"The customer of [the Wii] has turned into something [of a] much broader audience. It is a disappointment," says Seux (pictured) in an interview translated from French via Google Translate. Seux, speaking to the blog Gamekult, also calls developing for the Wii "difficult" and goes on to say "for us, Capcom, the future is the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360."

It's likely we're hearing Seux's offhand opinion of the future, not official Capcom messaging here. Still, the words, coming from such a stalwart brand on Nintendo's platforms, are eyebrow raising.

It's clear Seux is frustrated. He points out sales of just 16,000 for Darkside Chronicles in the first three weeks of its release, compared to 140,000 for Resident Evil 4 on the Wii at release in in 2007. Seux's explanation for the disparity: the market has moved on.

One feels that there is a problem very clear on this style of game on the Wii, where gamers have obviously moved on. Resident Evil 4 on Wii worked well, but [it was released] when the market had nothing!

While Seux says the Wii is "still an important part of sales," he calls it "very much a family [console] with low attachment rates."

"This is the year of the emergence of so-called 'new console generation'," Seux concludes. "So for us, Capcom, the future is the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360."

Capcom: Less Wii After Darkside Chronicles Sells Only 16k [Spong]

This first gameplay video of Trauma Team clearly lays out the "major enhancements" made to the series that will ensure, in Atlus' own words, that the Wii game will be "the definitive medical drama experience." Even if it doesn't, the draw of playing a nameless convicted felon serving a 250 year-long sentence—and committed to performing surgical community service, apparently—will have us reconsidering just what the definition of "definitive" really is.

Trauma Team is supposed to hit North America on April 20, 2010. But this is Atlus, so we'll take that as a strong suggestion, not a rock hard release date.

Those who follow our monthly tally of Wii playing time (the so-called "measure of pleasure," as I've dubbed it) know that the average amount of time that Wii gamers spend playing 2008 Call of Duty: World At War is sky-high. At last count, gamers were averaging more than 51 hours with the game, which has sold more than a million copies, according to reporting I've done in the past. Only three games boast more hours per player: The similarly multiplayer-centric Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Guitar Hero III along with Animal Crossing: City Folk, a game designed to be played daily.

I was interested in seeing how this past November's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex Edition, a remake of 2007's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare would fare. I'll get to sales figures a little lower, but let's look at something impressive first: its average playing time per player. As of December 1, the game had an average playing time of 17 hours, 22 minutes. As of January 1, that average is up to 24 hours, 55 minutes. People who play this game are keeping at it, likely due to its online play.

There's a caveat to the rising numbers for Call of Duty on the Wii. Because I'm only tracking average playing times, a game that is owned by five people who each play the game for 50 hours, will have an average playing time that exceeds a game that a million people have bought and played for 10 hours each. There's also the issue that these average playing times are tallied by the Nintendo Channel, a Nintendo service that only pulls the data of Wii gamers who download the channel, opt-in for data-sharing and re-visit the channel.

There's a way to account for those caveats, to at least have some context. As of January 1, the Reflex Edition was listed as having a cumulative 237,615 hours of play time among people sharing their data with Nintendo. World At War, as of December 1, had more than 7 million hours logged by users sharing their data. Compare those totals to The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess, which has 45 million hours tallied as of Jan. 1, and it's obvious that not that many Reflex Edition players are out there and/or sharing their data... yet.

A better comparison for the Reflex Edition might be New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which was also released in November. That game has an average playing time of 15 hours, far fewer hours than that of the Reflex Edition but more than 1.5 million hours of that Mario game have been played and logged by the Nintendo Channel, dwarfing those 237,615 hours for the Reflex Edition. On the other hand, we've got September 2009's WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010 which has a wonderful average playing time of 27 hours and 28 minutes, but across just a cumulative 90,066 hours played.

There's no starker contrast than with sales, of course. Nintendo announced today that New Super Mario Bros. sold three million copies in the U.S. through December. The NPD sales-tracking group, which has not released sales for December yet, told me today that, in its first month of release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex Edition sold 81,000 copies.

These Nintendo stats that we track measure the passion players have for the games they have, if not the popularity. Sales aren't the only stats that are interesting to look at.

Call of Duty games may not be the immediate blockbuster launches that they are on other platforms, but the playing time patterns here suggest that those who do have the game are as into the series as the most fervent fans on other platforms. World At War proved that on Wii. Reflex Edition seems set to do the same.

While the numbers aren't official until the NPD Group sings, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata proudly presented some impressive speculative numbers in Japan today. According to Iwata, North American Wii sales in December were in excess of 3 million units, which is a huge amount, especially when compared to the 200k or so that sold in Japan last month. A large percentage of those new Wii consoles were likely purchased along with the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, with U.S. lifetime sales of the title estimated at nearly 4 million.

Nintendo also estimates that the Nintendo DS had a better year than any console or handheld has in the history of video gaming, though they do include the DSi in those figures, which might be fudging things a little.

"The millions of people who bought Nintendo hardware during the holidays can look forward to enjoying great games on those systems now and in the future," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for Nintendo DS, and Wii Fit Plus and New Super Mario Bros. Wii are all currently providing Nintendo fans with amazing experiences and fun adventures for the whole family."

Any of you folks count yourselves among those three million new Wii owners?

Image

Attack of the Movies 3D is a game with a gimmick. Up to four players take on six different movie-themed worlds, battling zombies, space aliens, underwater creatures, and even taking up arms as a resistance fighter in order to rage against the oppressive machines. Each of the six scenes features unique weapons, and with changing enemy attack patterns, no two play-throughs should be the same, aside from wearing silly glasses.

"We all dream about being the hero in our favorite action movies," said Gui Karyo, Executive Vice President of Operations for Majesco. "Attack of the Movies 3D lets you live that experience out with a realism and dimensionality previously only found in movie theaters."

Or PC games. Or Disney's G-Force. Let's face it, 3D is one of the oldest gimmicks in the books. Hopefully developer Panic Button Games will deliver a title that holds up once the thrill of red and blue headaches wears off.

