According to Nintendo gloat data, the Wii was responsible for 49% of all console sales, the DS claiming 73% of all handheld sales in July.

Unfortunately, Nintendo of America EVP of Sales & Marketing Cammie Dunaway was rather low key with her quoted statement, saying “Various types of games for the Nintendo systems are represented in the top 10, demonstrating how we continue to break down the barriers between veteran and new players.” Adequate, but please punch it up for August, Cammie. Please?

NPD Data Shows Nintendo’s Summer of Fun Isn’t Done

Nintendo products kept people entertained in July, whether they wanted to get fit, rock out or just play around. According to the independent NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States, Nintendo DS™ and Wii™ again claimed the top two hardware spots for July, with more than 608,000 DS units and more than 555,000 Wii units sold. Wii claimed a 49 percent share of all console sales in July, and extended its lead as the best-selling console of this generation. Nintendo DS represented a 73 percent share of hand-held sales in July.

Five games made for Nintendo systems placed in the top 10 best-selling games of the month, including Wii Fit™, with 369,603 units sold at No. 2; Guitar Hero®: On Tour for Nintendo DS, with 309,695 units sold at No. 3; Wii Play™, with 284,035 units sold at No. 4; Mario Kart® Wii, with 174,464 units sold at No. 7; and Rock Band for Wii, with 162,886 units sold at No. 8.

“Great hardware goes hand-in-hand with great software,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Various types of games for the Nintendo systems are represented in the top 10, demonstrating how we continue to break down the barriers between veteran and new players.”

I thought it was weird Nintendo would go with that. I thought it sounded really gimmicky and too cutesy.

Now when he meets people, Wii says, "My name is Wii. I'm the original." And while he got pee-pee jokes as a kid, friends now ask him: "Oh, Wii, are you going to go home to play with yourself?" Oh, the hilarity.

A Man Named Wii Describes How Nintendo's Game Console Changed His Life [MTV News]

We are contemplating versions of one or two of the CEI titles you've mentioned on the Wii (not saying which), but we'd like to see how they do on their initial target systems before doubling down on additional SKUs.

CEI (referring to "Capcom USA") developed titles include Street Fighter IV and Flock. Upcoming CEI titles include Age of Booty and Dark Void. Let the speculation begin!

Thread [Capcom via Shack News]

Nintendo has been far too busy printing money and dreaming up strange new controllers to actually finish that DVD-on-Wii thing it has been promising for the last couple of years.

Happily, the homebrew community has stepped up and put together a Wii channel that will read a DVD disc and pipe it through the open source MPlayer media player.

It's not quite ready for prime time — the audio can sometimes get out of sync, although this is more a 'feature' of MPlayer than the fault of the hack, we suspect. Worth checking out, though, and it might just save Nintendo the bother of building something that nobody has really been crying out for but would be nice to have for free.

Homebrew Enables DVD Playback On Wii [Gemaga.com]

Search Engine [Industrial Property Digital Library via Siliconera] [Pic]

We couldn't get it approved for the Virtual Console...I can't say why. I can just say that we tried to get it to work.

Is it the Nazi thing? The exploding head thing? Who knows, could have been both, could be neither!

Capcom's Ben Judd Interview [1UP]

Capcom Details Dead Rising Wii Controls [IGN]

A number of variables can affect a game’s release date. Therefore, the Wii-kly Update is the only authority for confirmed release dates of Virtual Console games.

Thanks for the surprise! Here's a hint: when the publishers themselves announce a release date, and you go and yank it, it's not a surprise. It's a disappointment.

Nintendo releases statement concerning Virtual Console release dates [Go Nintendo]

On the WiiWare side of things we have Wild West Guns (1,000 Points), the eagerly anticipated shooting gallery title from Gameloft. That is, Gameloft eagerly anticipated releasing it, and here it is. Good going, Gameloft! You show those non-believers that WiiWare isn't synonymous with ShovelWare!

