If Capcom continues to be successful on the Wii, don't be surprised if some of your favorite Capcom franchises suddenly find themselves making their way to the waggle wonder.

With Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and Zack & Wiki still to come, plus a rumored return of Okami to the Wii, now might be a good time to talk to your broker about snagging some Capcom stock. One should keep in mind that I have absolutely no idea what the hell I'm talking about when it comes to investments and that all my money is tied up in cattle.

Capcom Shares Reach Five-Year High on Games for Wii [Bloomberg]

A lot of handheld titles coming out this week with one of the only real console releases being RE 4 for the Wii. Even though I've already played it through on the other consoles, I'm still looking forward to the point and shoot ease of the Wii remote. It also looks like the Transformers game invasion has begun on the PSP and the DS. Will you be getting any of these handheld versions or just wait until the console versions come out. Or will you just be skipping the whole Transformers mishigos altogether? Flynn De Marco

• Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition (WII) Slaughter zombies with your Wii remote
• Brothers In Arms DS (DS)
  The World War II shooting game redesigned for the DS
• Transformers: The Game (PSP)
  The first round of the myriad Transformers games yet to come
• Transformers: Autobots (DS)
  Play on the side of the good guys in this new Transformers games.
• Transformers: Decepticons (DS)
  Play on the side of the bad guys in this new Transformers games.
• Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground (PSP)
  Create your own dungeons to become the top DM.
• SimCity DS (DS)
  After long last everyones favorite city building game comes to the DS.
• Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars (PC)
  A new fantasy third person action title for the PC. Throw in some RPG bits and you've got a game.
• PQ2: Practical Intelligence Quotient (PSP)
  Enlarge your brain by solving problems based on real life situations.
• Attack on Pearl Harbor (PC)
  Relive the famous incident that brought the US into World War II
• Hot Brain (PSP)
  Solve puzzles to heat up your brain and lubricate your mind. I always heard heating up your brain caused massive brain damage, but what do I know.

In better news, Ouendan 2 crept back up into the top ten, pushing total sells over 100,000 units. Nice! Here are the top ten for the week of May 28th to June 3rd.

01. DS Observation Training (DS) - 94,834 / NEW
02. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition (Wii) - 43,771 / NEW
03. Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii: Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 (DS) - 33,738 / 113,910
04. Guilty Gear XX Accent Core (PS2) - 31,773 / NEW
05. Wii Sports (Wii) - 28,612 / 1,657,818
06. More Brain Age (DS) - 20,662 / 4,327,943
07. New Super Mario Bros. (DS) - 19,907 / 4,500,164
08. Wii Play (Wii) - 19,718 / 1,356,002
09. More English Training (DS) - 18,885 / 256,091
10. Momotarou Dentetsu DS: Tokyo & Japan (DS) - 16,395 / 186,924

You won't find too much excitement in the rest of the top thirty, but pachislot fans will want to continue reading.

11. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Lion War (PSP)
12. Kurikin: Nano Island Story (DS)
13. Mario Kart DS (DS)
14. Super Paper Mario (Wii)
15. Yoshi's Island DS (DS)
16. English Training (DS)
17. Brain Age (DS)
18. Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS)
19. Simple DS Series Vol. 15: THE Kanshikikan 2 - Aratanaru 8-tsu no Jiken wo Touch seyo (DS)
20. Zaidan Houjin Nippon Kanji Nouryoku Kentei Kounin: KanKen DS (DS)
21. Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree (Wii)
22. Professor Layton & the Mysterious Village (DS)
23. Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings (DS)
24. Bleach Heat the Soul 4 (PSP)
25. Gyakuten Saiban 4 (DS)
26. Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku o: Melody of the Sun and Sea (PS2)
27. Common Sense Training (DS)
28. Kekkaishi: Karasumori Ayakashi Kidan (DS)
29. Shining Wind (PS2)
30. Daito Giken Koushiki Pachi-Slot Simulator: Hihouden - Ossu! Banchou - Yoshimune DS (DS)

Boring! At least Japan is finally coming around on this whole male cheerleading thing. Michael McWhertor

Media Create Weekly Software Sales

Capcom USA held its Spring Gamers Day in San Francisco yesterday, showing off a number of new titles and, in the Capcom tradition, copious amounts of familiar brands. Mega Man, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, and Phoenix Wright were all there and in mostly playable form. Capcom staffers and producers from Osaka were in attendance, including Devil May Cry producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi and Lost Planet director Keiji Inafune.

While there were virtually no "megaton" announcements to sate the unrealistic expectations of message baord posters in the form of Street Fighter 4, Dead Rising 2 or a new Bionic Commando, there were a few surprises.

Two of the previously unannounced games that were shown (one playable, one not) were... deep breath, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.