Mad Catz first displayed the Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom fight stick in San Diego, gauging fan reaction to the design. Apparently fans reacted well, as it's now up for sale on the GameShark store for $79.99. I'd say it was a preorder listing, but I don't see the words preorder anywhere in the item description, even when I went through the majority of the checkout process.

It's a lovely stick, and as it connects to the Wii remote, it's also wireless, which is nice. Considering the alternatives available for the Wii, I'd say it might be your best bet for a Wii arcade fighting controller for quite some time.

Tatsunoko VS. Capcom Arcade FightStick For Wii [GameShark Store - Thanks Raphael!]

The data was collected between December 29, 2008 and December 27, 2009, and the data is for Japan. The numbers for the DS include all variations — the same for the PSP and the PS3.

Nintendo DS
2009 estimated sales: 4,025,313 units
Life-to-date estimated sales: 29,160,589 units

PSP
2009 estimated sales: 2,307,971 units
Life-to-date estimated sales: 13,386,455 units

Wii
2009 estimated sales: 1,975,178 units
Life-to-date estimated sales: 9,501,999 units

PlayStation 3
2009 estimated sales: 1,727,041 units
Life-to-date estimated sales: 4,391,407 units

Xbox 360
2009 estimated sales: 331,706 units
Life-to-date estimated sales: 1,197,873 units

The Nintendo DS is the front runner, while the PSP has the edge for second place. The Wii and the PS3 are neck and neck. And then, there's the Xbox 360.

The announcement was made earlier today by Capcom, who say that while they'll still technically be acting as publisher, Nintendo will be "responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution" of the game in Europe and Australasia.

It'll be out in April. Expect to see a lot more marketing for the game than you otherwise would have. Oh, and maybe one or two of those black Wii/Monster Hunter Tri bundles (up top), too.

Christopher Bayko allegedly stole the Wii last month then sold it to a local pawn shop. When his mother noticed her console was missing, Bayko told her it was "at a friend's house", a lie which didn't hold up too well once she found the receipt for the Wii's sale.

Worst part? He's so stupid he sold it for $56.

Man charged after selling mom's game system [TBO]

And maybe it's just the exposed flesh to "super-tight Speedos" ratio, but Muscle March seems somehow a little more deserving of something beyond an E10+ rating and that "comic mischief" doesn't quite describe... this. But here's how the Entertainment Software Ratings Board would describe Muscle March.

Bodybuilders dressed in super-tight Speedos chase down a "protein thief" through cities, villages, and space in this whimsical puzzle-action game. Pedestrians, straphangers, school teachers, farmers, police officers, and librarians are fully clothed as they go about their business; the bodybuilders-not so much. Players must perform correct poses to fit through dozens of holes-in-walls created by the fleeing thief. If players do not pose correctly while running, their muscle men (and one woman) will crash through the walls and lose their stamina. Losing stamina means collapsing to the ground face-first, buttocks-last (flexed gluteus facing the screen). It may also mean that between stages, the happy bodybuilders can dance together in space, throw rocks by the riverside, or flex their pectorales major on menu screens (the lone female bodybuilder flexes her chest muscles, too). But the running gag in the game is the odd juxtaposition of traipsing bodybuilders, scantily clad, with the fully clothed working city dwellers-librarians' eyes agape at seeing their reference sections destroyed by the Posing Ones.

Muscle March [ESRB]

Citing "unnamed sources," ESPN.com says EA Sports got the rights from the NBA to deliver an updated version of the arcade classic for retail release. The report adds that the game's creator, Mark Turmell, has been hired on by EA Sports Canada to consult on the product.

NBA Jam was a wildly successful 2-on-2 basketball game first released by Midway to the arcades in 1993, and later ported by Acclaim to the Super Nintendo and Genesis. The success of EA Sports' arcade-style titles for the NHL and NFL in the past year makes it a good bet they'd want to spin up an NBA offering sometime soon. The demise of Midway (and Acclaim back in 2004), also means the NBA Jam name is likely held by someone unlikely to develop it anytime soon, and probably happy to make a quick buck off the IP.

An EA Sports spokesperson told Kotaku the publisher wouldn't comment on rumor or speculation - but did add the announcement is set for sometime next week.

I emailed contacts with EA Sports and the Vancouver studio to ask for comment. Anything they say will be updated here.

EA to Announce Return of 'NBA Jam' [ESPN.com]

I don't have a Kindle nor have I found anyone yet who has returned a book through the online retailer's hot-selling electronic book reader. But I discovered last week that books, bought digitally and downloaded to the device, can be returned.

This is something I didn't think was possible with digital content. I've downloaded games to my DS, iPhone PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii and not once did I see an option to return a mistaken or bad purchase for any reason. Of course, in physical stores, products can be returned, sometimes only if in shrink wrap, usually within a set number of days. Regardless they can be returned, offering the consumer some security in their purchase.

The Kindle offers the consumer some of that security through its digital content return and refund system. Here's the official Amazon policy on that:

Returning Kindle Content

Any content you purchase for Kindle from the Amazon Kindle store is eligible for return and refund if we receive your request within 7 days of the date of purchase. Once a refund is issued, the item will be removed from Your Media Library and will no longer be readable on your Kindle. To request a refund and return, click the Customer Service button in the Contact Us box in the right-hand column of this page to reach us via phone or e-mail. Please make sure to include the title of the item you wish to return in your request.

Compare that to, say, the Steam policy regarding desired refunds for games downloaded through that popular PC service:

As with most software products, we will not offer refunds for purchases made online as outlined in the software license - please review Section 4 of the Steam Subscriber Agreement for more information.

We can make an exception for pre-ordered games if the request is received prior to the release date.

And here's Microsoft's Xbox Live purchase policy, pretty much nixing refunds there:

Refund Policies. Unless otherwise provided by law or in connection with any particular Service offer, all charges are non-refundable and the costs of any returns will be at your expense. There are, however, certain circumstances under which you may be entitled to a refund for certain Services.