Wii-kly Update

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

The list of available games for Wii™ owners just keeps on growing as we add another trio of titles to the Wii™ Shop Channel. This week’s lineup features Old West thrills, supernatural chills and a little blue hedgehog whose name you’re sure to recognize. Thanks to Nintendo’s WiiWare™ downloadable game service and the classic-filled Virtual Console™, building your own blockbuster video game library has never been easier.

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

Wild West Guns (Gameloft, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen—Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Draw your revolver to see if you’re the fastest gun in the West. Adjust your speed and precision as targets or enemies appear in front of you. Point and shoot to earn more points. You can aim at anything, so be sure to explore the environment for elements that will earn you more shooting points. Identify your enemies among the characters you encounter, but don’t shoot at innocent citizens. Take part in an Old West-style train attack, or challenge your skills in a variety of increasingly difficult shooting challenges in other beautiful, classic and lively Western environments. As you progress through challenges, you’ll earn medals and rewards, making for nonstop, addictive action. Play in a two-player multiplayer mode where you and your partner can combine points, or play against each other to find out who’s the fastest gun in the West.

Virtual Console

Sonic The Hedgehog™ (Sega Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Based on the original Sega Genesis version, Sonic The Hedgehog was re-created as the first Sonic game for the Sega Master System. Not just a straight port, this version includes new stages, bosses, some different zones and a level map. The most noticeable difference, however, is that the Chaos Emeralds have to be found within certain stages other than the Special Stages. Dash through six Zones (including special zones that were only available for the Sega Master System version) and face Dr. Eggman (a.k.a. Dr. Robotnik) at the end of every Zone.

SPLATTERHOUSE™ 2 (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated M for Mature—Blood and Gore, Violence, 800 Wii Points): SPLATTERHOUSE 2 is the sequel to SPLATTERHOUSE, released only on the Sega Genesis. A few months after escaping from the first mansion in SPLATTERHOUSE, the main character, Rick, once again encounters the Terror Mask and must use its powers to rescue his beloved Jennifer. Rick will need to punch, slash, smash and even chainsaw his way through a haunted mansion against unspeakable horrors and terrifying bosses to make it out alive.

I think the reality is that we will win hands-down if we convert the PS2 owners to PS3. When we look at the total available market, we salivate at the notion of converting our existing PS2 universe.

Every million units we drop into the PS2 is an annuity that's going to pay out later on for PS3 upgrades, and we've got some interesting ideas on how to reach out to those PS2 owners in the US and convert them up.

But I think the notion of that controller is a non-trivial point that you've brought up, that control and that familiarity is like comfort food — from my perspective, we lead, we don't follow. And as a brand, Nintendo's got their thing, and we're not trying to get the senior citizen group to get into gaming, we're looking to convert the PS2 owners and the tens of millions of installed base that were playing DVDs and playing games on their PS2, to now play Blu-ray movies and Blu-ray games with their PS3.

Hit the jump for more, including the always thrilling "ten year life cycle" line.

We would look at technology that helped enable that, as oppose to trying to iterate or be derivative off of somebody else's vision. Ten years — it goes back to our mantra of ten years. Technology that's associated with the PlayStation has to have future-proof qualities to it. I think that we're seeing, graphically, PS3 games starting to create some distance and some of the other competitors are going to feel that they're getting long in the tooth, looking quite dated, because they haven't created that ten-year vision from a horsepower standpoint.

So we're all about looking at ways to keep that bar high, and from a peripheral standpoint the Blu-ray remote helps people get in and out of their digital media, but we'd never consider iterating off of existing competitive technology — because we think that's a fad and that's not the way we approach product development. It's not the way we approach the marketing or the branding of PlayStation.

You know, if they knew the PS3 was going to be a ten-year product, I kinda wish they would've designed the outer case as a dust magnet. That wasn't very forward thinking!

Scott Steinberg - Part Two [GamesIndustry]

"One of the problems we’ve had over the years is we had no method to teach surgeons surgical skills without going into surgery," said Dr. Mark Smith, a co-developer and a gynecological surgeon at Banner Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix. "We now have simulators that help them develop those skills. The problem is they are incredibly expensive — like a flight simulator for a pilot. This gives us a much less costly way to train these fine motor skills that the surgeons employ during surgery."

