheld ever, New Super Mario Bros. it was designed to have the same level structure as the old NES games, but with newer graphics, tools and ideas for the Nintendo DS. It is a great way to rethink the classic Mario games, and it wouldn't be surprising if there were a sequel in the works. Too bad this game was so short.

5. Super Mario 64

Super Mario 64 is considered by many to be the model for most 3D games. Pioneering concepts such as analog-stick controls, dynamic cameras and innovative use of three-dimensions, it brought the Mario series into 3D, which many older franchises still have issues with (eg. Sonic). Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy follow the formula built by 64: 120 objects to collect (Stars/Shine Sprites), a hub world to access the stages from, "worlds" or stages with multiple missions to complete and an emphasis on exploration instead of simply jumping across platforms. It was rereleased as a launch title for the Nintendo DS and for the Wii's Virtual Console service, and is still an enjoyable game to play today.

4. Super Mario World

Super Mario World is the first game to feature Mario's dinosaur friend, Yoshi, who starred in its own series of games soon after. It was one of the best games for the Super Nintendo, and is probably the most underrated game in the Mario series. The game introduced the Cape Feather which, outside of Super Mario World, has only appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series as one of Mario's attacks. It also introduced the Star Road, which was brought back in the RPGs in the series. This game was simply amazing, being remade for the Game Boy Advance and released on the Wii's Virtual Console, where it is one of the best selling games on the service!

3. Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. is the game that launched the modern gaming era. Of course, there were video games before then, but this game served as a template for 2D games to come, and was part of the reason the Nintendo Entertainment System sold over 60 million units, which was quite a feat at the time, and has set a record that has not yet been broken by Nintendo for a home console. It is still the best selling game of all time, and even when Wii Sports surpasses it, Super Mario Bros. will still be remembered as an influential game that had a record unbroken for over 20 years. People who never had a chance to play it on the NES got to play it on the Super Nintendo as part of Super Mario All-Stars, the Game Boy Color as Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, the Game Boy Advance as part of the Classic NES Series, the GameCube as a secret in Animal Crossing, and now on the Wii on the Virtual Console. DS owners also got to play New Super Mario Bros., which followed the same formula as the original game.

2. Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros. 3 took everything great about the original game, threw out the bad parts, and brought in a ton of great ideas that made this game the best 2D game in the series. It introduced a ton of suits, including the Frog Suit, Tanooki Suit, and a personal favourite of mine, the Shoe of Kuribo. Anyone who wanted to play this amazing game can do so by downloading it from the Virtual Console service on the Wii. If you must play a 2D Mario game, this one is it.

1. Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy is AMAZING! There is so many good things about this game I can't even name them all. The music, which is fully orchestrated, is memorable and was easily one of the best soundtracks for a recent game. There are so many levels to play and stars to get that you could easily spend a month of playing getting the first 120 stars, and there is so much more for you to do afterwards. The camera is almost always at the correct angle (a very welcome improvement from the horrible Sunshine camera), and when it's not you can move it by clicking the left or right buttons. The graphic quality of the game is excellent, placing Galaxy as one of the best looking games on the Wii so far. Most importantly, this game is extremely fun without having to be shallow, as many Wii games are right now. Anyone who has a Wii would definitely be missing out if they didn't play this, because it's one of the top games for Wii and one of the top games in the 3D era of games.

Flash: Prince of Persia Intro

2008-12-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine pointed me to the website for the new Prince of Persia game for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, especially to look at the Flash sequence that starts the site. I was very impressed with the quality of the introduction, and felt it correctly and successfully showcased the new graphic style as a good change. I liked the background music in the first section of the introduction, but completely disliked the scratchy singing at the end. The whole introduction told the story well, keeping a very distinctly Arabic feel to the video. For those who want to know how to make rich media, this video is a good example of how powerful Internet media can be. Although I'm sure it was made with a program other than Flash, the video would be possible to make in Flash and would be a great project for someone who wants to learn how to master Flash movies. To see it, visit the Prince of Persia website.

Note: The video does not load/play well on lower Internet connection speeds. Cable connection highly recommended!

Wii: Kirby's Wii Adventure?

2008-12-05T21:15:00.004-05:00

IGN has made a habit of posting articles about games that aren't appearing, and today's was on the Kirby game we were shown back in 2004 for two minutes, then poof, it fades into obscurity. The reason they are complaining about the lack of information on this game is because every year, Nintendo will put it on the list of the year's releases, and every year, it doesn't come out. This is now happening for 2009: Kirby shows up on the Japanese list of releases for 2009. As it did in 2008, 2007, and 2006. Luckily, as they say, Kirby Air Ride was released seven years after it was announced, so this game is probably still in development. I'm sure if they do this right, it will end up being just as good as those handheld games (maybe as unique as Canvas Curse!)

Gaming: The 10 Most Legendary Swords in Gaming

2008-12-05T20:54:00.003-05:00

GamePro has compiled a list of the top ten most legendary swords in gaming, and I was very pleased with the choices on the list. I must say though, why in the world is the Keyblade on there? Apart from the fact that it isn't really a sword, and is just used like one, I can't see it being very sharp at all, except maybe for the little prongs at the end. It would be used more like a club!