Nintendophiles 07.22.09: Murumasa, Suda 51, MotionPlus
Posted by Theo Fraser on 07.22.2009
This week’s Nintendophiles looks at Miyamoto explanation for why MotionPlus wasn't included when the Wii first launched, a first look at Murumasa: The Demon Blade, and SUDA 51's plans to right the wrongs of the original No More Heroes. Check out all that and more inside!
It's another week, and that brings another edition of Nintendophiles! Professor Layton is still keeping me busy in the run-up to Wii Sports Resort in a few days, but I've also been distracted by Mass Effect on the PC, which has gone from simply ‘awesome' to blindingly, cripplingly stupendous. BioWare, let the rumors be true, please come develop on the Wii!
The Wii Sports Resort Countdown-o-meter: 4 DAYS!!
The excitement is building! Interestingly, reviews have been literally ALL over the place for Resort. I'm still going to get it because I really want to get my hands on MotionPlus and Resort seems like the best example of its capabilities, but I'm intrigued as to what I actually think of it. I'll be sure to let you know next week! Alright, I think it's time for Tidbit News of the Week! I love it, you love it, we all love it, let's check it out together!
~ Rock Band Network planned to allow music uploads. MTV announced the all-new Rock Band Network for the 360 this week, which will allow musicians to upload their own tracks onto a Rock Band database, where other users will be able to download them, much as they do already with ‘officially released' downloads. It's still unconfirmed if this will come to PS3 and/or Wii, but I wouldn't bet against it, especially as Rock Band 2 on the Wii has a fully functioning online component, just like its bigger brothers on rival consoles.
~ 2D Boy working on new WiiWare title. Popular WiiWare title World of Goo creator 2D Boy have announced that they are currently working on a new WiiWare title. Judging by how well received WoG was, this in itself is something to get excited about. Kyle Gabler, Kyle Gray and Allan Blomquist are the men in charge and the title is "based on one of the experimental games from our past." Kyle hinted that ExperimentalGameplay.com is the key to our answer.
~ Super Monkey Ball returns to Wii with Balance Board intentions. SEGA have revealed a new Super Monkey Ball title for the Wii, controlled via the Balance Board. Super Monkey Ball is literally perfect for the Balance Board, this should be fantastic. The game is due out Early 2010.
~ Smackdown vs Raw 2010 to feature online Royal Rumble?! THQ apparently posted on their French website that an online Royal Rumble mode will be one of the new features of this year's iteration of the popular WWE video game. It's unconfirmed if this applies to the Wii as well as Xbox 360 and PS3 (quite probably not, all things being considered) but until we know for sure, I'm holding out hope!
Miyamoto explains why MotionPlus wasn't available at Wii launch
Credit: Daily Telegraph
It's a criticism that's been levied at Nintendo ever since the MotionPlus attachment was first revealed; why wasn't this technology included in the Wii from the start? Under the right circumstances, this would be fully justified, as it would be really shitty for them to withhold the technology, only to release it a couple of years later with an extra price tag on it. However, long-time Nintendo idol Shigeru Miyamoto assures us that this is not the case.
Miyamoto: It's a continuous evolution. Not all the Wii software requires MotionPlus, so it is appropriate for us to position it as a peripheral. Also, it was not technically feasible for the technology to be realized with such a compact size. The fact we are now being able to sell Motion Plus at this price, at this size, is the result of technological advancements in the field of microelectro-mechanical systems, which took place after Wii launched.
I could pretend to know what microelectro-mechanical systems are, but I doubt it will get me anywhere. As far as Miyamoto's reasoning goes, that sounds perfectly acceptable to me. The main draw of the Wii upon its initial release, aside from the obvious never-before-seen motion control scheme, was that it was an affordable console for the masses. It certainly wouldn't have been had MotionPlus been included from the start, and you'd probably have a chunky piece of plastic hanging off the end of your remote, instead of the subtle addition to the base that discretely blends in with the rest of the remote as we see with today's product.
