Nintendophiles 11.04.09: Wii 2, Epic Mickey, MSX on VC, WiiWare Demos, More!
Posted by Theo Fraser on 11.04.2009
The latest edition of Nintendophiles features potentially leaked specs for the Wii 2, full details on Wii’s Epic Mickey, Konami bringing MSX titles to the VC, Nintendo planning WiiWare demos and much more!
Good day to you, my fellow Nintendophiles! At the end of last week's column, I hinted at an announcement that would ‘shake Nintendophiles down to its very foundation', which sounds very melodramatic so I shall get straight to the heart of the matter to clear things up. It is with great regret that I inform you that I shall be finishing up my ‘duties' here at 411 Games in the very near future, potentially as soon as next week, depending on my schedule. Yes, the flagship Nintendo column of 411mania will no longer be helmed by yours truly, as my final year at university is proving to have a rather insane timetable and I unfortunately haven't got the time to properly dedicate myself to the news report as I would wish. I'll save a ‘big goodbye speech' for next week (if next week does indeed prove to be my final installment), but I just wanted to give you guys a heads up. And Nintendo fans need fear not, as one of my fine fellow 411 cohorts will be stepping up to deliver your weekly dose of Nintendo goodness, so even though Nintendophiles in its current iteration may have gone, a Nintendo-centric news report will still be provided to more than fill the gap. Enough naval-gazing for now though, we'll save all that for next week.
On a more positive note, I finally received my copy of WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010 for the Wii this week (damn postal strikes making me wait!), and I'm having great fun with it (when time has permitted me the chance to actually sit down with it for any length!). I love all the touches to presentation that have been made; this is truly one of the best ‘WWE experiences' you will find in a wrestling game. It's also great to have a fully-fledged Smackdown for once, with almost everything you'll find in the 360/PS3 versions, save for the online modes of course. One thing that IS bugging me, however, is the collision detection, which at times it pretty awful. Collision detection has rarely if ever been perfected in a wrestling game, but its dismal here and actually quite jarring. It's a shame as it really detracts from the otherwise immensely enjoyable ladder matches. Hopefully it's something I'll get used to as I play more. Story Editor is brilliant, although painfully slow without a USB keyboard, so that will likely be my next investment! And after missing out on it last year, I've totally fallen in love with Create-a-Finisher. Triple Shooting Star Press with a wiggle of the hips? Yes!
I don't really like to report the more wild speculation out there unless it has some kind of legitimate source, but when it comes to the potential specifications of the next Nintendo home console, I may have to break that rule just this once. With that in mind, please take this as nothing more than hearsay, but it's interesting to see what's potentially on the cards. And if it's proven to be false, well hopefully we can all get a good laugh out of it. Nicknamed ‘Wii 2' by the internet, a supposed internal source from Nintendo has leaked some of the specifications and concepts for special features for the console. Let's take a look...
Blu-Ray disc drive with a focus on trying to stop/reduce piracy.
Support for 1080p resolution for Blu-Ray movies and games.
Simultaneous worldwide release in Q3 2010.
Supposed trade-in scheme for existing Wii owners to receive a discount on the new hardware.
If true, an announcement would come a month before release date, after riding on the back following viral marketing to build hype.
Hmmm well naturally I shall remain skeptical, but it's very interesting nonetheless. Nintendo have really cracked down on piracy in the last year or two, so any move to reduce piracy in the future is quite conceivable. A simultaneous same-day worldwide release, however, seems rather implausible. We know from various comments from Miyamoto and Iwata and co. that Nintendo are sticking with the mainstream-focused motion control basis for the next console, and with that in mind it's likely to have a massively popular launch. We all remember only too well how hard it was to get a Wii in the console's first few months, and that was with a reasonably staggered launch. I don't think it's even possible for Nintendo to have enough units made to satisfy a worldwide release, so this part instantly rings alarm bells. As for the trade-in scheme...well, it's certainly a novel concept! I can't see it being feasible though. Totally willing to eat my words if it turns out to be true, though.
