Nintendophiles 04.01.09: GDC Fallout, New Zelda, Final Fantasy on WiiWare
Posted by Theo Fraser on 04.01.2009
Nintendophiles covers all the latest headlines to come out of this year’s Games Developer’s Conference, with news of a brand new DS Zelda outing, Final Fantasy coming to WiiWare in more than one way, Nintendo finally offering a proper Wii storage solution, the status of MotionPlus and much more!
Hello and welcome to this week's jam-packed instalment of Nintendophiles, featuring all the fallout from this year's Games Developer's Conference, which took place late last week in San Francisco. As a quick reminder, please make sure to bookmark 411mania to keep you up to date on all the latest pop culture developments, or even set us as your homepage!
GDC 09 - The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks revealed
Credit: IGN, Cubed3
With Nintendo president Satoru Iwata taking center stage at GDC for a keynote address, it was generally assumed that some kind of big announcement was imminent. Amongst a whole host of exciting developments, the major revelation that instantly swept across the internet to tears of joy (at least, that was the reaction in my household) was that Link would return to grace the touch screen in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks on Nintendo DS. Due for a release this Winter, the game is already well underway and is looking fantastic. In case you missed it, here's the first ever footage...
For a debut trailer, it's actually pretty revealing if you look into it. The footage focusing on the train sections demonstrates how Link will move around the world of Hyrule, and the top screen shows multiple paths you can take on the train, giving you a sense of freedom within the linear structure. It'll never be ‘on-rails' as such, as we can see a kind of throttle represented on the right side of the touch screen, which has forwards and backwards motion, a pause/stop function and a super-fast mode to get you to your destination pronto.
New weapons and items are also highlighted, such as the three-leafed Pinwheel, which seems to have numerous functions, be it against enemies in combat or for puzzles in the obligatory Wind Temple. Perhaps more interestingly is the inclusion of a new play mechanic by way of a tool that lets you manipulate Phantom Guardians to either distract enemies, allowing you to strike from behind (dirty tactics, but hey, if Link gets some of that fine Zelda ass at the end of it all, it's OK with me), or letting you send the Phantom into normally hazardous conditions to flick a switch, as evidenced in the trailer.
Based on the same engine as Phantom Hourglass with minor improvements rather than radical overhauls, the development period likely hasn't been that long, so don't panic if you're worried that Spirit Tracks has caused the new Wii Zelda to be pushed back. Phantom Hourglass made great use of the DS hardware and everything it had to offer, so we're guaranteed a first-rate outing for this successor. I emphasise the word ‘successor' rather than sequel, as according to reports this will fit in with the Hylian timeline, rather than continuing on from Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass. If PH didn't tickle your fancy, I doubt you'll be swayed by what this one has to offer, but for all the Zelda aficionados out there, we've got another fix coming our way by the end of the year to tide us over until Link's next big adventure on Wii.
I'd put money on a playable demo being present at this year's E3 event. Until then, we can probably look forward to a full press release, and you can be sure to hear all the latest news on Spirit Tracks right here at 411 Games.
More Zelda coming your way; Majora's Mask set to hit VC
Credit: Cubed3, IGN
Not content with the mere announcement that he would be starring in a brand new DS title, Link is gracing our headlines once again this week, after the latest release list was revealed for the Japanese Virtual Console.
Later this month, one of the N64's ultimate treasures comes to the Virtual Console in the East, as The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask goes up for download. If we look back at previous releases of Zelda games on the VC, we can see that they rarely stay exclusive to Japan for more than a month, meaning that we should be able to purchase it for ourselves here in the West come May.
Aside from the fact that this is a tremendous title (which strangely gets oft overlooked, presumably because Ocarina of Time was just so damn good), its arrival on the Virtual Console is particularly significant in that this marks the first N64 title to appear on the VC that originally used the Expansion Pak, the accessory that doubles the console's RAM storage capacity to 8 MB. Could this be the first in a wave of such titles? I wouldn't start holding out hope for Perfect Dark due to the legal issues with Rare/Microsoft (it's still not clear who exactly owns the rights to the Perfect Dark franchise currently), Donkey Kong 64 is a distinct possibility. And whilst it wasn't required for play, the awesome action-RPG Hybrid Heaven made use of the accessory, so there's definite potential there.
