Nintendo Wii Console

The Simpsons Game - Wii New Release

2007-11-07T13:19:00.000Z

You`ve probably seen it advertised on tv and are itching to get your hands on one of the must-have games of the year. Well you nearly can. Amazon have The Simpsons Game on Wii for pre-release now!!

An Amazon user (C.S. Toon) has commented:

[The Simpsons Game] is very funny throughout. The game actually used the real characters' voice actors in the game rather than just sound-a-likes and they even had the show's animators to draw some of the cutscenes. This game thrives on its humour and image, and they're both done beautifully and it almost makes up for the lacking gaming experience.

You can get it from Amazon for just £29.98.

Watch the game in action:

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Pre-Order)

2007-10-31T21:01:00.000Z

Now the users of Amazon are saying this game is awesome and if you watch the trailer below you'll see why!! It looks chuffing wicked. For Christmas I'm looking myself away with my Wii and will wait till January!!

Metroid Prime 3Reviews:

This is a fantastic finale to the great metroid prime series and definately the best yet.

For those who dont know you play a bounty hunter called Samus and you try to complete objectives on various planets and this game never dissapoints. The visuals are lush, the sound is atmospheric and now this time with full voice overs which gives the story more meaning, and the best bit is the fantastic controls. Now when ive played the prevous two adventures i can say you will never want to go back when you have tried this.

The only downside you may find that this game is challenging at times and is only for the hardcore.

However i strongly recommended this, and about flaming time the wii got some classic titles, and with mario galaxy just around the corner you can finally dust off those remotes and start playing once again. Fantastic. - James Petford

Buy from: Amazon - £29.98
Play.com - £32.99
Game.co.uk - £32.99

Super Mario Galaxy (Pre-Order)

2007-10-30T21:53:00.000Z

Mario is back, and this time we see him leaving planet earth and exploring outerspace! Super Mario Galaxy is a cracking looking game for the Wii Console and recommend that anyone should at least take a look at it!

Here's some reviews from Amazon Customers:

Its brilliant, its a must buy for anybody. I highly reccomend it to anyone of any age. You need to get this game! Was this review helpful to you - Mrs. L. Aspin

After getting an exclusive hands-on preview of this game i have come to the conclusion that it is absoultely 100% the most enjoyable game i have ever played, with stunning graphics which really displaying the Wii's capabilities. This game will not only rock your socks, it will blow your actual feat clean off and is therefore a must buy for all Wii owners.

There are some moments in gaming that define why we're all here right now, and this is one of them. - R.D. Gunner

You can buy from Amazon or Game.

Watch the intro video to Super Mario Galaxy here:

And some game footage:

FIFA 08 On Wii

2007-10-05T20:02:00.000+01:00

FIFA 08 is Wii's first football game and comes out light-years ahead of Pro Evolution Soccer on the same console.

I don't think the WiiMote is great for all types of game, but it handles the unique game-play well, although it does take getting used to.

The only way to find out if it's any good though, is to try it yourself!

Get it from: Game.com
Play.com

Wath the review here:

Wii FIFA 08 Grabs:

Christmas Disapointment

2007-10-05T19:53:00.001+01:00

There's still shortages in supply of the Wii Console a year after its release. It just goes to show how successful the console has been.

According to a spokesman, Reggie Fils-Aime:

“We’re working very hard to make sure that consumers are satisfied this holiday, but I can’t guarantee that we’re going to meet demand. As a matter of fact, I can tell you on the record that we won’t.”

"What I can tell you is that typically, our inventory is lasting a day… I don’t think we will know when supply crosses with demand until after the holiday season.”

“The issue is not a lack of production. The issue is we went in with a curve that was aggressive, but the demand has been substantially more than that. And the ability to ramp up production and to sustain it is not a switch that you flick on.”

1 Million UK Sales Already

2007-09-16T08:51:00.000+01:00

The Times has reported that Nintendo have already sold one million Wii Consoles! In fact they managed to do it in just 38 weeks.

Read the article for more information.

Wii HD Coming Soon?