Following the massive success of last year's Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting for Xbox Live Arcade, the suits at Capcom's eyes saw the potential for profit. This year, they'll rake in dollars, yen, euros and zenny, with the two HD remakes of their classic arcade fighters, plus two more titles, the board game Talisman and top-down action shooter Rocketmen: Axis of Evil.

Capcom's HD Remixes will both feature new artwork courtesy of Street Fighter comic book art collective Udon Entertainment, 1080p resolution and, of course, network play. New artwork? Yes. While Puzzle Fighter HD will feature only new backgrounds drawn by the artists at Udon and 3D gem effects, Street Fighter HD will ship with new sprites completely redrawn for HD resolutions. Only concepts were shown, but it seems like a massive undertaking and I look forward to first screens.

PLAYSTATION 3 and PC owners won't be shut out, however, as Capcom is going multi-platform with their "digital initiative", bringing most games out for all platforms.

Sadly, though, there was no mention of any of these titles coming to the Wii. The good news for the Nintendo faithful, however, is that a number of great looking games are coming, including the most interesting new title at the show Project Treasure Island Z. (It's a working title, so I'll just refer to it as Treasure Island Z.)

Capcom had a playable build of Treasure Island Z, as well as Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, and Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition for Nintendo's white waggle box. On the Nintendo DS side, Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations was officially announced, as were Mega Man ZX Advent and Mega Man Star Force. Mega Man Star Force will take the Mega Man Battle Network series into 3D, as well as taking milking to the next dimension with three separate editions, Leo, Pegasus and Dragon.

On the new IP front, Capcom announced that they've acquired two new licenses, Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law and MotoGP. The former is well known to Adult Swim viewers and is scheduled to appear on the PSP and PlayStation 2.

As for the MotoGP IP, previously published by THQ and Namco, it has been secured until 2012 and will first appear on the PlayStation 2 this fall. Apparently, MotoGP is one of the biggest sports in the world and might actually be preferred to stuff like the very popular "sliced bread" and "bees knees", but the announcement didn't seem to generate too much buzz with the jaded videogame press.

So what wasn't putting the crowd of pasty gamers into a PowerPoint coma at the event? Read on and you'll be treated to a smattering of half-drunk impressions.

Treasure Island Z (Wii)
Probably the most enjoyable game at the show... that I'm allowed to write about. Producer Hironobu Takeshita not only enthusiastically demonstrated the Wii-remote control scheme for his game, he nailed the group solve element he talked about during his presentation. Treasure Island Z lets players take control of the pirate Zack who, aided by his golden flying monkey Wiki, is tasked with solving puzzles to become the greatest pirate in the world. Forget raping, plundering and pillaging, point and click adventuring is where the pirate action is.

So, about that group solve element. Treasure Island Z is a Skittles-colored, cel-shaded level based game. To root out each level's treasure and progress, you'll need to figure out what tools you need to perform certain tasks. You'll also need to figure out how to use the Wii-remote to get that done. Figuring out how to get things done will lead to plenty of backseat gaming, with group think being a big contributor. It's like a single player party game.

For example, you'll find a crank in the game, with one end bearing a triangular head, the other with a Phillips head. When holding the crank, you'll need to "flip" the remote in your hand to switch ends. You'll also need to perform scooping gestures, turn it like a key, and play it like a flute.

In addition to all this puzzle solving, the game sports a neat mechanic. Swinging the remote back and forth turns your partner Wiki into a bell. What's great about that bell is that when it rings, the game's enemies will transform from living thing into a helpful tool. Centipedes become saws. Snakes become wrenches.

On the down side, there is a ton of trial and error gameplay which can lead to frustration when playing. Regardless of this small issue, it was one of the more refreshing titles of the show.

Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition (Wii)
If you've played Resident Evil 4 for the Gamecube or PlayStation 2, you won't notice much different here. The game plays just like its counterparts, but now uses nunchuk and Wii remote control. Leon's laser sight is gone, replaced with a constant Wii remote reticle. The game's producer Masachika Kawata spoke on Resident Evil 4 WE's "search knife system" indicating that using it may make the game "too easy" but when using the Wii-remote to flick my knife at the game's zombie-like villagers, I didn't agree.

While Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition will obviously get a chance to shine at retail again, players who have run through the game once or twice may have a hard time justifying a second (or third) purchase based solely on the game's new control scheme.

Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles (Wii)
When Kawata showed the first person shooter Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles on Broadway Studios' massive screen, the feeling of panic from Sega's The House of the Dead was fondly remembered. This mostly on-rails shooter with story elements doesn't quite play as well as Sega's arcade lightgun game at this point, however, and will probably leave a bitter Resident Evil Gun Survivor taste in many gamers mouths.