WABC-TV in New York did a story on the Wii simulator, which includes video. News8 Austin, a Time-Warner cable news channel, also features a Q&A with Dr. Smith on its site (where we got the pic).

Nintendo Wii Improves Skills, Trains Surgeons [News8 Austin]
Surgeons Use Wii to Hone Skills [WABC-TV}

The "core" may still be hanging its head, waking up in cold sweats to the sound of Wii Music clanging through their heads, but that doesn't mean Nintendo isn't doing spectacularly on the financial side.

Pachter figures that the Big N will pull in some $3.9 billion for the quarter, adding up to a $17.7 billion take for the entire year. If Nintendo has indeed abandoned the core, who could blame 'em? That's "fuck you" money, right there.

Pachter: Nintendo To Report $3.91b In Q1 Sales, Hasn't Abandoned Core [Gamasutra]

Here is a rare, limited, unopened Nintendo Wii Fit signed by the viral video celebrity 'Wii Fit Girl'.At a recent visit to EB Games here in Miami, I unexpectedly recognized and approached her and asked if she would kindly sign my Wii Fit. She was extremely friendly and had no problem signing it.

Wow. That's great. This online retailer just happened to recognize The Wii Fit Girl who just happened to be a his local Miami EB Games. That's amazing, because we're pretty sure the last thing The Wii Fit Girl is recognized for is her pearly smile.

Hit the jump to re-see (but not unsee) what made this marketing lady famous.

Bids Start At $160 [eBay via Hawty McBloggy]

Leading the list, unsurprisingly, is Jumper, whose own trailer made it look like a pile of self-regarding dung. So a game adaptation, that'd be like dining on the turd of a turd. Others include Cruis'n, Orbs of Doom, Kawasaki Jet Ski, Monster Trux Arenas, Action Girlz Racing, Myth Makers Super Kart GP and Kidz Sports Ice Hockey. They're all designed to fool clueless aunts and relatives into thinking that's the cool game all the kids want, and giving it to you for your birthday, a development strategy pioneered strategy by Hollywood.

"There are plenty of more worthwhile things to push your finger against. Rusty thumb tacks, for example," Ngamer writes. Quite.

Scatfest 2008 [NGamer]

Said Miyamoto:

"Making these 'traditional' games is what I am best at. Because games of that nature take upwards of two or three years to make, we always have to keep the teams working on those projects going. At any given time, the team could be five to ten people, or it could be 50-plus. People are always switching in and out of those teams.

"They are all working on more Mario, Zelda and Pikmin projects," he said. "And they all work in close proximity to me, so I can keep a good eye on them."

Could it be that all this time, Nintendo has been quietly working on traditional Nintendo titles? That in fact, they've been working all along on their core franchises?

Shigeru Miyamoto: The man behind the Nintendo Wii [Telegraph]

「Wii Music」発売日は10月16日に決定 [IT Media]

Quick show of hands: Who's interested in picking up Wii Music? Who's keen for new strap colors?

Wii Music 発売日決定 [Rambling Man via Jonnyram@GAF] [Pic]

Analyst Michael Pachter told Kotaku a few months ago to expect supply constraints for Wii this season, and speaking to Forbes, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata seems pretty certain himself that's how it'll go down, again:

"We are really intending to increase the shipments to the U.S., especially compared to last year," says Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's global president and CEO. "However, I can't give you a 100% commitment [that you'll be able to find a Wii this holiday season]. What I can commit myself to is that Nintendo is going to do its best to supply as many Wii hardware units as possible in order to meet demand there."

A Wii Bit Short On Supplies [worst pun ever, Forbes!]

Digital Camera Print Channel [Nintendo via Go Nintendo]

Nintendo's corporate affairs VP Denise Kaigler confirmed to us earlier this week that the Wii Sports sequel is currently the only game that's confirmed to take advantage of the new sensor, but... what if? What if, say, Mario Teaches Sniping is coming down the line and requires the add-on? Will Nintendo release an updated Wii Remote, one integrated with the MotionPlus tech built-in?