2007-07-06T10:27:00.000+01:00

There's reports that Nintendo are working on a HD version of the Wii. Well it's obvious that they would work on a new version to capture the buzz and the bucks that came with the first Wii Console, but whether or not they'd include HD compatibility is debatable. I'm sure they'll wait to see it's full impact and then make a decision.

Sega Sour Grapes?

2007-07-06T10:24:00.000+01:00

It's been reported that Sega marketing boss, Scott Steinberg, has said that features that make the Wii Console unique will be the one's that make it's appeal diminish as it turns into a "fad".

He said: "How much value can developers and creative folks get out of this wrist motion two years from now, or five years from now, or 10 years from now? The Wii will start to look really dated in a couple of years when developers get more value from the 360 and learn more and more about the PlayStation 3."

ooooh!

More viritual games from Nintendo

2007-04-11T19:39:00.000+01:00

Nintendo have mande an announcement about their new virtual games:

This week’s Wii Virtual Console line-up looks set to be a knockout! Nintendo is releasing three epic games from days gone by, starting with the comical boxing game Punch Out!!. The player assumes the role of a rookie trying to make it in the boxing world by working his way through the ranks and embarking on numerous matches. Each fight results in repute and fame with the ultimate winner eventually earning the world champion title. Punch Out!! is available this week for only 500 points.

Also up for grabs is the SNES action adventure, The Legend of the Mystical Ninja. This action packed game sees two characters, Kid Ying and Dr. Yang, on a quest to rescue a kidnapped princess. Players must complete tasks and battle enemies in order to save our heroine and finish the quest. And if you need a helping hand, two-player mode allows players to piggyback each other to make the battling even more dynamic! The Legend of the Mystical Ninja is available for Wii points.

Joining these two games on Virtual Console is the Turbografx classic, Dragon’s Curse. Originally released in 1990, Dragon’s Curse follows a warrior, who after an unfortunate run-in with a dragon becomes Lizard-Man. The object of the game is to retrieve the Salamander Cross, and become human once more. En route the player must defeat various dragon bosses in order to change his form and eventually return to a human state! Dragon’s Curse is available on Wii’s Virtual Console this Friday for only 600 Wii Points

Wing Island Console Game

2007-04-11T19:28:00.000+01:00

Game Review:

As the first flying game for the dynamic Wii Console, Wing Island is like no other flying game out there. Using the Wii’s ground-breaking motion sensitive controls, players can feel as if they really are flying their plane. The use of the Wii Remote allows players to achieve maximum precision whilst flying, combined with a more realistic feel. By simply tilting the controller left or right, you can turn the plane in the desired direction by angling the remote up or down gamers can easily change height. Quick turns can be easily achieved by waving the remote’s tip to the left or the right. Acceleration and breaking is equally simple to control with quick bursts of speed controlled by quickly thrusting the remote forward or backward, whilst more steady speed is achieved by pressing up or down on the D-pad. Not only is this a simple and intuitive way to control the game but it also brings an all-new level of fun and excitement to the game, regardless of your previous gaming experience, as your movements control the plane.

In the main Story mode, gamers progress by completing each mission and unlocking new locations. The game’s single player missions set the player a number of fun tasks to test their flying skills ranging from food drops to extinguishing forest fires and taking photos of assigned objects. Players earn different ratings for each mission based on time, accuracy and damage to the planes. This in turn influences points, bonus points, and money awarded for each of the 27 missions. Earning money in turn allows players the opportunity to tune and repair their plane and even buy one of seven completely new planes. During each mission the player has the opportunity to fly solo or in a formation of five dependent upon which mission they are involved in, therefore enabling the player to experience the best of both flight methods.

‘Wing Island’ is centred around three different, exotic cartoon islands inhabited by wacky cartoon animals who will help players complete the tasks they are set. The first island is the smallest and houses ‘Wing Inc’, where the first few missions take place. The second location becomes available after completion of the initial missions and presents more challenging terrain across which to navigate. The third and final island has a large city built on it and is by far the most challenging to navigate across.