I don't believe there is a policy for allowing users refunds for the PlayStation Network or Nintendo download stores either.

One more point of comparison. This is GameStop's return policy for purchases made in their physical stores:

Returns and exchanges are subject to the following guidelines:
• A receipt is required for all returns and exchanges.
• Unopened new merchandise may be returned for a refund or exchanged within 30 days of purchase.
• Opened new merchandise may be exchanged for the identical item within 30 days of purchase but, with
the exception of opened new accessories, cannot be returned for a refund.
• Used (pre-owned) merchandise and opened new accessories may be returned for a refund within 7 days
of purchase or exchanged for the identical item within 30 days of purchase.
• We reserve the right to refuse any return and to require that certain items be returned directly to the
manufacturer.

Nothing like the GameStop policy is available for digitally bought games.

Consumers of digital books using the Kindle have a shot at returning titles within seven days of purchase. Gamers have no such option when buying digitally.

I've inquired with Amazon about why they have this policy and how often it is used, but it has me wondering about the applicability of a return/refund system for digitally downloaded games. A seven-day window similar to Amazon's could be abused by gamers who play a downloaded game through and return it. Or it could provide gamers the peace of mind to download a game they otherwise can't re-sell to a store or friend, things they might do to alleviate the cost of a game and minimize the risk of a bad purchase.

Amazon's either ahead of the curve, about to learn some hard lessons or operating with a medium that plays by other rules. It's hard to tell yet, but it bears watching and hopefully stokes conversation about what digital consumers have a right to do with the content they pay for.

(Click the chart to enlarge)

We have one change in the rankings as Rock Band 2 nudged slightly above The Legend Of Zelda: The Twilight Princess in average play time.

But the real story with this newest chart is a familiar one to those who've been following these numbers for a while: The Christmas effect. Right after the holidays, many games experience either a slowdown in the growth of their average playing time stats or even a decline. Why? It's likely due to the effect of Christmas gifts. Gamers get new Wii titles for Christmas, start playing, and, without having had much time to log a lot of hours, drag the overall playing times down a bit.

The game most vulnerable to that Christmas effect is Wii Sports, the free pack-in game that every Wii gamer gets. Sure enough, its average per-player playing time dipped from 37 hours, 50 minutes per Wii owner to 37 hours 49 minutes. Given that every new Wii owner in the U.S. has had this game that's still an amazing average playing time.

The other interesting Wii Sports number that pops out to me from the numbers I've pulled is the sheer number of hours logged by the nearly three million players who share their states with the Nintendo Channel, the digital source from where I pull all this data. In the beginning of September, the total hours logged for Wii Sports was about 77 million. By November 1, 2009, that tally was up to 82 million. Then came December 1, which saw that total rocket to 106 million, suggesting that a lot of Wii Sports was being played during the November shopping period and Thanksgiving (and/or that a lot of people were finally connecting their Wiis online to the Nintendo Channel, adding a lot of data to the pool). As of January 1, the number was at 110 million.

Wii Sports Resort, for those curious for a comparison, as of January 1, was at 19 hours, 27 minutes, with a total of 3.6 million hours logged by Nintendo Channel users who share their data.

I'll have more on the January 1 stats, including some notable performances by other games not in today's top 10, later this week.

Where's all this from? (AKA an explanation of the above chart for stat junkies only): In a move somewhat surprising for the generally secretive company, Nintendo makes all of this data public. Any Wii owner can download the Nintendo Channel to their Wii and begin browsing for games. Any game that has been played enough times has usage stats listed for it, contributed by anyone who chose to share their data with the channel. The sample size that the channel tracks is pretty good, though it is obviously biased toward users who hook up a Wii to the Internet. We calculate that sample size by looking at Wii Sports usage numbers, which show that more than 88 million sessions of that game have been played by Nintendo Channel users as of January 1 (up 3 million in the last month), for an average of 30.1 sessions per player. That divides to more than 2.9 million Wii Sports users whose gaming has been tracked by the channel. Since almost all Wii Sports owners in North America would be Wii users, we will venture that as many as 2.9 million people are contributing stats. That is up from the 2.8 million people when these numbers were run for December 1. (October 09 data is not included on the chart due to a problem with Nintendo's data reporting in the previous month.)

Even Hell's Kitchen Vs. for DSiWare (800 DSi Points) is a stretch, as I can't imagine I am in the majority when it comes to crossover fans of downloadable DSi titles and Gordon Ramsay's reality cooking show. I also can't imagine the game being anything like the show, especially with that E for everyone rating. How will I know my risotto is shit?

Hell's Kitchen is joined by two puzzle games on DSiWare this week, Nintendo's missile-firing Trajectile (500 points) and Aksys's Animal Puzzle Adventure (500 points), which sees players leading animals to barns while avoiding cliffs and other pitfalls. Totilo informs me that Trajectile is actually developed by Q-Games of PixelJunk fame, and is "so far, very good."

This week's WiiWare titles are all new to me. Triangle Studios' Heron: Steam Machine (500 Wii Points) is a game about managing steam pressure in a rubber ducky factory. Then we've got Big Blue Bubble's Pub Darts (500 points), which is about throwing darts at a pub, go figure. Finally, Digital Leisure whips out Fast Draw Showdown (500 points), a gun-slinging game that has you trying to out-draw the fastest guns in the West, or die trying. Fast Draw Showdown uses actual actors as targets, so you know it's got to be a quality product!

Finally (pun semi-intended) we've got Final Fight 3 for the Super Nintendo on the Virtual Console (800 points), which is of course the North American version of Final Fight 6, unless I am getting my Final games mixed up again.

And so begins the third year of the Nintendo Download. Are we off to a good start, or are things just warming up?