Katsuya Eguchi, producer of Wii Sports Resort and MotionPlus subject matter expert, says the company is currently thinking about integrating it into the current remote.

"We're always looking at how hardware will evolve," Eguchi noted, adding that it's too early to confirm anything about a new standard Wii Remote. There's a possibility that MotionPlus may simply remain an attachment only and that it may be used with limited software.

Talking to Nintendo employees after the Nintendo Developer Roundtable, we expressed our concerns that the MotionPlus would fragment the user base, that it may be leading to an overcomplication of the inherently easy Wii Remote. We were told that the MotionPlus accessory may be packed in with more than just Wii Sports Resort to prevent that sort of split between users.

Addressing other concerns that the Wii MotionPlus might lead to more difficult games, ones that require increased precision, Eguchi said that his teams "are very aware of this issue and we're keeping this in our thoughts during our development."

That said, Eguchi noted that "We want a gaming experience where [the player feels] 'the more you bite, the more flavor you get'."

One question asked of Miyamoto was Wii Music's qualifications as a game. You know, a game game. Since Wii Music has no discernible scoring system, no goals and little in the way of those squishy innards that makes a game a "game," isn't it just a "musical toy"? That was the question posed by one European journo.

"Yes, that's right," Miyamoto curtly replied "And that's why it's more interesting than a video game."

That will, of course, be debatable to the Wii owning masses, especially those who bemoaned the lack of games that appeal to them. The Marios, the Zeldas, the Metroids, the... Kid Icari.

Whatever Wii Music is, it's better than what the gaming public saw at Nintendo's E3 2008 media briefing. The cacophonous display of a DJ Ravi Drums waggling and stomping like a madman, followed by a ear splitting executive performance didn't win over many of the folks we talked to at E3.

But the more mellow demo, minus the on stage fanfare made Wii Music seem much more interesting.

Like many gamers, I've yet to go personally hands on with Wii Music. The available melodic and percussive options — from guitar to steel drums to vibraphone to harpsichord to toy piano to singer to tuba to dog suit — may make rearranging the Super Mario Bros. them fun. Plus, your Mii can beat box. That's like hours of fun right there. All those options might not make it a game, but there's at least one person who doesn't see anything wrong with that.

Miyamoto said that he sees Wii Music as a viable educational tool, saying that "I really think that half of an elementary music school could be dedicated to this." His intention, it seems, isn't to court those already on board with Rock Band or Guitar Hero, but, literally, everyone else.

The famed Nintendo developer said "I'm hoping that through Wii Music, we'll get more drummers, more musicians and more people interested in music."

Update: The original quote, that Miyamoto said Wii music was "better than a video game" was incorrect. His correct quote was the Wii Music is "more interesting than a video game."

InvenSense™ IDG-600 Motion Sensing Solution Showcased in Nintendo’S New Wii MotionPlus Accessory

World’s Leading Multi-axis MEMS Rate Gyroscope Enhances Performance of Latest “Wii MotionPlus” Accessory

SUNNYVALE, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—InvenSense Inc., a leading provider of MEMS-based motion sensing solutions for image stabilization, dead reckoning navigation, 3D remote control, and gaming devices, today announced that its IDG-600 multi-axis MEMS rate gyroscope has started shipping in mass production quantities to Nintendo for its Wii MotionPlus accessory. Gesture based interfaces are quickly becoming the standard for many feature-rich consumer electronic products. Utilizing InvenSense’s unique motion sensing capabilities, customers of the new generation of Wii MotionPlus controllers will enjoy an immersive gaming experience with motion control never before possible in a video game. The Wii MotionPlus accessory attaches to the end of the Wii Remote and, combined with the accelerometer and the sensor bar, allows for more comprehensive tracking of a player's arm position and orientation. In the new Wii Sports Resort product from Nintendo, for example, the ability to throw a disc through the air and control the angle of flight is now possible.