If the idea of completing missions doesn’t appeal to you then select Free Mode where you can fly freely around the islands in the game without constraints of time. At any point in the mission players can also try and break their own records to show off to their friends in the Single Player Competitive Mode. There are three options in this mode: score attack, where players must pop balloons by ramming them with a spike on the plane, time attack where they must race through numbered gates and also Plane Tail which allows you to pop balloons tied to your opponent,
If a bit of extra competition is what you’re looking for why not go head to head against a friend to prove yourself a flying ace, or perfect your skills by taking on Wii in Two Player Mode. As in Single Player Competitive Mode, this mode also contains score attack and time, as well as Plane Tail.

Buy from Game - £34.99
Price Comparison: Kelkoo

© Game Digital Ltd

A Wii Phone Coming?

2007-02-14T10:31:00.000Z

T3 reports of the possibility of a Wii Phone which may not be a direct competitor for the iPhone but it (the mock up) still looks amazing. Whether this is a mobile phone to be used in the traditional method or a Wi-Fi Voip but their abstract of it taken from their patent filing states:

An electronic apparatus includes a phone CPU and a game CPU. When a * key is operated during execution of a game, the phone CPU sets a specified bit of a game key register to “1”. The phone CPU is set “1” into the specified bit when there is an incoming call of a phone during the execution of the game. The game CPU pauses the game being in execution when the specified bit is renewed to “1” and restores the specified bit from “1” to “0”. When the * key is operated in a state the game is interrupted, the phone CPU sets “1” into the specified bit. The game CPU restarts the game by canceling the pause.

The full patent filing:

What is claimed is:
1. A game and a mobile phone type electronic apparatus comprising:
a game CPU which executes a game related process;
a phone CPU which executes a phone related process;
a play key to play a game;
an interruption key to initiate an interruption of said game;
a key register to which first information is set in response to an operation of said play key and second information is set in response to an operation of said interruption key;
wherein said game related process includes a game process to play said game when said first information is set into said key register and an interruption process to interrupt said game process when said second information is set into said key register; and
said phone related process includes a setting process to set said second information into said key register when an incoming phone call is detected.

2. A game and a mobile phone type electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said game related process further includes a storing process to store current game data into a memory when said second information is set into said key register.

3. A game and a mobile phone type electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said phone related process further includes a determination process to determine whether said game process is in an activated state or not, and said setting process sets said second information into said key register in response to a detection of said incoming phone call when a determination result of said determination process is affirmative.

4. A game and a mobile phone type electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display which displays a game screen, wherein said phone related process further includes a modifying process to modify a tone of said game screen in response to a detection of said incoming phone call.

5. A game and a mobile phone type electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said game related process is executed according to a game program downloaded from an outside source.

6. A game and a mobile phone type electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said interruption process continues to pause said game process.

7. A game and a mobile phone type electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said interruption process interrupts said game process when said second information is set into said key register in a state of said game process being activated.

8. A game and a mobile phone type electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said interruption key combines with a resume key to initiate a resumption of said game, and said game related process further includes a canceling process to cancel a setting of said second information in association with execution of said interruption process, and a resumption process to resume said game process when said second information is set into said key register in a state of said game process being interrupted.

200,000 UK Wii's sold & despatched

2007-01-20T11:39:00.000Z

The Mirror reports that 200,000 Wii's were sold over the Christmas period - I'd read that as sold and actually dispatched, however!

I saw the demand for the Wii Console as significantly higher than that figure given the amount of emails and feed back we had.

The Mirror also reports that over 700,000 handheld DS and DS Lite units were sold. So the DS was last year's best selling games console.

Another interesting fact that was that 70% of Wii owners also bought The Legend of Zelda - wow that's a staggering 140,000 copies!

Nintendo commented that the "DS and Wii sold at staggering rates. We're now facing stock shortages but are doing everything possible to combat this."

New Wii Virtual Console Games Announced

2007-01-12T20:33:00.000Z

Nintendo has announced a list of 36 new Virtual Console games to be released in the coming months on the Wii's Shop Channel.

On the list are classics as Zelda: Ocarina Of Time’, from the SNES we have ‘Street Fighter II’, ‘Mario Kart 64’, and from the Mega Drive: ‘Streets Of Rage’ and ‘Comix Zone’.

Wii Sports Wins Time Game of the Year

2007-01-03T18:22:00.000Z

It may not be full of complicated polygons and flashy graphics, but the Wii Sports Game that comes free with the Wii Console has won "Time Game of the Year"!

