You may recall that earlier in May, Nintendo was pinched to the tune of $21 million in a patent infringement suit brought by Texas-based Anascape. Upon further review, the play stands — a U.S. District Court judge denied Ninty's pretty-please to cut that $21 mil to a less lottoriffic number. So unless they want to take this up the ladder to a U.S. federal appeals court, they'll be cutting a check for that number.

Anascape sued back in 2006 and went for the kitchen sink, claiming Nintendo and Microsoft both infringed on controller designs they had patented. Microsoft settled with Anascape. The original suit against Nintendo covered everything from the Gamecube forward — the Wavebird and the Classic, plus the Wiimote and Nunchuk. The case decided in May found infringements only on the former two not the motion-sensing controls in the Wii. Still, $21 million is not pocket change.

Nintendo's Appeal on Reduced $21M Verdict Denied [QJ.net]

Apparently, using anything other than disposable "crap-assed gas station batteries" turns a Wii Wheel driving experience into that of a 1978 Datsun heading down to the shore. And no, that's not a desirable mod. Not for Don at videolamer, anyway. He swears that using the battery packs from the React Recharge Dock for the Wiimote reduces the 'Mote's weight and makes it drive off center when placed in the Wii Wheel.

Quoth Don:

Was the weight difference, a very noticeable one, messing with the ‘mote’s center-point?

Yes, in fact. Replacing the rechargeable pack with a standard set of crap-assed gas station batteries made our karts dead center again.

Now I’ve got to figure out how to add weight to my charger packs. That or play Kart at an odd angle.

So, fair warning, considering that the React dock runs about $50, if you Kart like hell and are considering eco-friendly ways to keep your 'Mote juiced. Does anyone else have the same kind of issue, or just this guy?

Peripheral Disdain [Videolamer, thanks taidan]

Arriving yesterday in the mail, as if laughing at me, was Assassin's Creed, courtesy of my restarted Gamefly subscription. I had forgotten to change my game queue (I also got The Warriors on PSP. WTF?) So, really, if I were to seriously play Assassin's Creed within a week after getting GTA IV, we're talking about a length of time spent indoors that borders on being incarcerated.

Anyway, this is hardly news, but AC has a control system that will take me a week to get comfortable manipulating. The game is a perfect example of how increasingly complex controllers will give rise to increasingly complex-to-control games. GamePro has a list of 5 suggestions for paring down the buttons and options.

Iwata: Wiimote Clone Not a Threat

Virtual Archery Bow Puts Link..And Rambo...To Shame

More Info On Xbox 360 Wiimote?

Not so long ago, a major rumor dropped courtesy of an MTV source that Microsoft was developing a Wiimote-style peripheral for the Xbox 360. Many were shocked at the totally crazy news, but truth be told, there have been rumblings about the possibility for some time. That report just added a big pile of legitimacy to the whispers.

Now 8bitjoystick, a blog known for close affiliation with somebody at Microsoft, is confirming that the peripheral indeed exists under the codename "Newton," and that the public could see the device by this winter.

Scientists Create Wiiimote-Controlled Bomb-Bot

We're already well aware of the various health-related applications for the Nintendo Wii, but what about the military uses? The U.S. military, who were up until recently confirmed Xbox 360 fanboys, are now looking into the possibility of Wiimote-controlled robots. Scientists have created the Packbot, a Wiimote-operated robot armed with a machine gun, to be used in clearing mines and bombs. The military would generally use a standard remote for such purposes, but scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy say the Wiimote is more instinctive, allowing users to focus on date processing rather than which button to press. In my world the device would come with a screen so the soldier operating it could watch his Mii diffusing bombs and tip=toeing around land mines. My world is a much happier place.

Wii controls to defuse bombs [Metro.co.uk]

Which Controller Do You Brawl With?

The first thing that struck me as I started digging into Super Smash Bros. Brawl for my review, was the fact that this wasn't a game designed with the standard Wiimote controls in mind. The only time the motion sensing comes into play is when you shake the controller to activate your Smash Attack, and even then it's easier done with the control stick and a button. Me? I tried all the configurations, and finally settled with my trusty old GameCube controller. What's your weapon of choice?

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No Food Or Drink While Wii-ing

This, my friends, is why people still go into the sign business. Because even as we enter the digital world in which every surface custom advertises to us in response to retinal scans, there will always be a need for the quick and crude Wii pun on hard paper, where one's freedom of speech stems only as far as the Scotch tape will reach.

Of course, this version appears to be hilariously official.