Conventional MEMS gyroscopes, which are the key enabling technology that can sense absolute rotational motion inputs, are typically used in commercial automotive electronic stability control and GPS applications, where their larger size, high power consumption and costs are accommodated. InvenSense has introduced an entirely new class of high performance silicon-based MEMS rate gyroscopes that offers smaller package sizes, lower power consumption, and lower price points suitable for consumer markets. The addition of InvenSense’s multi-axis rate gyroscope solution to the Wii MotionPlus accessory allows high precision 3D tracking of rapid gaming gestures.

“The popularity of Wii in large part is based on its popular motion sensing interface and InvenSense’s MEMS rate gyroscope represents a truly disruptive technology that possesses inherent manufacturing and high performance advantages that drives the need for a new generation of Wii Remote,” said Genyo Takeda, General Manager of Nintendo’s Integrated Research and Development Division. “Nintendo selected the IDG-600 for its ability to measure large dynamic motions, high shock resistance, and accuracy for sensing the fast moving arm and hand motions required to support exciting new game titles.”

MEMS offers miniaturized sensing solutions to meet the ideal performance, size and cost requirements of consumer applications. A key advantage of MEMS technology, as compared to its quartz and piezo-ceramic counterparts, is its ability to incorporate 3D mechanical features directly into single crystal silicon substrates while easily and cost effectively integrating it with CMOS electronics. InvenSense pioneered its patented manufacturing platform, known as Nasiri-Fabrication, which enabled the company to bring the world’s first and smallest integrated multi-axis gyroscopes to consumer products. Using Nasiri-Fabrication allows for the integration of MEMS and CMOS structures at the wafer level with a proprietary bonding technology resulting in several thousand gyroscopes simultaneously produced on a single wafer.

“We are honored to be selected as a strategic supplier by Nintendo, the leader in consumer gaming, and provide them with the solution that met their needs,” said Steven Nasiri, founder and CEO of InvenSense. “This accomplishment is credited to our highly innovative team here at InvenSense. We will continue our development efforts to bring about leading edge motion sensing solutions with an even higher level of integration, improved cost and performance, and added functionality to address the huge demand for motion-enabled gesture recognition.”

For more information on InvenSense motion sensing solutions, visit http://www.invensense.com

About InvenSense

InvenSense is the leading provider of motion sensing solutions for mobile applications, with proven technology and millions of units shipped to major OEMs worldwide. The company’s patented motion sensing technology and it novel Nasiri-Fabrication addresses many emerging mass-market applications such as gaming, image stabilization, and smart user interfaces that use hand motion and gesture-based commands for mobile applications, such as, smart phones, digital cameras, 3D remote control devices and more. InvenSense’s corporate offices are located in Sunnyvale, Calif. More information can be found at http://www.invensense.com

InvenSense, IDG-600 and the InvenSense logo are trademarks of InvenSense

Wii and Wii Remote are trademarks of Nintendo

[via Gizmodo]

The last thing the world needs is another set of plastic musical instruments cluttering our collective living room. Nintendo knows this, and their answer to music hungry fans is Wii Music, a game all about jamming and enjoying playing with your friends. There's no competition, no rhythm, and no timing.

"This game is one of the titles we started designing around Wii Sports, Wii Play and Wii Fit" said Miyamoto, who had appeared on stage during the game's introduction, playing the sax. "We designed Wii Music to allow everyone the joy of performing music."

Details are still forthcoming, but we know that around 50 different instruments will be playable, from traditional Japanese drums with balance board support for drum kits, standing bass, violins...a virtual symphony. The game even features drum lessons for the rhythmically challneged.

The game supports four players, and can not only evaluate your performance, but also record videos of your performance to share with your friends.

Nice! all the fun of a Rock Band game without making you look like too much of a tool for failing.

At E3, Nintendo announced its first title that would make use of the new precision-enhancing add-ons for the Wii remote — it's called Wii Sports Resort, and Nintendo's Cammie Dunaway said it was "literally a day at the beach."

They demonstrated water-skiing and disc dog minigames — that's Frisbee with a pooch. Dunaway demonstrated that when she rotated her wrist, the movement is mimicked in the game in real-time thanks to the Motion Plus addition. Meanwhile, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime played with the jet ski by "revving" the engine with a turn of his wrist.