Nintendo DSiWare

Trajectile
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Trajectile is a puzzle game that's as much about firepower as it is about brainpower, requiring you to line up your shot and launch a flurry of missiles at enemy targets. Three types of missiles are at your disposal, each one with its own characteristics - but all of them can bounce off walls on their path to smash, blast or drill through enemies and blocks. Along the way, you'll find item blocks just waiting to be destroyed so that you can obtain special power-ups ... and cause even more destruction. Be careful though, as missile type and position are predetermined and you get only a limited number of launches per stage. Complete multiple classes containing numerous individual stages, earning medals when you clear stages in fewer than the given number of turns. Are you ready to take aim at becoming a Trajectile master?

Animal Puzzle Adventure
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Animal Puzzle Adventure is a simple puzzle game where you have to lead various animals to their respective barns placed on the map, while avoiding pitfalls and cliffs and using the objects on the field to your advantage. There are 10 stages per level with a total of five levels, creating 50 stages in all. After clearing a stage, you unlock a piece of a photo. Once you clear all 10 stages in a level, the wallpaper for that level becomes unlocked and you can then view it in the gallery. With so many puzzles to unravel, you'll find yourself immersed in the puzzle-riffic world of Animal Puzzle Adventure.

Hell's Kitchen Vs.
Publisher: Ludia
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Hell's Kitchen Vs. is based on the U.S. TV phenomenon where world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay puts aspiring chefs through rigorous culinary tests. The game recreates the show's pressure-cooker atmosphere as two players battle head-to-head in an arcade-style kitchen challenge. Try to conquer your opponent in each time-management test, while taking the heat of Gordon Ramsay judging and rating your performance at every stage of the game.

WiiWare

Heron: Steam Machine
Publisher: Triangle Studios
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points™
Description: Heron: Steam Machine is a game about a factory where rubber duckies are being produced by a large steam engine. On this steam engine, there are four different gauges which you will have to watch carefully. By connecting the pipes, you will earn points and relieve some of the pressure, keeping the machine running just a little bit longer. If one of the gauges reaches its maximum, the machine will eventually blow up, and the game is over. If you were lucky enough to achieve a high score, make sure you enter your name in the list so other players can compete with you. In Multiplayer, you are able to cooperate with friends in maintaining the steam machine. When you play with two, three or four players, the screen is divided into sections with different background colors. Each player is able to solve his or her own part of the puzzle. Players are restricted to their own section of the screen, so you will have to work together to make the pipes fit properly. (Additional accessories are required for multiplayer play and are sold separately.)

Pub Darts
Publisher: Big Blue Bubble Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Alcohol Reference
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Pub Darts is a simple darts simulation which uses the Wii Remote™ controller's unique controls to mimic dart-throwing motion. The game is set in a local pub where the players will settle in to play some of their favorite dart games, including 501, Cricket, Around the Clock, Killers and Baseball. Controls function just like throwing a real dart. Players are able to create their own personal profiles, including selecting their avatar image from a collection of creative characters and the design they would like displayed on the dart flights.

Fast Draw Showdown
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) - Alcohol Reference, Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: When it comes to fast draw there're only two types of people: the quick ... and the dead! Now you have the chance to find out where you stand, or lie, as the case may be. You'll go up against the best quick draws in the business, including one of the world's fastest, Wes Flowers. Unholster your Wii Remote controller and show 'em who the fastest draw really is, in this live-action shooter. You can even take on a friend in multiplayer modes, and see which of you has the quickest draw. You'll need some serious speed and awesome accuracy to take on these gunslingers ... so get ready for some real fast draw action.

Virtual Console

Final Fight 3
Original platform: Super NES™
Publisher: Capcom USA
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) - Animated Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Following the defeat and subsequent disappearance of the Mad Gear Gang, a small group known only as "Skull Cross" is responsible for a new uprising of vandalism, terrorism and death. The government of Metro City is at a complete loss. Metro City's mayor, Mike Haggar, and Guy are prepared to take on the new gang, but before they can act, the door bursts open, revealing Lucia, Cody's old friend. "Metro City is under attack!" she shouts, "Skull Cross is loose, and they've got something up their sleeves." But before any of them can move, a mysterious man appears in the doorway. "My name is Dean," he says. "I know Skull Cross inside-and-out, and I hate them more than anything. I can help you, and you can help me. We must go!" All four fighters vow to bring Skull Cross down. It will be a tough assignment, and may even be their final fight!

Looking back over the past year in video games it's surprising that so much good and so much bad happened in just 12 months.

Perhaps the biggest news of the last year was that despite the teeth-gritting optimism of industry leaders, 2009 proved that video games are not actually recession proof. Console makers Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo all saw drops in sales and both Sony and Microsoft cut expenses and staff to deal with the losses.

Electronic Arts, Activision and THQ all had deep cuts. Midway Games, founded in 1958 and once the U.S. distributor of Space Invaders, was shuttered. Other victims of the recession included Eidos, Atomic, GRIN and Microsoft Flight Sim makers ACES.

The recession also lead to price cuts for all three major consoles, with the Playstation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 all dropping in price.

And not everything was doom and gloom for the industry in 2009.

Apple finally got into gaming, realizing the potential of their iPhone and iPod Touch and seemingly single-handedly reinvigorated the mobile game market.

Early in the year Nintendo released their DSi portable console. While the DSi includes two cameras and a microphone, the biggest change is its ability to download games directly to the device from an online Nintendo store.

Sony's PSPgo took that concept and ran with it, doing away with the disc drive entirely and making their latest portable a download-only device with gamers using the Sony store to purchase and install their games, television, comics and movies.

While the Playstation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 all have the ability to purchase games online and download them directly to the console, Sony's decision to go 100 percent download offered an interesting peek into what will surely one day be the norm.

What that peek showed was an online system entirely too slow to handle quick purchase and playability and savvy retailers either reluctant or out right refusing to carry a device that could one day make them obsolete.

Nintendo's DSi, with only its toe in the water of downloadable content, managed to fare better than the PSPgo, though the download offerings for 2009 consisted mostly of previously released content broken up into smaller chunks and re-purposed.

Fortunately for Nintendo, the company spent much of 2009 riding high on the Wii's ability to grab the interest of non-gamers and get them to pick up a console.

