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Zelda: Spirit Tracks Is For A “Wider Age Group Of People”
Buried in the midst of Nintendo’s 2009 fiscal year results is a small note about the upcoming Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. It’s interesting to see how the game’s described to investors, rather than fans. While the game is mentioned only in passing, the report hints at the game’s direction, saying that “The Legend of…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2009 -
Nintendo’s 2009 Software Sales: The Breakdown
As you’ve seen, Nintendo’s 2009 fiscal year results are in. Pushing on from the cash money, let’s now take a look at the games: which ones sold, how many they sold, that sort of thing. WARNING: these numbers will make every “1 million sold!” proclamation from other publishers seem tame by comparison. The following sales…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2009 -
New Global Lifetime Sales For The Nintendo Wii And The Nintendo DS
Like numbers? Nintendo released oodles of numbers today, including lifetime and 2009 financial year Wii and DS hardware sales. Let’s have a look. Worldwide annual sales of the Nintendo Wii hovered close to 26 million units (25.95), and the total lifetime sales for the console have surpassed 50 million (50.39). Global Nintendo DS system sales…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 7, 2009 -
Nintendo Had Yet Another Money Printing Year [Update]
Nintendo has released its 2009 fiscal year end results. For the financial year ending March 31, 2009, the company posted record highs for both sales and operating profit. The Kyoto-based game company reported sales of 1.83 trillion yen, which is up 9 percent from the previous year, and it reported operating profits of over 555…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 7, 2009 -
Piston Honda Returns To Punch-Out!!, Mostly Intact
The latest classic boxer to return to the Wii version of Punch-Out!! will be Tokyo, Japan born and bred Piston Honda. Or at least a close approximation of Piston, as Nintendo has changed his name. The return of the Japanese pugilist, who first (and last) appeared in the NES version of Punch-Out!! comes with a…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 6, 2009 -
The Disabled-Friendly NES Controller From The 1980’s
While it’s easy to think that – through the wonders of subtitles and the Wii Remote – making games accessible to the disabled is a recent trend, it’s not. It’s as old as the hills. This is the Hands Free, a controller setup manufactured by Nintendo for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. It consists of…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 6, 2009 -
Mother 3 Handbook Is Sheer Indulgence
Remember that Mother 3 handbook we told you about? My copy just arrived in the mail. And I’m lost for words. Presented as, basically, a strategy guide for the cult Nintendo title (which has never been released in the West), were this from Prima or BradyGames you’d be shocked by the quality and attention to…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 6, 2009 -
Mario, Kirby Get Gory With 8-Bit Fatalities
Mario may have racked up billions of kills during his decades-long career, sending Goombas, Koopas and Bloopers to their deaths. But Mario’s not generally considered violent. Steven Lefcourt’s “8-Bit Fatalities” series may change that assumption. Lefcourt explores the gorier side of traditionally non-violent video game characters, including Pac-Man, Mario and Kirby, giving us a peek…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 5, 2009 -
EA’s Wii Business Nearly Doubled Last Year
EA embraced the Wii last year and the Wii embraced it right back, with the percentage of revenue due to the Nintendo console nearly doubling over the previous year. According to the company’s recently released financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2009, 14% of EA’s revenue was generated by Nintendo Wii titles…
By Mike Fahey Published May 5, 2009 -
Reviews
Equilibrio Micro-Review: Tilt and Break
Based on shareware title Fragile Ball, DK Games’ Equilibrio for WiiWare brings maze maneuvering to the Wii with a motion control twist. Using the Wii Remote or the Wii Balance Board, players must tilt and twist the game world to guide a ball to each level’s exit. Like a two-dimensional version of Sega’s Super Monkey…
By Brian Crecente Published May 5, 2009 -
‘The Science of the Mushroom Kingdom’ Explores Super Flora
Designed for a Communication Design Fundamentals class, The Science of the Mushroom Kingdom offers a look at the flora and fungi of the Super Mario Bros. universe, a textbook designed for budding botanist bros. Reader and Carnegie Mellon University student Theyab forwarded us a copy of his creation, which explains the properties (and dangers) of…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 4, 2009 -
First Red Steel 2 Trailer
As you’ll see from the “Destination PlayStation” (ie a retailer-only event) title card, this isn’t an official consumer trailer. Doesn’t mean you can’t watch it, though. The trailer comes courtesy of MSN Games Brazil, who say they obtained it via a source at Ubisoft. It shows just how different the sequel is to the first…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2009 -
Is Edge Teasing Pikmin 3?
The newest issue of Edge magazine may give us our first look at Bizarre Creations’ newest racer, Blur, via the cover; but it’s the teaser nestled near the back that may generate the most excitement. According to GoNintendo, the mag ends with the typically cryptic Edge teaser, one that’s leading to speculation of an impending…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 4, 2009 -
The Nintendo Download: Applied Animal Crossing
It’s a double dose of big-headed, gibberish-talking animals this week in the Nintendo Download, as two Animal Crossing applications add functionality to the DSi. The Animal Crossing Calculator and Animal Crossing Clock (200 DSi points each) are more than simply themed utilities for your brand new Nintendo DSi. Sure, the calculator functions as a normal…
By Mike Fahey Published May 4, 2009 -
Nintendo Forces Swedish Dental Surgery To Change Name
Not a headline you’d expect to read first thing on a Monday, granted, but it’s true: Nintendo’s lawyers have made a small dental surgery in Malmö, Sweden, change its name. Why? The surgery is called “Wii Smile”. And while one of the two partners running the joint, Christer Wihlborg, says the name came about because…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 4, 2009 -
Two More Boxers On Punch-Out!! Card
Go Nintendo’s a little ahead of the curve with a small pic, of unspecified origin, confirming two original Punch-Out!! pugilists’ presence in the forthcoming Wii-make. No surprise we’d find Great Tiger and Pissin’ Hurricane Piston Honda in this version, but as the official site remains stuck with Glass Joe, Von Kaiser, Disco Kid and Coming…
By Owen Good Published May 2, 2009 -
High Voltage: New Wii Exclusives Can Handle … Tens of On-Screen Enemies
High Voltage, the studio behind the (latest) bacon-saver for Wii core gamers, The Conduit, says his house will show off two more Wii exclusives at E3, capable of five dozen onscreen foes, minimum. HV exec Eric Nofsinger says they’ll be showing “two big ones” at E3 – no, not that – both of them FPSes…
By Owen Good Published May 2, 2009 -
Feel Shows How Horror On Wii Should Be Done
In case you couldn’t tell from the creepy kid and the gurgling noises, this is the Wii game being overseen by the director of Japanese horror flick “The Grudge”. It’s called “Feel”, and is actually based loosely on the movie. But despite how great the original film was (and how…strange the “American” remake was), that’s…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 2, 2009 -
Scribblenauts Has The Write Stuff
The developer behind Lock’s Quest and Drawn To Life prepare to draw upon their DS experience to create a new “groundbreaking emergent” game in Scribblenauts. Scribblenauts is a game in which players help their friend Maxwell acquire “starlite” by solving a series of puzzles in each of the game’s more than 200 levels. So what’s…
By Mike Fahey Published May 1, 2009 -
Thrustmaster Unveils DSi Stand For One-Handed Net Browsing
Thrustmaster today unveiled a stand for the DSi and a strap that doubles as a charger for the portable. The T-Standee Charger is a multi-position docking station for the DSi that also allows uses to charge their console. The stand can rotate so you can play or view your DSi either horizontally or vertically. I’m…
By Brian Crecente Published May 1, 2009