They also chopped wood with their hands karate-style, and fought one another.

"It's kinda cute," said Fils-Aime.

At E3, Nintendo revealed Wii Speak, which appears to bring voice chat to the Wii via a speaker and microphone that go on top of the sensor bar.

It acts as a "community microphone" that lets everyone talk in a room, and users can also post messages to friends' cell phones and message boards. It was demonstrated alongside the new Animal Crossing: City Folk for Wii.

We'll bring you more info as it becomes available.

We expect Nintendo to divulge more at its E3 press conference tomorrow.

NINTENDO INTRODUCES THE WII™ MOTIONPLUS
July 14, 2008
Nintendo's upcoming Wii™ MotionPlus accessory for the revolutionary Wii Remote™ controller again redefines game control, by more quickly and accurately reflecting motions in a 3-D space. The Wii MotionPlus accessory attaches to the end of the Wii Remote and, combined with the accelerometer and the sensor bar, allows for more comprehensive tracking of a player's arm position and orientation, providing players with an unmatched level of precision and immersion. Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play. The Wii MotionPlus accessory reconfirms Nintendo's commitment to making games intuitive and accessible for everyone. Nintendo will reveal more details about the Wii MotionPlus accessory and other topics Tuesday morning at its E3 media briefing.

I've played a Nintendo Wii. I don't see it as a competitor. It's more of an expensive niche game device. We're selling a lot of PlayStation 3s now and it's still the best way to buy a Blu-ray player.

I've heard the Wii called a lot of things over the past two years, but "expensive niche game device" is definitely a new one. Well done, Howard!

Sony's PlayStation 3 Gaining Ground on Xbox With Games, Blu-Ray [Bloomberg] [Pic]

The coming week will be completely dominated by E3 coverage. Come to think of it, the previous week was completely dominated by pre-E3 coverage. After the jump we've compiled a scene-setter of sorts, aggregating together all the lineups announced, so you know some of what to look for in the coming onslaught of copy.

Kotaku's crack staff on the scene will be Brian Crecente, Michael McWhertor, Brian Ashcraft, Mike Fahey, Leigh Alexander, and Adam Barenblat. They're going to be very busy.

Console Roundups:
Sony
Microsoft
Nintendo

Developer/Publisher Lineups

2K Games
• BioShock
• Borderlands
• NBA 2K9
• NHL 2K9
• Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization

Capcom:
• Street Fighter IV
• Resident Evil 5
• Dark Void
• Bionic Commando
• Mega Man 9
• MotoGP '08
• Neopets Puzzle Adventure
• Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
• Bionic Commando Rearmed
• Flock (XBLA, PSN)
• New games from Capcom Interactive

D3Publisher
• Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers
• NARUTO: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2
• Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
• BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE The Game
• NARUTO: Path of the Ninja 2
• Bangai-O Spirits
• Shaun the Sheep

Electronic Arts
• Dead Space
• FaceBreaker
• Hasbro Family Game Night
• Littlest Pet Shop
• Madden NFL 09
• Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
• Mirror’s Edge
• iPhone/iPod Touch Games from EA Mobile
• The Sims 2 Apartment Pets
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 for the PSP
• Zubo
• MySims (PC)
• MySims Kingdom (Wii, DS)
• Spore
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09
• Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
• Command & Conquer Red Alert 3
• Crysis Warhead
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
• SimCity Creator (Wii)
• NBA Live 09
• NCAA® Football 09
• Skate It
• Rock Band™ 2
• Left 4 Dead

Majesco
• Major Minor's Majestic March
• Cooking Mama World Kitchen
• Our House
• Zoo Hospital
• AWAY Shuffle Dungeon
• Wonder World Amusement Park
• Babysitting Mania
• Marker Man Adventures

Marvelous and XSEED
• Avalon Code (DS)
• Rune Factory: Frontier (Wii)
• Little King's Story (Wii)
• Valhalla Knights 2 (PSP)
• Populous (DS)
• KORG DS-10 (DS)
• Retro Game Challenge