The Japanese developer's Wii Fit fused exercise with gaming when it hit in 2008, and continued to garner attention last year. The second best selling video game in history, it wasn't much of a surprise when Nintendo announced a sequel in 2009.

While the release of Wii Fit Plus didn't have the splash and sizzle of games like Modern Warfare 2 or Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, it did well enough to draw the attention of some major new retailers.

In November, Sports Authority, the largest sports good retailer in the country, started selling the exercise game and the Wii console in a special section of their store.

The Wii's ability to attract an audience outside the norm seemed to have convinced both Sony and Microsoft that there was something to motion controls. Both companies announced projects they were working on to deliver motion-control gaming to their consoles.

Sony's still-unnamed motion controller uses a microphone-like wand and a camera to track movement, while Microsoft's Project Natal will use just a camera and no controller to allow gamers to play titles without anything in their hands.

Nintendo, meanwhile, concentrated on its lucrative portable market, announcing an over-sized version of their DSi called the DSi XL. The portable, which hit Japan in November but won't be here until later this year, comes with an oversized stylus and larger screen with bigger type. Nintendo says the device is bigger so a group of people can gather around a game and play, but it looks more like something designed for an older audience.

Not all of Nintendo's efforts at innovation in 2009 involved their portables, Nintendo also unveiled a new help system. The Super Guide's ability to take over different difficult portions of a game and offer video tutorials could lead to a whole new way of gaming for casual gamers. Its appearance in New Super Mario Bros. Wii was met with some skepticism and apprehension, but the potential long-term impact of the concept can't be argued.

Now just a week into 2010 and the slate of last year's titles pushed into this year are already starting to hit stores. The Consumer Electronics Show is preparing to kick-off, perhaps with some new gaming news, and developers seems eager to embrace a new year full of potential.

Well Played is a weekly news and opinion column about the big stories of the week in the gaming industry and its bigger impact on things to come. Feel free to join in the discussion.

Below you will find my 2009 playing history in grisly detail. This is the fourth list I've made of this type, one each for the years from 2006 until now (all linked to at the bottom of this post). I list all of the video games that I played outside of trade shows, press demos and the office. In theory, these are the games I played for fun, or at least not solely for work.

As I've done in previous years, I've divided the list by platforms, listing every 2009 game I started playing and bolding any game, from 2009 or earlier, that I finished. By "finished" I mean I got to the end of the game's single-player campaign. I know that's not the best measurement for completion. For example, I've played a whole lot less of Modern Warfare 2 than those who have ranked up through the game's multiplayer modes, but my measure of completion suits me, a primarily single-player gamer. (Yes, yes, I used to run a blog called Multiplayer. What of it?)

I believe that playing all these games improves my understanding of the video game medium. I try to finish games I really like, because I'd like to think that a great game is one that's made to be wonderful from beginning to end, as is the case with a great movie or novel. Unfortunately, that's not always the case, as some very good games get pretty bad in their latter halves. So, yes, I regret finishing some of these games and want some hours of my life back.

If you're wondering how I made time for this. Credit gaming as being my main hobby and, more importantly, credit the patience of my wife. You'll see I skipped most of the racing, sports and Japanese role-playing games of 2009. That helped, too.

One other note: I didn't pay for every game on this list. Many were sent to me by publishers, others obtained by trading in games, all with the intent to play lots of games, try lots of things and be more knowledgeable about my reporting beat because of it.

Oh, and I will include some notes here and there on this list to explain some stuff.

1. Art Style Aquia
2. Art Style Base 10
3. Art Style Box Life (Played this one a lot, as is the case with many others on this list. Just didn't finish it.)
4. Art Style Digidrive
5. Art Style Pictobits
6. Art Style Precipice
7. Avalon Code
8. Away Shuffle Dungeon
9. Big Bang Mini
10. Bird and Bean
11. Crash-Course Domo
12. Dragon Quest Wars
13. Drawn To Life: The Next Chapter
14. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (First U.S. Fire Emblem I haven't played through. Mistake?)
15. Fossil Fighters
16. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
17. Hard-Hat Domo
18. Henry Hatsworth In the Puzzling Adventure (The first game on this list that was too hard for me to complete!)
19. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
20. Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (Still playing it. Will finish in 2010)
21. Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again
22. Peggle: Dual Shot
23. Personal Trainer: Math (Yes, I'm counting this as a game)
24. Personal Trainer: Walking (This one, too)
25. Pro-Putt Domo
26. Puzzle Quest Galactrix
27. Rayman 2 (This is the DSi version, my first Rayman)
28. Rock-N-Roll Domo
29. Rhythm Heaven Gold
30. Scribblenauts
31. Star Wars: The Clone Wars
32. Style Savvy
33. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Decepticons
34. White-Water Domo
35. Zubo

1. Canabalt
2. Earth Dragon (Fun little game by Spore Creature Editor creator Chaim Gingold, and my sole iPhone complete game)
3. Eliss
4. MinMe
5. Soosiz
6. Space Invaders Infinity Gene
7. Spider
8. Wolfentein RPG
9. Zenonia
10. Zombies & Me

1. Another Small Favor
2. Continuity
3. Dawn of War II
4. Don't Shit Your Pants
5. Dyson (Eufloria)
6. Enviro-Bear 2000
7. Fading Hearts
8. Osmos
9. Plants Vs. Zombies
10. Red Remover
11. Time Fcuk
12. Windosill
13. Small Worlds
14. The Sims 3
15. Today I Die (Daniel Benmergui's marvelous, free poetry game; hard to say what constitutes "finishing" it.)
16. Zuma's Revenge

1. Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
2. Dissidia Final Fantasy
3. Half-Minute Hero
4. Holy Invasion Of Privacy, Badman!
5. Loco Roco 2
6. NBA 10: The Inside
7. PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe
8. Resistance Retribution (Played about half of this. Good, long game. Can't remember why I stopped)
9. Rock Band Unplugged

