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Prototyping The Wii Remote, Nunchuk
No doubt inspired by yesterday’s reveal of the MotionPlus prototype process, Siliconera patent trawler Spencer Yip has uncovered a similar process, only this time for the Wii’s actual controllers. Again, like with the MotionPlus, if you were hoping for a radical evolution from batshit crazy design to the current models, you’ll be disappointed. They’re all…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 23, 2009 -
Help Me Spend 1000 Club Nintendo Coins
After a few weeks’ worth of registering Nintendo products at the recently launched U.S. version of Club Nintendo, I’ve amassed a healthy 1000 coins to spend. But what clutter-adding trinkets to spend them on? Long, drawn out decisions have never been my strong point, particularly when it comes to the more trivial. Being a Platinum…
By Michael McWhertor Published April 23, 2009 -
A Look At “Declining” Wii Sales In Japan
Regular readers of our Japanese hardware sales charts will be aware that, in recent months, Wii sales have declined. It’s being regularly outsold by the PS3, and even the 360 is nipping at its heels. This has led many to proclaim that the Wii’s golden run in Japan is over. That the fickle Japanese public…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 23, 2009 -
Wii Video Service Channel Launches May 1
The latest Wii Channel “Wii no Ma” is scheduled to go live in Japan on May 1. It brings video service to the Nintendo Wii — and what appears to be market research on users. As detailed last December, “Wii no Ma” (Wii Room) is a video service for your Nintendo Wii. Instead of offering…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 23, 2009 -
Prototyping The Wii’s MotionPlus
The Wii’s new peripheral, MotionPlus, will be with us soon. And we know what it looks like. But here’s what, but for the grace of God, it could have looked like. The following pics were spotted on a European Union trademarks database, and show the progression of the device, from early prototype to production model.…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 23, 2009 -
Nintendo Has NO PLANS For DSi Skype
The PSP has voice-over-IP software Skype, and hey, Skype is technically possible for the DSi. That doesn’t mean because it’s possible that the DSi is getting Skype. A Skype representative told website TechRadar, “Whilst we can’t comment on any future plans to bring Skype to Nintendo’s DSi, it would technically be possible.” (Whilst?) This comes…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 23, 2009 -
Punch-Out!! Multiplayer Has You Seeing Double
It’s Little Mac versus differently-colored Little Mac in these multiplayer screenshots from Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Wii. It boggles the mind that in a game with such a great cast of characters, multiplayer is limited to a split-screen battle with Little Mac versus another Little Mac. Nintendo tries to mix things up by making one…
By Mike Fahey Published April 22, 2009 -
There’s A Mystery To Solve In MySims Agents
EA takes their tiny blocked-headed MySims and thrusts them deep into the heart of a sinister plot that could determine the fate of an entire city in MySims Agents for the Nintendo Wii and DS. The MySims are everywhere now. They’re partying, racing, defending fantasy kingdoms, and now taking on the role of secret agents…
By Mike Fahey Published April 22, 2009 -
PS3 Tie Ratio Overtakes Wii Tie Ratio
Matt Matthews, now at Gamasutra, is a graph fiend. If it’s displayed as bars and/or pies, he’s all over it. And he’s all over some new NPD data, showing an improvement in the PS3’s tie ratio. The “Tie Ratio” is basically the ratio of games to consoles in the market. So if, say, the Xbox…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 22, 2009 -
Where Did The Idea For Mother 3 Come From?
Mother 3? Fantastic game. The game was released way back in 2006, but its creator Shigesato Itoi and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata recently talked about the title — like, what inspired it. Itoi, who also works as an ad copywriter and even voiced the father in My Neighbor Totoro, explains that the game’s genesis came…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 22, 2009 -
The Life & Times Of Nintendo’s Game Boy
Haven’t you heard? The Game Boy is 20! And to celebrate the occasion, Gizmodo artiste and Game Boy fetishist Jesus Diaz has whipped up this handy timeline, charting the machine’s highs and lows. You know, looking at this has reminded me; if there’s one console I’m going to buy this year, it’ll probably be one…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 22, 2009 -
The Nintendo Wii Hits 8 Million In Japan
According to data from Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, the domestic sales for the Nintendo Wii in Japan surpassed 8 million units as April 19. The Nintendo Wii launched in Japan on December 2, 2006 and was not packaged with Wii Sports like in The West. Enterbain also released new top five Wii software sales totals. They…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 22, 2009 -
Be A DJ On Your DS
In case the two other DJ games currently under development for consoles weren’t enough for you, French developer Game Life has just announced DJ Star, coming later this year for the Nintendo DS. Published by Deep Silver in Europe and Australia, DJ Star is a game where players start off as a lowly hobby DJ,…
By Mike Fahey Published April 21, 2009 -
Happy Birthday Game Boy!
Twenty years ago today, the original Game Boy first went on sale in Japan. What better way to pay tribute than with a series of cheesy retro ads. The Game Boy was created by Nintendo’s Gunpei Yokoi, who also created the company Game & Watch handhelds. Worldwide, the Game Boy and its later iteration Game…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2009 -
The Wii Is Perfect For Computer Illiterate Old People
Not that there is anything wrong with computer illiterate old people. Why our mother just asked us yesterday if it was difficult to use a PC mouse. Yes it is, we said. We lied! The above ad is for phone carrier NTT Western Japan and is eye-roll inducing if you understand Japanese. For those who…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2009 -
Super Robot Taisen – The Power Is In Your Chest
The official trailer for Banpresto’s Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier for the Nintendo DS proves once and for all that you’re more powerful when you’re nearly naked, even if you’re Kos-Mos. Xenosaga might have been a much shorter series if KOS-MOS had only learned her hidden power earlier. I myself never realized that…
By Mike Fahey Published April 20, 2009 -
The Nintendo Download: Dr. Mario Prescribes Wonder Crystals
Call the doctor, Mario-whoa-o. This week in the Nintendo Download we get a tiny dose of Dr. Mario; a tiny taste of Final Fantasy; and a heaping helping of Winder Boy. Dr. Mario makes his tiny triumphant return this week in the DSiWare title Dr. Mario Express (500 points), the downloadable version of the classic…
By Mike Fahey Published April 20, 2009 -
Global Nuclear War Should Come To The DS
Talented British developers Introversion have announced that, after a previous deal with a publisher fell through, they’re looking for somebody else to publish nuclear war “simulator” Defcon on the Nintendo DS. The grim, bare-bones PC hit is a perfect fit for the handheld, so the team are justifiably confident of finding somebody. But on the…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 20, 2009 -
Exquisite Mother 3 Statues
Since Americans can’t even get their hands on an official version of Mother 3 the game, there’s no hope of seeing much official Mother 3 merch. But unofficial merch? Knock yourselves out. These Mother 3 clay statues were crafted by Camille Young, the wife of Reid Young, of Starmen fame. They were made for use…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 20, 2009