Midway
• Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
• Wheelman
• TNA iMPACT!
• Blitz the League II
• This is Vegas
• Unreal Tournament 3
• Game Party 2
• Touchmaster 2
• Mechanic Master
• MidwayArcade.com

Southpeak
• Big Bang Mini
• Brave: A Warriors Tale
• Brave: Shaman’s Challenge
• Igor The Game (Windows PC, Wii & Nintendo DS – September 2008)
• Monster Madness: Grave Danger
• Ninjatown
• Raven Squad
• X-Blades

Square Enix
• The Last Remnant
• Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes
• Chrono Trigger
• Dragon Quest: Chapters of the Chosen
• Final Fantasy IV (DS)
• Star Ocean: First Departure
• Star Ocean: Second Evolution
• Infinite Undiscovery
• Star Ocean: The Last Hope
• Exit DS
• The Legend of Kage 2

Tecmo:
• Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff (DS)
• Robocalypse (DS)
• Spray (Wii)

Hit the jump for the clip. It's NSFW and there is man ass. You've been warned.

The most frightening Wii Fit Hula Hoop video ever [Balance Board Blog]

While it may look like a snazzy Wavebird-style controller shell, what we think we're seeing is merely the original patent for the Wii Classic Controller. That device thankfully dropped the need for multiple controller shells — others in the style of SNES and NES pads are also in the patent — and kept the Wii Remote tethered to the controller by a cord, not slotted in as seen above.

Feel free to poke around the patent, linked below, for drawings of Wii controller patents that you can color and make your own!

Game Controller Device [USPTO - thanks, Jim!]

Nintendo is promising, however, that it hasn't abandoned the core, while Nintendo prez Reggie Fils-Aime coyly suggested back in April that gamers will have plenty to be delighted about this year. He talked about "maximizing our key franchises," and hinted at "a big game for the holiday that the gamers will want." That the title in question is Animal Crossing Wii has all but been confirmed.

Thus far, Nintendo's been mysterious, with only Mario Super Sluggers and Wario Land: Shake It! announced for Wii, and Kirby Super Star Ultra and seek-and-solve title Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir confirmed for DS.

And what about the hardware? Hit the jump for more on Nintendo at E3 this year.

Given Nintendo's investment in Wii Ware, it's rational for gamers to hope for a new storage device of some sort for Wii. But the company has repeatedly appeared to deprioritize the issue, with Nintendo of Europe managing director Laurent Fischer somewhat famously stating that "geeks and otaku" were the only ones who'd want such a thing (he later apologized).

When we recently asked a Nintendo of America rep for an update on the issue, he said, "I can tell you that if you need more space, you can just delete downloaded games that you have not played for a while. If you want to play them in the future, you can re-download them again for free. And SD cards also can be used to store content." So, storage device? Seems unlikely.

Product-cycle aficionados eyeing the life cycle and sales patterns of the DS have suggested the time might be right for a DS redesign, and Nintendo's placid pre-E3 quietude (relative to some of its industry peers) just might be explained by the fact they have such a big reveal under wraps. But not so much as a peep on that front has been forthcoming, and Nintendo has been quick to dismiss any rumors that crop up, like when a widescreen DS concept design seemed to pop up in a Disgaea ad.

Meanwhile, Rhythm Tengoku Gold for DS hits July 31 in Japan, and a US release date has yet to be announced. In the April interview, Fils-Aime sidestepped questions about the Wii music game announced at E3 2006, now tentatively titled, sensibly, Wii Music — although given the current band-game craze, the timing might be right. Fils-Aime has also been mum on a Donkey Kong for Wii.

Nintendo recently said that a Kirby for Wii is still on track for 2008, while at last report, previously-announced Monolith Soft Wii project Disaster: Day Of Crisis was "delayed indefinitely."