1. Assassin's Creed II
2. Batman: Arkham Asylum
3. Demon's Souls (Still playing this one. May not finish it before 2011)
4. F.E.A.R. 2
5. Fat Princess
6. Flower
7. Infamous
8. Katamari Forever
9. Killzone 2
10. Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
11. Mini Ninjas
12. Need for Speed Shift
13. PixelJunk Shooter
14. Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time
15. The Saboteur
16. Shatter
17. Sodium
18. Tom Clancy's HAWX
19. Uncharted 2
20. Valkyria Chronicles (Started this '08 game in 2009, played about a third, then stopped, hence its inclusion. Didn't like its pacing and clunky menus.)
21. Watchmen: The End is Nigh

1. 50 Cent Blood on the Sand (No guilt from me about this guilty pleasure)
2. Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts (Marvelous '08 game I didn't appreciate until '09)
3. The Beatles: Rock Band
4. Bionic Commando
5. Borderlands
6. Brutal Legend
7. Cold War Commander
8. Defense Grid
9. DJ Hero
10. Dragon Age: Origins
11. Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
12. Fallout 3 (Another '08 game played mostly in '09)
13. Far Cry 2 (And another '08 game played mostly in '09)
14. Fight Night Round 4
15. Flock
16. Forza Motorpost 3
17. The Godfather II
18. Golden Axe: Beast Rider
19. Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad Of Gay Tony (I'm counting this as a game, which I know is controversial. New lead character + 12 hours of campaign = game?)
20. Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned (See previous entry)
21. Halo Wars
22. Halo 3 ODST
23. James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
24. The Last Remnant
25. Left 4 Dead 2
26. The Maw
27. Modern Warfare 2
28. Overlord II
29. Peggle
30. Pixel Man
31. Prototype
32. Red Faction: Guerilla (Not counting this game's summer DLC, which I finished, as a game, contradicting my above standard. Ah well.)
33. Resident Evil 5
34. Shadow Complex
35. Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010 (Played a ton, but what would constitute "finishing" it?)
36. Splosion Man
37. Star Ocean: The Last Hope
38. Street Fighter IV
39. Tom Clancy's EndWar
40. Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen
41. Trials HD
42. Wet (Regret goes here)
43. Wolfenstein
44. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

1. Bit.Trip Beat
2. Bit Trip Core
3. Bonsai Barber
4. Cubello
5. De Blob (Started in '08, finished in '09)
6. Dead Space Extraction
7. Deadly Creatures
8. Excitebots
9. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A Darklord
10. Ghostbusters The Video Game (Regret goes here)
11. House of the Dead Overkill
12. James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
13. Little King's Story
14. Maboshi's Arcade
15. Madworld
16. Metroid Prime Trilogy
17. Mushroom Men (Only game I stuck with in 2009 because of its music, wound up liking the whole game.)
18. Overlord: Dark Legend
19. New Play Control Pikmin
20. New Play Control Mario Power Tennis
21. NyxQuest Kindred Spirits
22. Punch-Out!
23. Rabbids Go Home
24. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
25. Rune Factory Frontier
26. Sonic and the Black Knight
27. Spore Hero
28. Swords and Soldiers
29. Wii Sports Resort
30. You, Me and the Cubes

The final 2009 tally is: 165 games played; 48 finished

That compares to:
2008… 135 played; 37 finished
2007… 118 played; 35 finished
2006…102 games played; 21 finished

May my 2010 be a little more discriminating!

The high security institution, which is not a prison, treats the likes of rapist and murderer Robert Napper and the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Stucliffe — both of which are indefinitely confined to the hospital. A source told UK tabloid The Sun that Stucliffe played bowling on the Wii, while Napper looked on.

The Sun, then of course, had to give its article a typically trashy pun title. ("Resident Wii-vil?" Really?)

"When you think of their crimes and the misery they have caused, you have to ask if it's right for society to pay to entertain them," the source stated. "This cash could have been spent improving care in the wider NHS. In the meantime all we hear is laughter as patients play with their new toys."

The hospital has been outfitted with 22 Nintendo Wii consoles, fitted to plasma TVs. They are so popular that the Broadmoor apparently is ordering extra remotes. The hospital is already home to PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles.

According to a Broadmoor spokesperson, the Wii consoles (and Wii Fit) were part of the patients' treatment and a strategy to increase exercise — even though health experts largely agree that exercise results from the Wii are negligible. But even in such a high security hospital, patients aren't able to take walks? While some of the mentally ill may not be to constructively join the society at large, surely they can take walks on hospital's high security walled grounds.

Killers given Wii games at Broadmoor [The Sun]

It's that time of year again. Time to take a data dive into the heart of eBay U.S. to gauge how well the video game grey market fared during the holiday season. Rather than charting the sales numbers of a specific console, as I've done for the past three years with the Nintendo Wii, this year I'm presenting a broader overview of the eBay grey market, charting the sales for all major gaming platforms during the 30-day period beginning November 26th and ending on Christmas Day. I've compiled data on console sales, game listings, and some of the top-items passing through the popular auction website. If you want to know which platforms thrived, which handheld completely tanked, and the most successful video game-related item on eBay, then read on.

Console Sales

The table below presents a general overview of the sales performance of the major consoles and handheld systems during the month leading up to Christmas. I've listed the total sales in U.S. dollars, the number of items sold, the average selling price, and the sell-through percentage, which indicates the success of auctions posted for each specific product. Check out the table, and then we'll break things out by console.

PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 in all its varied incarnations sold the fewest number of consoles out of the big three this year, but that shouldn't be taken as a measure of the system's success. Indeed, if you look at the sell-through percentage, the PS3 comes out on top. That means there were less people selling, but plenty willing to buy. Since the launch of the PlayStation Slim earlier this year, Sony has maintained a steady supply of the consoles to retail outlets, and the abundance of available consoles equates less people looking for them on eBay.

From a seller's point of view, that high sell-through figure means the PlayStation 3 comes out on top in terms of sales potential.

The highest price PlayStation 3 auctions mainly consisted of limited edition consoles, including the Final Fantasy XIII bundle recently released in Japan.