Not that we thought we'd get a proper response, but Nintendo have declined to comment on this ‘rumor and speculation' so it's a case of playing the waiting game until Nintendo are ready to announce something officially.
After months of teasers, concept art and little snippets leaked here and there, Warren Spector's Epic Mickey has finally been properly revealed to the gaming media during an event held in London, England last week. Normally I'd be extremely dubious about the quality of a Disney game, but with creative genius Warren Spector on board, I can't help but be massively amped for this one. The press release breaks down the gist of the game:
A heroic tale of redemption and discovery, Disney Epic Mickey is an adventure-platforming game with light role-playing elements for the Nintendo Wii, featuring an iconic and retro Mickey Mouse inspired by cartoons of the 1920s and 1930s.
Pulled into a warped Disney universe called the Cartoon Wasteland by an evil villain, Mickey finds himself in a world inhabited by the retired and forgotten cartoon characters and attractions from Disney's past.
Mickey must use the very elements of animation, paint and paint thinner, to explore the Cartoon Wasteland, find the source of evil that is destroying the land, and redeem his fellow cartoon characters including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney's first cartoon star and Mickey's resentful half-brother.
With visionary game designer Warren Spector behind the title, players choose their own path to defeat supreme evil, face the consequences of those decisions and ultimately free the Cartoon Wasteland.
As we've mentioned here before, the move to include the 1920s/30s Mickey instantly throws a much darker tone on the proceedings. This is not your average movie tie-in that we've come to expect from Disney titles. Mickey apparently adapts to your playing style, becoming either a ‘Hero' or a ‘Scrapper', although it is currently unclear if this refers to a kind of heel/babyface, Jedi/Sith etc dynamic or if his gameplay style actually alters.
The world around you sounds very dynamic, as you'll be able to affect environments with your magic paintbrush and paint thinner, and multiple routes through levels/ways of tackling a puzzle ensure each play through is fresh. How very Deus Ex of you, Mr Spector, well done. I'm particularly intrigued to see the balance between adventure, platforming and RPG elements. Spector has excelled at this in the past, so the game should in theory feature a finely tuned mix. ‘Forgotten cartoon friends and enemies' are also being touted as an integral part of the game; again, I'm very interested to see who's made the cut and in what capacity.
Autumn 2010 is the projected release date, so there's a fair while for Spector and co. to get this to the highest standard possible. I'm expecting the debut trailer within the next couple of weeks, which will hopefully give us an idea of how it actually plays. Regardless, as it stands, this is definitely one to watch for next year.
Konami to release library of MSX titles on Virtual Console
Credit: IGN
Metal Gear in all its MSX glory
This past Friday, Konami gave us an early Halloween treat by announcing plans to release their library of MSX titles for the Virtual Console in Japan. Yes, this is a bitter-sweet news byte as it appears that there are no plans to bring the titles across the pond to Western territories, but for Japanese fans this is certainly a terrific development. Titles scheduled for a Japanese VC release include:
Metal Gear
Yie Ar Kung-Fu II
Space Monbo
Road Fighter
Penguin Adventure
Parodius
Quarth
Contra
Knightmare (Majo Densetsu)
Gradius 2
Salamander
Gofer no Yabo Epiode II
Metal Gear 2 Solid Snake
Metal Gear? Contra? Gradius? That's a whole heaping of WIN right there. Even better than that, Metal Gear, Yie Ar Kung-Fu II, Road Fighter, Penguin Adventure, and Space Monbo are all scheduled to hit the service this month, so Eastern gamers won't have long to wait to get their hands on these classic retro titles. It's really great news for completists, as titles such as Metal Gear are well known as top-tier NES games, but were actually coded for the MSX platform earlier, so it'll be nice for some to have them in their original incarnation. Shame this looks to be a Japan-only VC addition, but it's certainly a significant addition. Do Konami have a similar major addition to Western Virtual Consoles? Fingers crossed...