Suda corrects main criticism of No More Heroes for sequel
Credit:Nintendo Dpad
Any fan of the original No More Heroes will tell you, despite it being a fantastic title, its major problem was the fact that the open world felt so sparse and...well...dead. Which is why it comes as brilliant news to hear that Suda 51 is taking measures to correct this.
Santa Destroy, a.k.a. Deadsville
Speaking to Nintendo Power, Suda explained what additions and amendments he is making to ensure the playing experience remains consistently awesome:
SUDA 51: The city will be more compact and feel more denser. There will be more stuff to do, and you'll be able to access more activities and mini-games from the very beginning. We want to mix it up a little bit more. For example, after you defeat a boss, you might jump into another boss fight immediately. We want to break up the tempo so it's not always the same thing like it was in the first No More Heroes. Also, we're really adjusting the amount of money that you have to earn before you can proceed to the next fight. We don't want it to be as much of a pain as it was in the first game.
Looks like he's taking some great measures to me! I think there's nothing wrong with making the open world more compact; for a start, it cuts down those lengthy drives from one end of the map to the other, which are never fun (I'm looking at you Wind Waker Triforce hunt!), and it also enables Grasshopper Manufacture to really pay attention and cram a load of detail into the condensed environment. I also like the idea of mixing things up in terms of progression through the game. While it didn't really bother me, it's true that you went from raising money via jobs and assassin missions to the main ‘levels', before fighting a boss and repeating the whole process all over again. With a little more incentive to explore your surroundings, the world of Santa Destroy should be a place you'll be dying to spend your leisure time in.
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is released across North America in January 2010. Let's hope we get another good look at the game before the summer is out.
Murumasa: The Demon Blade – First Look
Here's a title that's been sitting just under the radar for the past year. In fact, this is the first time Murumasa has appeared in the hallowed halls of Nintendophiles, for reasons unbeknown to me; I guess it's slipped under my radar too!
This side-scrolling action-adventure title is definitely one for the core gamers, presenting a real challenge from the get-go. This will be no pushover, that's for sure, and it's the first time in a while a Wii game has really tested the mettle of its players. It also looks and sounds very pretty, with a beautiful hand-drawn 2D visual theme. It might not look it from the outset, but this baby really utilises everything the Wii has got in its innards.
Three gameplay modes are on offer to tailor the playing experience to your particular taste. Unmatched Mode is based around the idea of levelling up your character, rather than stressing the actual action. Choose Carnage Mode if you want an action-based adventure, which is apparently for the more skilled hardcore players out there. Insane Death Mode is unlocked upon completion of Unmatched Mode, which functions in the same manner, save for the fact that your character has just 1 HP left for the ENTIRETY of the game, never growing when you level up, basically reducing the process to a ‘one-hit-and-it's-game-over' scenario.
What's also brilliant is the fact that players have two completely different control methods at their disposal. Either play as originally intended with the Wii remote or pick up that Classic Controller for a more ‘old school'/traditional approach.
Murumasa releases across the US on September 8th, the day before my birthday (hurray!). This has shot right up my Most Wanted list, so I'll be sure to keep a close eye on it as we near its release in less than two months. But don't take my word for it; check out the trailer for yourself!
Virtual Console/WiiWare Releases of the Week 7/20/09
[Proper banner STILL pending. Photoshop failed me this week.]
For those who missed last week's Nintendophiles (and if you did, then a swift beating around the head with 8 used copies of Superman 64 for you), this is a new weekly feature, giving you a rundown of the latest and most recent releases on the Virtual Console and WiiWare service. It's quite a significant week of releases over at the Wii Shop Channel, namely due to the release of a Square Enix title to get Final Fantasy aficionados' blood pumping.
[VIRTUAL CONSOLE]
~ No releases
[WIIWARE]
~ Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A Darklord - 1,000 Wii Points
The Blurb: Step into the royal shoes of the Darklord's daughter as she installs traps and monsters inside her tower to fight back the endless waves of invading adventurers in this world-conquest RPG. Known as Artifacts, these monsters and traps are your only hope in keeping the adventurers from destroying the Dark Crystal on the top floor. Fly your tower across the land and conquer every stage on your way to dominating the entire world.