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 brought in the most money of any console this holiday season, mainly due to its average price being slightly higher than the Nintendo Wii, which pushed more units overall. The Microsoft console's sell-through numbers were only slightly lower than the PlayStation 3. Between that figure and the larger number of consoles put up for sales, it seems like putting a new 360 up for sales is seen as a relatively safe bet among sellers.

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 bundle made up a large portion of the Xbox 360 sales during the period, with 322 of the consoles representing $126,924 worth of sales. The Infinity Ward-flavored bundle went for as high as $900.

Wii

eBay sellers continue the love affair with the Wii that started with the console's 2006 holiday debut. The Wii was the top seller of the big three in terms of units sold, but the slightly lower sell-through rate indicates that there might have been a few too many up for sale.

Also note that the average price for the Wii was $190, which is below the suggested retail price. Either sellers were taking advantage of discounts and sales, or they weren't making very much in the way of profits.

DS

The Nintendo DS managed to outsell the newer, more advanced DSi this holiday season, pushing more than 2,000 units beyond what Nintendo's latest North American handheld sold. A failure for the DSi? Not exactly. Take a look at the sell-through percentage and you'll see that the DSi has the largest number of any game console. eBayers wanted to buy them, but the sellers just weren't selling.

PSP

The PSP sold strong on eBay this holiday, with the PSP-1000, 2000, and 3000 generating more money than any other handheld, though the DS trumped them with sheer numbers.

The top selling PSP was a used red God of War limited edition PSP, which went for $1,009.

Unfortunately, the PSPgo didn't fare nearly as well as its older brother. In fact, Sony's UMD-less alternative to the regular PSP performed abysmally, pushing only 250 units. It's not a factor of demand behind too high for supply either - the sell-through rate of 76.47% indicates that people simply weren't buying it.

To help paint a more complete picture, let's compare units sold versus monetary sales. If you look very closely, you'll notice that both graphs do indeed contain the PSPgo. You might need to zoom in.

Games With Legs

Now let's take a look at the games that traded this holiday season. This time around I took the top ten titles sorted by number of auctions, to see which ones were moving the most.

Certainly not a surprising list. Modern Warfare 2 seems to be showing up at the top of any list as far as sales are concerned these days, and Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort are two of the titles meant to showcase what the Wii can do, so those both sold in droves. World at War traded heavily, perhaps due to people swapping out the old for the new, and the Pure / Lego Batman combo disc packed inside select Xbox 360 consoles over the holiday season scores a tidy profit for those who received it for free.

And Uncharted 2 making the list makes sense, but what about the extremely more expensive edition?

Forty-five of the ultra-rare Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Fortune Hunter Edition made it onto eBay during the 30 days leading up to Christmas, but it seems some sellers set their hopes too high. Of the 45, only 24 sold, giving the package a 53.33% sell-through rate. The average price for the package was $891.52, with one going for as high as $1,136. Didn't get one? Maybe you should have made it to Kotaku's Child's Play fundraiser this year.

What People Look For In An Online Video Game Auction

Selling on eBay isn't just a matter of having a strong product, but being aware of what your prospective buyers are searching for and using search terms accordingly. Let's see if this list of the top 10 search terms used in both the games and system category can help.

The console search terms are pretty much common sense. Let's face it - if you're selling an Xbox 360 and you forget to include Xbox 360 in the title, there's something wrong with you. As far as game search terms go, folks initially seem to be going for specific games, but then desperation sets in. You have to be pretty desperate in order to type "Wii games" into an eBay search page.

Wii Remotes Are The New Hotcakes

Finally we come to the hottest selling video game item of the holiday season. With 8,359 items sold between November 26th and December 25th, the Nintendo Wii remote is the hottest selling gaming item this holiday season, generating more than $202,000 for sellers over the course of one month. The remote, bundled with a nunchuck, a skin, and a wrist-strap is sold as a "Nintendo Wii Remote+Nunchuck Game Controller+Skin 4 SET," though counting the wrist strap as an actual item is a bit shaky. Still, with The New Super Mario Bros. Wii making four-player gaming fun on the Wii, its no wonder the controllers are flying off the shelves, onto resellers' shelves, and then back off of the shelves again.

Another Year Goes By

And there you have the 2009 holiday season, summed up in 30 days of eBay data. A look into what happens to games and consoles once they pass from retail into the hands of the wheelers and dealers that populate the world's largest online marketplace. Bids were sniped, Buy It Now items were pounced, and in the end, everybody got feedback. A++++! Would research again!

Methodology
Statistics in the 2009 Grey Market Report were gathered using eBay market research tool Terapeak. Data was drawn for a 30 day period starting on November 26th and ending on December 25th. Console statistics were pulled directly from the Video Games / Systems subcategory to allow for mis-filed system listings, while game data was puled directly from the Video Game / Games subcategory. Console searches were limited to items in New condition, with a range of $100 to $1,000 used to ferret out accessories. Certain terms were omitted from the search in order to allow for a more accurate reporting of console pricing, including "games," "extras", "accessories," "lot," and others on a case-by-case basis - for instance, "Wii Fit" was omitted from search terms for the Wii in order to make sure systems bundled with Wii Fit did not influence the pricing data.

Not only do American Wii owners get the pleasant surprise of Castlevania The Adventure ReBirth on WiiWare and The Oregon Trail on DSiWare, but PilotWings - the original, Super Nintendo great - is now available on the Virtual Console.

First Smash Bros., now PilotWings...it's like the Virtual Console is suddenly relevant/appealing again!

Here's the full line-up for this week:

WiiWare

Castlevania The Adventure ReBirth
Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) - Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Another 100 years have passed since the death of Count Dracula, but his curse has emerged once again within the realms of Transylvania. Play the role of the ultimate gothic hero from the long lineage of vampire hunters, the Belmont clan, and rid the universe of Dracula's legion of darkness and doom. Based on the classic 1989 original Castlevania: The Adventure, this WiiWare version will allow players of a new generation - and older fans - to experience one of the most popular games within the storied Castlevania timeline from a new perspective.