So here are the only E3 titles we know for sure:

NINTENDO'S WARIO, KIRBY BRING THE FUN; SLEUTHS GET A NEW MYSTERY CASE FILES GAME

New Experiences on the Way for Wii and Nintendo DS

REDMOND, Wash., June 25, 2008 – While the game world awaits the E3 Media & Business Summit in Los Angeles next month, Nintendo isn't waiting to announce new titles for its mushrooming libraries for the Wii™ console and Nintendo DS™. Classic Nintendo characters like bad-boy Wario™ and pink powerhouse Kirby® will star in their own platform games. A new Mystery Case Files™ game brings the best-selling Big Fish Games franchise to Nintendo DS for the first time. These games join the recently announced Mario™ Super Sluggers baseball game for the Wii console.

"Nintendo's game libraries continue to grow at a rapid pace," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "Wario stars in a great new platformer, Kirby enthusiasts get an updated version of a fan favorite, there's a new mystery for Mystery Case Files aficionados and baseball gets a few new Mario-style twists."

Wario Land™: Shake It!, a classic side-scroller for the Wii console launching Sept. 29, stars Wario, the smelly, bad-mannered alter ego of Mario™. With the Wii Remote™ controller turned sideways like an old-school controller, veterans and newcomers alike can run, jump and smash their way through hectic side-scrolling stages. Players shake the Wii Remote to help Wario take down his enemies, empty bags of treasure or cause earthquakes. Best of all, there are numerous stages each offering multiple missions to keep players coming back again and again to unlock everything, collect more coins or just improve their best times.

Kirby Super Star™ Ultra for Nintendo DS, launching Sept. 29, re-imagines one of the most beloved Kirby games of all time. Kirby Super Star Ultra features new graphics and fully rendered animated cut scenes. With so many adventures waiting to be unlocked, there will never be a dull moment as Kirby runs, floats, copies enemies and uses Helpers to fight King Dedede and Meta Knight. New modes like Revenge of the King and Meta Knight Ultra await, along with classics like The Great Cave Offensive and Milky Way Wishes. On top of the main modes, there are also three new touch-screen-controlled mini-games that can be played with up to three friends via DS Download Play. Not only that, but players can go on Kirby adventures with a friend via local wireless as well.

Mystery Case Files™: MillionHeir™, launching Sept. 8, uses the unique Nintendo DS interface to expand upon the seek-and-solve game play of the popular series from Big Fish Games. Players seek out cleverly hidden items in a multitude of painted scenes. Players progress through an interactive detective story investigating a cast of characters and uncovering new evidence to find the rightful heir to a million-dollar fortune. This new portable installment is available only for Nintendo DS. With interactive logic puzzles that use both the touch-screen interface and built-in microphone and include the first ever multiplayer mode for a Mystery Case Files game, Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir presents a new generation of seek-and-solve games for casual gamers and franchise fans.

Mario™ Super Sluggers, launching Aug. 25 for the Wii console, stars the ever-lovable Mario and his crew of friends. It builds on the social-gaming fun and movements people learned in Wii Sports™ and turns them into a full-fledged baseball game that can be played by every member of the household. Players make a throwing motion with the Wii Remote controller to pitch the baseball and make a swinging motion to swing at the pitch. The game boasts more than 30 playable Nintendo characters and all the madness of a Mario sports game. Just like Mario Kart® Wii, it bridges the gap between experienced players and those new to the Wii console, with fun challenges and beautiful graphics.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

For more information about these and other Nintendo products, visit Nintendo.com.

2008年9月に1000Wiiポイントで配信 [Famitsu]

Tom East, online editor for ONM, writes on his blog that "those of you who have read the new issue of Official Nintendo Magazine should already know that Animal Crossing Wii will be unveiled at the conference." QED, I guess.

Since we've yet to see any ONM subscribers excitedly spill the details from the mag online — if there are any details, that is, outside of the brief Animal Crossing Wii mention we've already seen — we're going to hold tight on this almost-confirmation. But yeah, Animal Crossing Wii. We'll be shocked if it doesn't come up next Tuesday.

One Week To Go... [Official Nintendo Magazin]

[via Go Nintendo]

[Official Nintendo Magazine, via Wii Fanboy]

It's Been A While! It's time to revisit an old friend. How's your village doing these days?

Pretty sure we'd be more surprised if Nintendo didn't announce AC Wii at E3.

Animal Crossing Wii Confirmed for E3? [Cubed3]