The DSi XL compared with the more compact standard DSi model
The DSi has hardly had time to settle in at game stores when Nintendo announce a further revision to the hardware, this time to retail side by side with the standard DSi. The ‘DSi XL' is, as the name might suggest, a larger iteration of the DS, offering two 4.2 inch screens; a considerable mark up from the DSi's 3.2inch screens. The fat-fingered Nintendo gamers out there finally have a cure for their woes! Nintendo's official statement on the hardware:
A new iteration of the Nintendo DSi; system will be introduced in Japan on November 21, 2009. To be known as Nintendo DSi LL in Japan, and as Nintendo DSi XL in North America and Europe, it will offer a screen 93% larger than the current Nintendo DS Lite with a better view angle, an additional longer touch screen stylus, and preinstalled Nintendo DSiWare software.
The XL will land in Western territories sometime in Q1 2010, so there's not a massive wait for those anxious to get their hands on the larger handheld. On top of all that, the system will be available in some brand new snazzy colors, from Red Wine, Dark Brown and Natural White. Very sexy. However, I'm not entirely sure of the point of all this. Sure, it's not a bad move per se, but I didn't realise there was a significant demand for a bigger screen, especially this soon after the standard DSi's debut. But perhaps it's just a business move to try and get those last 4 people in the world who don't own a DS to jump off the fence and stuff their money into Iwata's pockets. I'm intrigued to see first-week sales for this. Japan has gone crazy for each and every new DS model on its first day, so I'm eager to see if this is still the case when only aesthetics and a slight change to comfort has been made.
Ever seen a WiiWare title that takes your fancy but you're just not quite sure if it warrants the spending of your hard earned cash? Nintendo may have the solution. President Satoru Iwata recently mentioned that the company are planning to test a scheme whereby select WiiWare titles will be available for demo purposes, allowing the public to ‘try-before-you-buy'.
Iwata wants more players investing in the Wii Shop Channel, and while he doesn't believe a demo system will completely cure the problem, this ‘test phase' is being initiated to see if it results in increased purchases. Currently, the market on WiiWare and DSiWare is relatively small, and even Virtual Console buys are reasonably limited, with browsers buying the titles they ‘know' they want to get, rather than forking out the points for something they've never tried before.
Nintendo haven't given a time frame for the test program, and we don't even know how widespread it'll be (it could end up being a Japan-only thing which would suck, but that's life) but the ‘starter demos' will supposedly go up at some point this month. In terms of the concept of such a scheme, it is simply fantastic. Of course, it's a great idea to let the public try out some of the more obscure WiiWare titles before deciding whether or not its worthy of their money, but this is also significant because Nintendo have notoriously always been so against giving free demos. Aside from the DS demos available on the Nintendo Channel, Nintendo haven't made home console demos available in like...forever. I seem to recall some promotional copies of a Splinter Cell demo back on the Gamecube here in the UK, which was back in 2003. The point is, this is one step closer to finally ‘realising that dream', and I really hope Nintendo decide to push this further.
Week Beginning 11/02/09
[VIRTUAL CONSOLE]
~ Fighting Street - 800 Wii Points
The Blurb: A port of the arcade version of STREET FIGHTER, the legendary fighting game that started it all. Players control RYU or KEN and battle against unique fighters from all over the world. The first fighter to knock out an opponent and win two rounds is the winner. Power up your attack to three different levels – the longer you hold a button, the stronger your attack. Input commands to perform special attacks and deal serious damage to your opponent. Combine your normal and special attacks effectively to fight your way to victory.
~ R-TYPE - 500 Wii Points
The Blurb: R-TYPE is a classic, side-scrolling arcade shoot-'em-up that was developed by Irem in 1987. It's the 22nd century, and you are humanity's last hope against the evil Bydo Empire. Your ship is called the R-9a "Arrowhead" and comes with a standard gun, but power-ups and upgrades are available in each mission. Navigate through eight challenging levels that will test even the best gamer's reflexes. The SEGA Master System version features an exclusive secret level not found in any other release.