The game is still very early—only at about 30% according to Kawata—but the energy just wasn't there. The producer's attempts to focus on the "point, shoot, aim" gameplay, resulting in what he described as a "more direct style of horror than you can get in third person" haven't quite gelled yet. I found the shooting overly repetitive and dull, but found a few interesting moments of gameplay. For instance, taking on the giant snake from Resident Evil 1, players have an opportunity to get to higher ground during limited time windows, adding quick shooting and strategy to the constant gunfire.

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
I played a couple rounds with one of the Capcom staffers on hand who had worked with Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo on the Capcom Puzzle World collection. He went easy on me for the first game, letting me win, but showed his true skills (hampered with a malfunctioning Xbox 360 d-pad) for the next match and kicked my ass. Brandon "The Enemy" Sheffield from Insert Credit then mopped up the floor with me one round later.

The Xbox 360 version showed off the new backgrounds and graphical effects, but as I mentioned earlier, the upscaled sprites were from the original arcade release, making for a slightly blurry presentation. The game plays just like the arcade version, but features some balancing tweaks for a more level playing field.

Unfortunately, I had limited time with the games on the floor, meaning Rocketmen: Axis of Evil (a 3D shooter with inevitable comparisons to Robotron in its future), Lost Planet (like the Xbox 360 version but slightly prettier) and Monster Hunter 2 Freedom (it's like work!) would have to wait. I did, however, spend time with another Capcom title, one that you'll have to wait until May 1 to read about. Don't get too excited, though, as this PS3, Xbox 360 and PC game has already been announced.

We'll have tons of new screens and videos for you in just a flash.

RE4 Wii Edition will get the added content from the PlayStation 2 port, as well as new motion controls. According to the recently launched Japanese home page, the Wii remote will be used for things like reloading, aiming at enemies, and slicing up mindless cult members.

Capcom's other game, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, will be an "action/shooter hybrid" that spans locations from Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 and 3. Players will also get to check out the Umbrella Corporation's digs. We posted about the teaser vid earlier today, which you should check out.

One question remains. Will I be able to perform my duties as the Master of Unlocking with motion controls? Please say yes, Capcom!

Press release after the jump! Michael McWhertor

CAPCOM UNLEASHES A ZOMBIE HORDE ON THE WII with resident evil 4 Wii edition and resident evil : The umbrella chronicles

Flailing Zombies Meet Motion-Sensitive Controls in Two New Resident Evil Games

SAN MATEO, Calif. — April 6, 2007 — Capcom , a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that the incredibly successful Resident Evil series, with over 30 million games sold worldwide, is coming to the Wii video game system from Nintendo with two new titles. This summer, Capcom will release Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, a new version of the award-winning game that incorporates the control functionality of the Wii Remote . Capcom will be bringing a new game, Resident Evil : The Umbrella Chronicles, to the Wii at a later date.

"Resident Evil has become one of the premier franchises in the games industry, with more than 30 million RE games sold around the world," said Jack Symon, director, product marketing, Capcom Entertainment. "The innovative controller functionality of the Wii will allow us to design innovative, original game play never before seen in a Resident Evil game. With RE4, we're challenging the Wii hardware to meet Resident Evil, while in The Umbrella Chronicles, we're adapting Resident Evil to the innovations of the Wii."

Resident Evil 4 is one of the highest rated games on Game Rankings.com and Metacritic.com, garnering dozens of awards and nominations for its amazing game play and incredible re-invention of the "survival-horror" genre. This celebrated game now comes to the Wii with added Wii Remote and Nunchuck support, allowing players to immerse themselves in the game as never before. With RE4 Wii Edition, Capcom is offering new and more immersive sense of control to players, while keeping all of the game's incredible game systems intact. As Leon Kennedy, players will explore a town overrun by cultists, mutants and mind-controlled villagers, using the Wii Remote to aim, fire, slash and avoid oncoming adversaries with intuitive motions and movements. RE4 Wii Edition will also contain the additional content included in the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system version of the game.

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a brand new game in the Resident Evil franchise, with familiar locales from the entire series, created specifically for the unique characteristics of the Wii hardware. This action/shooter hybrid reveals the back story behind the fall of the Umbrella Corporation by exploring locations from Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 and 3 as well as new never-before-seen locations, such as Umbrella's stronghold. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles combines first-person, light-gun style combat with interactive pathways, multiple weapons and new enemies to create an entirely new Resident Evil experience that could only be delivered on the Wii.

ABOUT CAPCOM

Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including best-selling franchises Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Devil May Cry. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Tokyo and Hong Kong, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom can be found on the company web site, www.capcom.com.

Capcom, Resident Evil, Mega Man and Devil May Cry are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd., in the U.S. or other countries. Street Fighter is a registered trademark of Capcom U.S.A., Inc. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.