Eat! Fat! FIGHT!
Publisher: TECMO
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Forget about being healthy. Here's a game that celebrates eating, getting fat and fighting. Hold the Wii Remote controller horizontally and tilt it left, right, up or down to perform all kinds of lifts and throws just like in real sumo. There are also hidden moves like suplexes and scrapbusters thrown in for fun. Use all the moves you learn in tournaments around the world to reach the peak of sumo and become a yokozuna. In ONE PLAYER mode, play eating or sparring mini-games to make your wrestler stronger and change his look. You can also use your own Mii™ character's face on your wrestler. In TWO PLAYER mode, take on another person using default wrestlers or the wrestlers that you have created. (Additional accessories are required for two-player mode and are sold separately.) Chow down, bulk up and fight on to become the strongest sumo wrestler ever.

RABBIDS LAB
Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: A raving Rabbid is stuck inside the Wii Remote controller. Come play with him. First, try interacting with him by moving the Wii Remote or pressing the buttons and seeing how much he loves it. Once you've gotten to know the crazy guy, it's time to change his appearance in the Lab. Mess with his head and place seasonal accessories on him, or change his look entirely with the painting module. When you've made your raving Rabbid completely unique, you can take a photo and send it in a Wii™ message to show your Wii Friends (broadband Internet connection required).

The Magic Obelisk
Publisher: GAME ARTS Co., Ltd.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: The Magic Obelisk is an action-adventure game in which you become Popo, a light spirit. Your mission is to guide Lukus, a tree spirit, to each stage's goal while moving only within the shadow. You can help him do this by shining your light near the mysterious magic obelisks, allowing you to create and connect shadows to solve tricks and gimmicks along the way. Join Lukus as he travels through a light-filled realm filled with quirky creatures and spirits, trying to find the perfect spot to become a tree. Experience meaningful encounters and partings, climb hills, cross rivers and traverse a vast desert on your way to the very edge of the world.

Virtual Console

PilotWings
Original platform: Super NES™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Join the Flight Club to take to the skies and experience a variety of aerial activities. Take off and pilot a biplane through rings along a predetermined flight path, or drift serenely in a hang glider, catching thermal currents to gain altitude. In either case, just be sure to stick the landing. Looking for more speed? Strap on the rocket belt to blast your way around an obstacle course. If that's not enough, reach maximum velocity as you tackle a skydiving lesson at 3,800 feet. Complete specific objectives within a set time limit to score points (and maybe even a bonus chance) and obtain certification in eight different lessons. Your goals will become more challenging, and weather conditions will make controlling your vehicle more difficult as you progress. If you succeed, you will be rewarded with the opportunity to pilot an attack helicopter on a daring rescue mission. It's time to earn your wings.

Nintendo DSiWare

The Oregon Trail
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence, Use of Tobacco
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Westward, ho! Your favorite pioneering adventure game takes you on an exciting, historic, side-scrolling adventure with your Nintendo DSi™ system. Take the Oregon Trail experience further than ever before with all of the decision-making and problem-solving fun of the original game plus additional challenges. Leave your mark on America's history. Take a picture of yourself at each landmark with the Nintendo DSi system's built-in camera. You'll have your portrait and party's name printed in the Daily Oregon Trail newspaper in the game. Play eight skill-based mini-games that will impact your resources: Hunting, Fishing, River Crossing, Rafting, Wagon Repairing, Telegraph, Berry Picking and Gold Panning. Random events faced by real pioneers - such as disease, bandits and hitchhikers - and side missions add more excitement to your westward trek.

SUDOKU SENSEI
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Introducing 100 "Super Hard Puzzles" for the hardened sudoku veteran. All puzzles are skillfully designed for a level of satisfaction that computer-generated puzzles just can't offer. You can play through puzzles to learn about rules and controls in Tutorials mode. Other handy features include Write Mode and Temp Number for an easier, more enjoyable sudoku experience.

Glow Artisan
Publisher: Powerhead Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Solve mind-bending puzzles in this unique and colorful game. Use your wits and ingenuity to solve more than 100 puzzles and earn more than 300 medals. Play Time Trial, Randomizer and Multiplayer modes for an endless supply of new challenges. Create new puzzles with the built-in editor or use the Nintendo DSi Camera application to turn your photos into puzzles.

Master of Illusion™ Express: Psychic Camera
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Master of Illusion Express titles include mind-boggling magic tricks that you perform with your Nintendo DSi system. Learn the illusions, practice them and amaze your friends. Your audience will never look at your Nintendo DSi system the same way again after Master of Illusion Express: Psychic Camera proves that it has psychic powers. Astound others by taking their picture and revealing an item (such as a card, picture, letter or number) that they're thinking about.

Arcade Hoops Basketball
Publisher: Skyworks Interactive, Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: From Skyworks comes the slickest basketball game for the Nintendo DSi system. See how many baskets you can sink in a fast-moving 45 seconds, using only your stylus and, of course, your lightning-fast hand-eye coordination. Arcade Hoops features your choice of three rockin' soundtracks, state-of-the-art 3-D graphics and thrilling, high-speed game play for the most fun possible in under a minute. Advanced hoopsters can move on to the progressive level, where a moving basket provides an additional challenge - plus the chance to rack up even more points. For the real pros, there's 3 Point mode, where speed and accuracy are a must as you shoot "threes" from downtown.

Destructoid, citing unnamed sources, says the game is "NFL Trainer" and will put players through football-inspired workouts and drills. There's talk it will come with a football attachment that will assist players in learning how to throw perfect spirals.

If true, this is hardly exciting news for the core sports gamer. But it would be shrewd of EA Sports to differentiate its exergaming efforts with a pro league's license, and try to extend the offering beyond the typical soccer-mom demographic.

I've reached out to my contacts with EA Sports to see if they want to knock this rumor down. We likely know the drill here: A) it's a holiday week, and B) few companies ever comment on rumor or speculation.

Rumor: EA Sports Working on a Football Training Game [Destructoid]