Some may be shocked by the news, but having taken it to the "inlaws" for Christmas and coming back late from a night out and finding everyone playing Wii Bowling, it's no suprise that it's recieved the accolade!

It may be addictive, but I don't find it awe-inspiring. Ho hum!

Wii outsells PS3 by more than 3-to-1 in Japan

2007-01-03T18:17:00.000Z

Nintendo's Wii Console has reportedly outsold Sony Playstation 3 Console in Japan.

According to Media Create Co. commented that Wii sold 279,277 units from Dec. 18 to Dec. 24, compared to the PS3 which only sold 76,882 units.

Basically, the Wii has been outselling the PS3 for some time and may reflect the mass-appeal, mass-market approach that Nintendo have taken against the high-spec, tech-savy strategy from Sony.

Opera Browser Now Available

2006-12-27T14:56:00.000Z

The Opera browser is now available to download onto your Wii console.

The commentry we've found is:
"Opera on Wii adds a new dimension and functionality to a video game console system. It is a unique Web experience that everyone can use, and the Intelligent Zoom feature allows consumers to read Web content on the TV from the comfort of their couch," said Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America. "Whether surfing the Web or playing a Wii game, users of all kinds will find fun, new experiences with Wii."

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver our browser to Wii and let the world see what Opera is capable of on a game console," said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. "Wii users will enjoy navigating the Web with the flick of the Wii Remote while viewing their favorite content with ease from the TV screen. We are proud of our product and are working hard to make the final version of Opera as revolutionary as the Wii itself."

Features:
- Intelligent Zoom: Opera unleashes its new Intelligent Zoom technology for the first time on the Wii. Point the Wii Remote at an object on the page and zoom in on that object with the + button. Once zoomed in, the Wii Remote allows you to pan around the page while remaining in zoom mode.
- Scrolling with the Wii Remote: By pointing the Wii Remote at the TV and pressing the B button, Wii users can simply move the Wii Remote up or down to scroll a page.
- Favorites: Pick your favorite page and select the star button from the user interface to add it as a favorite. Once in your favorites, edit, rename or delete your current selections.
- Single column mode: To view the Web page in new way, select single column mode to get your content stacked. This mode is similar to Opera's Small Screen Rendering technology for mobile phones and other small screen devices, and is useful when viewing content from a distance.

- On-screen keyboard: Input text with the on-screen keyboard by pointing your Wii Remote to select the letter. Wii has a predictive text feature to auto-complete words and URLs.
- View AJAX-based applications: Sites such as maps.google.com work on Wii, as Opera offers full support for AJAX-based applications in its browser for Wii.
- Flash-enabled: View Flash content on the Web, including popular sites with video content.

The My Opera community has launched a splash page for users accessing this site from Wii. My Opera for Wii will feature gaming news provided by Gamespot, spotlight My Opera gaming enthusiasts and groups, as well as provide links to forums about gaming and Nintendo products. This page is only accessible from Wii.

Nintendo is currently offering a free trial of Opera for Wii which is now available for download. The release of the final version of the Opera browser for Wii is currently scheduled for late March 2007. Opera for Wii will remain a free download until June 30, 2007. After June 30, Opera will be available for download from the Wii Shop Channel for 500 Wii points. Users who download Opera before June 30, 2007, can continue to use the browser at no cost for the lifetime of the Wii system.

Opera said it supports Nintendo's connected strategy:
- Nintendo is expanding its audience beyond hardcore gamers and incorporating a Web browser is a part of this strategy.
- Adding the Opera browser is a natural fit to the Wii console, as the device is always on, always connected and delivers a dynamic user experience.
- Opera has delivered a unique Web experience to Wii that makes use of the Wii Remote when navigating the Web. The result is a browsing experience that is intuitive, easy to use and will be natural for any aged Web user.

Wii More Popular than PS3

2006-12-27T14:24:00.000Z

The Guardian is reporting that people are trading in their PS3 and swaping them for Nintendo Wii Consoles.

For their relative costs this is very interesting. Is this soley down to the marketing for the Wii's or is it due to the relative functionality and has the Wii Console given gamers exactly what they're looking for?