Fade2Black [Flickr via IronicGamer]

The Controller Stress Tests

A wildly amusing set of three stress tests on the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wiimote: how well do they hold up to gamer temper tantrums? The 'researchers' over at Insult Swordfighting set up rage-inducing scenarios, flung controllers, and looked at how both aesthetics and performance were impacted. An example? The SIXAXIS didn't fare so well after being hurled "in a shallow downward motion, simulating disgust and frustration":

With the R2 button hanging by a thread, a sweeping upward motion is required to press it. The R1 button is missing entirely, and thus unusable. The L1 button has been knocked off its axis a bit, although it still works. And the PS button is stuck in the depressed position. Analog stick functions seem to work fine, as does patented SIXAXIS tilt control, insofar as patented SIXAXIS tilt control works at all.

I'm not the controller flinging type, though I do frequently threaten to toss consoles out my window; still, it's a funny (and perhaps relevant, depending on your play style) read.

Control Pad Stress Test: PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS, Control Pad Stress Test: Xbox 360 Control Pad, Control Pad Stress Test: The Wii Remote [Insult Swordfighting]

The WiiSaber Has A Challenger

Kotakuite Joseph T. gave up the heads up on an Etsy seller with some really charming game related jewelry, including Wii charms, Wiimote earrings, 1up mushrooms, and all sorts of miniature food items (ok, so that's not gaming related); made out of Sculpey, the pieces are relatively faithful little renderings of the original and may be just the ticket for the gaming geek jewelry wearer in your life (Valentine's Day is right around the corner, after all). And compared to a lot of the game related crafts we see on Etsy, the price is right: $7 for a Wii charm, $10 for a pair of Wiimote earrings, and the rest of the offerings in the same range.

There's really not much a third party company can do with the Nintendo Wiimote controller. Since so many peripherals (GH Controller, Zapper, Shark Gun) are designed specifically to accommodate the shape of the standard Wiimote, you can't except to see any wild variations as you might with a third party Xbox 360 or PS3 controller. This fact has kept many peripheral makers away from the Wii, but not Sunflex. The German controller company fiddled with the button shapes, slapped a shiny new coat of paint and a rubberized grip and voila! The Snakebyte Riimote. Get it? Riimote! Like remote, only spelled like Wii! HA! Ahem. The controller comes in two colors, Glossy Black and Lipstick Pink (for the girls - their words), and should be available February 8th across Europe for 39,99€. The company plans on complimenting the Riimote with the Snakebyte Nunchaku, wireless Nunchaku, and Retro Controller this spring, along with new colors of the Riimote itself.

Sunflex Product Gallery [Sunflex Europe]

WiiSaber Update!

This time from Game Informer, we have some fresh new details on LucasArts' The Force Unleashed (Wii) and the mythological WiiSaber. As we'd heard rumblings of before, swinging the Wiimote will not be 1:1 with the onscreen saber. Force powers will be motion controlled, but whether or not the Wiimote will do double-duty between lightsaber and said powers is uncertain. The only example we know of is Force Push, which requires the player to (you guessed it) push with the nunchuck.

I'm really, really hoping this will be good. And until we have the game in our hands to decide, expect bajillions of such updates as we get more info.

A few more Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Wii details [gonintendo]

According to XboxFamily.com, the Xbox 360 could soon be getting Microsoft-endorsed motion controls. Rumor has it that Microsoft has licensed Gyration to build the peripheral, a company you may know from building a prototype for Nintendo of the now-famous Wiimote. (That's the original prototype pictured here.)

But really, do we need more motion controls right now? I mean, we could certainly use some that work better, but especially if Microsoft is building a separate controller that will only be used for a handful of games, it's doubtful that we'll see anything better than we've already got on other systems.

Microsoft Plans Motion Sensing Controller [via g4tv]

Making The WiiSaber Is Hard

We already know that the WiiSaber (that's Wii lightsaber...learn it, live it, love it) is coming, but just how hard is the task of design? Very hard. Like, it will be tough to get right, hard. And it's not just because of the Wiimote itself—according to TT Games' Jonathan Smith—one major developer behind the original Lego Star Wars games.

...the way you have to tackle the animation for a character that can mimic your movements is quite intimidating...When I play a game I want to feel like I'm a Jedi, not like I'm some kind of imbecile who just keeps on stabbing stuff in the guts. You're not going to be able to fight with style because you won't know how to put the moves together.

Will we ever get complete control of Star Wars' lighty-up sticks? [gamesradar] [picture]

Wii Play Is Nintendo's Quiet Hit

Wii Play is just some $10 game you pick up because, what the hell, we're all paying too much for Wiimotes and nunchucks anyway. As Opposable Thumbs points out, it's a strategy that's paid off well for Nintendo. Because while not many people talk about group sessions of Wii Play at senior centers, it's been in the top five selling games for the last eight months straight.

In a way, Nintendo has succeeded off a form of supersizing. Don't sell the consumer two Wiimotes, just sell them more with one Wiimote. It's a small upsell that can clearly translate to big dollars.

Nintendo's secret best-seller: Wii Play [opposable thumbs]