~ Battle Poker - 800 Wii Points
The Blurb: Battle Poker is a family-friendly card game with up to four players battling against the clock to make the best five-card hand possible. Battles are played across multiple rounds, and points are scored for each round based on the quality of the hand. Each player uses a Wii Remote controller to point and click on a standard deck of cards on the screen. The first click flips the card over, at which point it can be grabbed by anyone else. You've got to have fast fingers and eyes to grab the cards you need before someone else snatches them.
~ 5 Spots Party - 500 Wii Points
The Blurb: Have fun with the entire family and compete in three different play modes. 5 Spots Party is a game of skill for all ages based on the popular game of finding five differences. The goal is to find the greatest number of differences in the pictures shown. In the party modes, you must compete with other players and find as many mistakes as possible. In the 1-Player mode, you must find the differences before time runs out in order to beat the game's highest scores. How far do you think you can go?
[DSIWARE]
~ Art Style: ZENGAGE - 500 DSi Points
The Blurb: Do you dream of relaxing with a great puzzle game? Art Style: ZENGAGE revolves around sliding cells (squares) to match colors with cores (beads) located on the board. Clear each stage by matching all of the cores and cells. As you progress through the game's 100-plus stages, you'll encounter cells with special characteristics, such as immovability, which further add to the challenge. To truly master ZENGAGE, you must keep your mind sharp and employ careful strategy to complete stages in as few moves as possible. Combining wistful graphics and mesmerizing sound, ZENGAGE creates a surreal world that should be experienced by all puzzle gaming fans.
The 411 Games Crew
Mark Salmela asks what's up with 2009's biggest games being direct sequels to the big hitters from 2007 in this week's edition of B3yond the Report.
This week's 411 Games Fact or Fiction stars yours truly, as I take on Trace Aber to discuss topics such as the Dana White vs EA debacle, the God of War movie, the upcoming Holiday line-up and much more.
Trace Aber presents the 30th edition of Living LIVE
Rod Oracheski checks in with The Numbers Game, keeping you in the loop about the latest NPD sales figures.
Let's all welcome Lee Price to the team as he debuts Retronomicon! I love him already as he covers Super Mario World for the inaugural edition. Any self-confessed Nintendophile needs to check it out!
If it was anyone but Miyamoto saying ti I might not believe them. But I have to admit, Miyamoto is probably right.
Posted By: Jake G (Guest) on July 22, 2009 at 04:42 AM
Let me be the first to say that the virtual console has SUCKED for over a year. It started out awesome, and SHOULD have been a major selling point. However, sadly, the gamer is screwed again. Their are litteraly THOUSANDS of awesome titles that COULD be released. What do we get? Wiiware GARBAGE week after week instead of CLASSICS we should get. I love my wii, but I'd love it ALOT more if nintendo dropped the BS and got back to releasing some actual old school classics, 3 a week like they did back in the day instead of crap we get now. If I have one complain about the wii it's the shear amount of crap titles. For those of you old enough to remember the crash of 83 (young people wikipedia it!), nintendo is acting like atari was, flooding the market. As long as microsoft isn't coleco and sony isn't intellivision we may be okay but the similarities are there...
Posted By: Sco Sco (Guest) on July 22, 2009 at 09:10 AM
Sco Sco, I think the issue with the Wii VC is that they plan on keeping it around forever. So they are staggering the releases. Of course they are sitting on a gold mine too and should pull the trigger sooner than later.
Some of the WiiWare games are good though.
Posted By: Jake G (Guest) on July 22, 2009 at 10:35 PM
So basically with Final Fantasy: My Life as a Dark Lord, they took the Kagero: Deception series of games and put the FF brand to it.... wow.
Damn Tecmo, you couldn't produce your own game anymore that you gave it to Squenix?
Posted By: Galen H. (Guest) on July 23, 2009 at 07:06 AM
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