New Virtual Games Added

2006-12-18T20:46:00.000Z

News reaches us from N-Philes that Nintendo have added 3 games to their download shop for the Wii Console. I can't wait to play some of these classics on the Wii, but I've got to get over the RSI I seem to have developed!

The report has it that you can now play:

Tennis -NES (500 Points)
Space Harrier II - Sega Gensis (800 Points)
Military Madness - TurboGrafx16 (600 Points)

BBC Warning

2006-12-15T10:00:00.000Z

The good 'ole Beeb, like most media love bashing something successful and that's what it looks like they're doing with the Wii.

They've a page about how we've got to return the straps on the Wii Remote because some have had the "the wrist straps breaking during use, leading to the controller slipping out of hands, smashing TVs and windows."

The important part, however, is:

Nintendo said the straps do not present a problem if used correctly, but will
still replace all broken ones for free.

Basically, you have to use them properly, but the nice guys at Nintendo are covering people that can't read the multitude of warning screens and the instructions.

Related News: The Times

Usefull Wii Console Sites

2006-12-09T18:37:00.000Z

Here we're going to list some sites we think you may find interesting:

Koplett is one we haven't featured before and its well worth looking at.

Amazon Sold Out in 90 Seconds or so!

2006-12-08T15:20:00.000Z

We managed to get another console that we'll ever save for our next competition winner or we may have to give to family as a birthday present.

But I was shocked by how quickly Amazon sold out of this batch! simply unberlievable!

The following item will arrive after 25 Dec 2006.

1 of: Nintendo
Wii Console (Includes Wii Sports) [Video Game]
£179.99
Sold by:
Amazon.co.uk
- 1 item(s) Gift options: None

Let's hope they get more stock in soon!

It's here and I'm knackered

2006-12-08T13:52:00.000Z

Having finally taken delivery of a nice spanking new Nintendo Wii Console and played the backside off it for a couple of hours, I can safely say it's the best form of excercise since ...

Parents around the country should be getting their kids one for Christmas! They're fantastic for getting the heart racing but some of the instructions will make you laugh!

Just before you play two player boxing a message comes on the screen and says: "make sure no-one is around you". You're having a laugh! How are two people going to play the game and not be in the same room!

Anyways, Wii Sports is a great way to get used to the Wii Remote. Just a little tip though: be gentle. I was smashing the ball left, right and centre playing golf. I was also completely missing the ball in baseball and failing to strike out in bowling! Time for something a bit more sedate I feel!

Happy gaming!

Call of Duty 3 Game Review

2006-12-04T22:47:00.000Z

I just love war games. I must have been one in a former life. And Call of Duty 3 ticks all the boxes I need. If this game doesn’t get your juices flowing and pulse racing I don’t know what will – especially now you’ve got the Wii Remote with it’s affect on game-play and micro speakers in-built.

I’m looking forward to the day when they develop a Wii Riffle to use in these games as the Wii Remote just is too small and unlike a real heavy shooter.

The Wii does take these games to a new level as you’re forced to use a combination of controller and Nunchuck to defend yourself in hand-to-hand combat. And when you consider that Call of Duty 3 is set in the period just after the taking of the Normandy beaches where the Allied troops started their real push and over 200,000 allied soldiers loose your lives you will soon realise that this period was a real “pant-filling” one – and Trayarch and Activision have done a good job of bringing that realism and fear to the game. It’s a real shocker of a game.

If you had to ask a real man what he’d buy on Wii Launch day, I’d expect he’d say “Call of Duty 3”! But there is a downside, there’s no multiplayer mode.

Buy Call of Duty 3
HMV - £34.99 Save £5
Amazon - £34.99 Save a fiver.

What you need:
Wii Remote
Nunchuck
No mates
Hairy chest
A dislike for everything German.

Wii Console review:
Script – 8/10
Game play 8/10

Watch it!

The Legend of Zelda – Twilight Princess Game Review

2006-12-04T22:30:00.000Z

The game synopsis is pretty much the same as the other Zelda games. Link is sent on a mission to save two children from a Moblin attack, he’s pulled into the Twilight Realm and then transformed by a sprite into a wolf. One particular mate of mine would, on reading this summary say, “what are you on drugs”. But nope, in Nintendoland “anything goes”.