But the fun doesn't end there! Many have noted that this ALSO marks the first title to appear on the Virtual Console that needed any kind expanded hardware, period. I've covered the absence of Expansion Pak titles, but we've also yet to see SNES games like Starfox, which utilised the SFX chip, or Super Mario Kart, which took advantage of the DSP chip. In lieu of Nintendo's upgrade to the Virtual Console service, do we now have the technology to accurately port such titles to the system? One can sincerely hope.
For those curious, other titles appearing on the VC in Japan this month include:
Takeshi no Chousenjo (Taito, Famicom, 500 Wii Points)
Castlevania III Dracula's Curse (Konami, Famicom, 500)
Der Langrisser (Hudson, Super Famicom, 800)
Hoshi no Kirby 3 (Nintendo, Super Famicom, 800)
Zelda: Majora's Mask (Nintendo, N64, 1,200)
Phantasy Star (Sega, Master System, 600)
Ninja Gaiden (Tecmo, PC Engine, 600)
Genpei Toma Den (Bandai Namco, Arcade, 800)
Space Invaders (Taito, Arcade, 500)
Reggie gets defensive about MotionPlus
Credit: MTV Multiplayer
Over the last couple of weeks, I've mentioned the controversy surrounding the MotionPlus accessory, and how it slipped off of release schedules into the ether, before rumors sprang up that it would in fact launch alongside EA's Grand Slam Tennis. Looking for official confirmation, various media outlets asked Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime about the peripheral's status at the GDC event last week. I've reprinted the relevant section of the interview below. Check out Reggie's cagey response...
MTV Multiplayer:At E3, we were told that "Wii Sports Resort" would be a spring game. We got our hands on Wii Motion Plus, which seemed to be working well. But "Wii Sports Resort" and Motion Plus are absent from the spring line-up. What's going on there?
Reggie Fils-Aime: We haven't announced the full spring line-up? And it feels like winter in Seattle right now.
MTV Multiplayer: The lack of MotionPlus and any specifics on when it's coming out ? even as EA has their tennis game slotted for mid-June and their "Tiger Woods" game slotted for June [both of which support MotionPlus] ? has led to speculation that ?
Fils-Aime: You know we don't comment on rumor and speculation?
MTV Multiplayer: Ok. The logical conclusion is that there would seemingly need to be a MotionPlus out when these games are out in June. At the same time ? now I asked about the speculation part; here's the rumor part ? there were problems with MotionPlus development. Do you want to put any of that to rest? Is this project not going where it needs to be going?
Fils-Aime: We do not comment on rumor and speculation.
MTV Multiplayer: What would you say the status of MotionPlus is?
Fils-Aime: The status of Motion Plus is consistent with what we talked about at E3. "Wii Sports Resort" looks great. I've played it.
Looks like Reggie was getting a bit edgy! MTV Multiplayer did seem rather pushy there and probably should have backed off after the first "we don't comment on rumor and speculation", but Nintendo's whole stance on the thing is admittedly odd. Of course, they're not going to want to admit to any problems if they encountered any issues during development, but what's the harm in coming out and saying the peripheral will be delayed by a few months? Oh, OK Nintendo, it's not ‘delayed' as you never announced an official date, but you could at least tell us we'll be waiting a few more months than expected.
GDC 09 - WiiWare gets Final Fantasy overload!
Credit: Siliconera
With Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A King selling very well on Nintendo's download service, Square Enix are clearly very high on WiiWare right now. This was never more so evident in their GDC address, as the company announced TWO new WiiWare titles as well as revealing that the original NES/SNES Final Fantasies would be making their way to the Virtual Console!