It’s a pretty big departure from previous Zelda games so it means that even Zelda-pros will find the Twilight Princess refreshing. It may be a bit slow to start with the tutorials and the initial few minutes but with the “Twilight Incident” things really start to get going.

From that moment, Link finds himself in a wolf-like form in a dungeon of the Hyrule Castle but now he’s got extra powers of perception which enable him to see features that he couldn’t before. With this the scenery and eariness really starts to raise the hairs on te back of your kneck.

Without ruining the story, you’re kept on your toes and kept thinking all the way through and even combines a nice little bit of Dr Doolittle (wait and see).

This summary is exactly that, there’s so much to see and do that no-one person could give a comprehensive review. Even the official Nintendo magazine admitted that they couldn’t do a full write-up.

Most of the time you’ll be using the Wii Remote in the conventional way – with the analogue stick, but there does come times when you’ll be entering the 21st century. Many of us have sent the YouTube videos of Link fishing. But there’s also the time when you’re in the gully by Death Mountain when you’ve got to fire your arrows at a bunch of Moblins.

So some may have said that Zelda is the game of the century, and who are we to argue? It looks an awesome game and will keep you locked away until Santa and his little helpers reappear.

Buy The Legend of Zelda
HMV - £34.99 Save £5
Amazon - £34.99 Save a fiver.

What you need:
Time
Real-light bulbs
Kebab house number
Pro-plus
Wii Remote
Nunchuck

Wii Console Rating:
Script – 9/10
Game play – 9/10

Watch it!

Red Steel - Game Review

2006-12-04T15:37:00.000Z

Two words for Red Steel: “Simply Awesome”. The pre-launch version of Red Steel apparently had a few glitches that hampered the game-play. But we’re glad to say that Ubisoft have ironed out those issues magnificently.

The premise of the game is that you in a restaurant with your wife-to-be and her dad when she’s kidnapped. It turns out the old geezer is player in the Tokyo mafia.

So you’ve got to learn to fight Japanese-style. But there’s and interesting twist – to win respect you have to fight with honour, this means that you don’t kill your opposition. I suppose that’s why some games are called “Beat ‘m up” and not a “kill ‘m all”. But Red Steel is a great FPS.

This game looks so great that you should really get it from the “get go”. Again you’ll need loads of space for it. A good idea would be to push the sofas back, have a quick look at some old time kung-fu movies and load the bad boy up.

When you play a game like Halo, you’re not always sure of where you’re sopposed to be going. But with Red Steel there’s no confusion – it’s a bit of a linear game. But the Official Nintendo Magazine still reports that its “One of the most enjoyable, action-packed and immersive games available on the Wii”.

You’re going to have to be good to make the most of the game. You’ll need to get used to the controls and work out what you’re capable of before you get your sword out and get to grips with the opposition.

To attack them you can lock-on using the “A” button. But you can also lock-on and then hide behind an object and then pounce out and attack – they’ve really thought of how to make the game enjoyable.

Red Steel isn’t a one dimensional game. They’ve really tried to make the enemy “clever” and have a modicum of realism. When they sense you’ve run out of ammo they’ll come for you big time – which means that you should make sure that you’ve got a secondary weapon close to hand so you can slay them.

But that’s the gun play – I’m intrigued with the sword-fighting. Simply use the Nunchuck to deflect their attacking blow and the Wii Remote to sythe them down.

But what of the criticisms? Are their any? Well yes. If you’re a parent you shouldn’t get Red Steel for little Jimmy – it’s far too violent and if you’re offended by bad language then don’t get it either.

Also some of the voice-overs are terrible as with some of the dialogue. But if you’re immersed in the game you shouldn’t really let it affect you.

The multi-player modes are pretty fascinating too. You’ve got the typical death-matches and the variation where your control rings and then you get a “Deal or No Deal” moment where you have to listen to it to be given a secret mission.

What you’ll need:
Wii Remote
Wii Nunchuck

Wii Console Rating:
Script – 7/10
Game Play – 8/10

Buy from:
Amazon - £34.99
HMV - £34.99

Watch It!