First up is Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A Darklord. Everyone knows that it's more fun to play as the bad guy, and now you'll get your chance within the Final Fantasy universe. Much like My Life As A King, the action takes place in real-time, only for this instalment you'll have to place traps and monsters around your tower to stop those pesky adventurers from nabbing your Dark Crystal. You control the Darklord's daughter, as pictured below. It's looking good so far, and if you weren't thrilled by the prospect of being a goody-two-shoes in MLAAK, this should appeal to your darker side.
Up next, we have Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, which had been rumored for quite some time and has been mentioned here in Nintendophiles on more than one occasion. FFIV:TAY started life as a mobile phone game in Japan, but now comes to the WiiWare download service. The After Years is set 18 years after the events of the original, and introduces us to Ceodore, son of Cecil and Rosa, who we followed throughout FFIV's storyline. There isn't really anything new on offer here; this is the ultimate in ‘fan service' and allows those who fell in love with the FFIV universe all those years ago to reacquaint themselves with the characters they grew so attached to. For more information, check out the game's official website at www.ff4theafteryears.com. No word on a release date, but the website confirms that it is ‘Coming Soon'. Awesome. While I go change my pants (I got a little bit excited there...), check out the first screens of the game, and marvel at how smooth the high-res 2D is!
Finally, as I mentioned before, Square Enix have confirmed that the original Final Fantasy will be heading to the Virtual Console imminently. It was declared that the NES and SNES instalments of the Final Fantasy series will all at some point make it to the VC. I question whether or not this would include FFIV. On the one hand, you have the bonus of offering the original FFIV title as well as FFIV: The After Years, giving gamers the complete saga as it were, but surely that would take away from sales of the 3D DS remake? Meh, perhaps Square Enix consider them to be two separate entities, making the issue null and void. In any case, we're getting Final Fantasy on the Virtual Console. That's something to be excited about.
GDC 09 – Your Storage Solution is Here!
Credit: Cubed3
I'm almost teary-eyed! For well over a year, Wii owners have been battling for a proper solution to all their storage woes, getting our hopes up every time talk of an external hard drive or some such device cropped up. Finally, in one fell swoop during Iwata's GDC keynote speech, the problems were cured as Nintendo offered a practical solution to sort it out once and for all.
Going live the instant Iwata uttered the words, the Wii Menu 4.0 system update was established, and a number of new features were installed to make Nintendo's download service even more user-friendly. For a start, SDHC card compatibility has now been invoked; a massive improvement over the previous limit of 2GB cards. You'll also finally be able to play titles straight off of the SD cards. You'll still need the required amount of room on the Wii's internal memory, but it's now incredibly straightforward to swap titles from internal memory to SD card, so you'll never be more than a minute or two away from playing your favorite retro titles.
So why all this now? It could have something to do with the introduction of the Virtual Console Arcade, bringing various old arcade titles into the fray, ready for your perusal and purchase. VC Arcade debuts with STARFORCE, Gaplus, Mappy, and The Tower of Druaga, none of which particularly get me giddy with excitement, but it's always a nice treat to see new systems added to the ever-expanding Virtual Console catalogue.
This doesn't really need much comment; I'm just so happy that Nintendo have FINALLY addressed our concerns. Oh, and yes, that report from the other week about the double-USB drive was evidently false. Bastards.
411 Games Fact or Fiction also tackles the news to come out of GDC 09, as Jeffrey Harris and Joe Roche discuss Kojima's keynote speech, Nintendo's storage solution, GTA on the Wii and more.
Drew Robbins takes over B3yond the Report this week, with talk of God of War III, PS3 pricing issues and more.
Jordan Williams talks about Left 4 Dead and Fallout 3 in this week's Working Title.
As an avid PC gamer myself, Jonny Richardson's column about PC gaming hits home as he discusses Sloppy Seconds for the PC.
That's all from me for this week. Now I have the hard task of deciding whether to get back to GTA:Chinatown Wars or Mass Effect, which I'm currently going through on PC. Both are equally good. There are simply not enough hours in the day. Oh, and I've just seen that House of the Dead: Overkill has been slashes to half price at Gamestation in the UK, so that'll be another title added to the long list of "Please play me!" games sitting on my bedroom floor.