[WIIWARE]
~ Carnival King - 700 Wii Points
The Blurb: Carnival King is a fun-for-all-ages video game that brings the spirit and energy of competitive carnival games to the screen. Players compete for top scores and prizes while visiting three different amusement parks: Arcadia, Dreamland and Lagoon Park. Each park has four sets of games and a Bonus Round to test players' speed and accuracy. For novices or sharpshooters, the games are continually challenging, and the difficulty level can be adjusted to match each player's growing confidence.
~ "Aha! I Got It!" Escape Game - 500 Wii Points
The Blurb: Play alone or with family and friends to solve this puzzling adventure game. Today is Milo's birthday, and he just got an amazing present from his dad: a room full of puzzles. Milo needs to solve all the puzzles to escape from the room. Shake, push and twist the Wii Remote controller to collect and use in-game items. There's plenty to solve - see if you have what it takes to figure it all out.
~ Family Card Games - 500 Wii Points
The Blurb: Daddy, Mommy, Sarah and Billy are back for some good ol' card game action. Try your hand at one of three card games: Daifugo, Speed or Memory. Family Card Games offers appealing cel-shaded graphics, endearing music and friendly, competitive match-ups. You can play one-player Daifugo or play against up to three other random players in an online match. You can also view your ranking and see how you match up with players around the world. Test your reflexes against another player in Speed and see who truly has the fastest hands. Memory will test your mental capacity as you try to remember where cards and their respective matches are.
[DSIWARE]
~ Sparkle Snapshots - 500 DSi Points
The Blurb: Take photos and embellish them to your heart's desire with Sparkle Snapshots. Choose from a large variety of fancy frames, backgrounds, stamps and funny outfits to decorate your photos, or use the powerful paint program functions to manipulate them in detail. Want to take a new photo and add it to your collection? Adjust the lighting conditions and lens type to match your subject and even use a shutter timer to allow yourself some extra time to get everything perfectly in place. Save your favorite snapshots in your Nintendo DSi Camera album and use Nintendo DS wireless communications to send your masterpieces to your friends. It's all the fun of a photo booth - and more - in the palms of your hands.
~ Viking Invasion - 800 DSi Points
The Blurb: They come from the North, and they're about to invade your Nintendo DSi system. Beware of Olaf the Viking and his motley crew. Even now, their drakkars are sailing up the rivers to attack your castles. It's up to you to construct fortifications to prevent them from pillaging everything you own. The more you defend yourself, the more ferocious they'll become. Before you know it, they'll be invoking legions of fantastic creatures straight out of the mythical land of Asgard. Fortunately, the experience you gain will help you to build even more powerful defenses. Thwart all your assailants' ruses and unlock new kinds of buildings: tornado-blowing windmills to repel the ships, monoliths that strengthen your fortifications or canons that shoot studded shells. Discover more than 10 levels, tons of units, a Campaign mode, a Survival mode and three difficulty levels. There's even a little surprise at the end. Can you rise to the challenge and stop Olaf from taking your treasure home to his sweetheart Olga?
The Blurb: As last of the noble and rare Bronze Dragons, you must defeat the evil SALMU dragons and reclaim the 25 exclusive bronze gems they stole. Explore 10 maps and travel through the great jungles of Earth, the scorched grounds of Fire, the frozen wastelands of Ice and the floating islands of Wind. Customize your dragon's appearance by changing its body, wings, tail shape and colors - even add stripes. Test your dragon's fighting skills against your friends in head-to-head combat or four-player tournaments.
That Wii 2 stuff sounds cool, but it also sounds like nonsense.
Posted By: Jake G (Guest) on November 04, 2009 at 07:04 AM
How could they not thing demos are a good idea? Who the hell can afford to just buy any game hoping the quality is good? I've bougtht like 6 VC games, all that I had previously played. I've bought two PSN games, and both of them I played a demo before buying. And hell, demos on PSN have influenced me to buying other PS3 games I wouldn't have considered, otherwise.
And I like the looks of this big DSi. I don't care if my handheld isn't super tiny. My favorite Gameboy was the original. And I'm sure it'll be easier on the wrists of those with carpal tunnel like yours truly.
Posted By: G-Walla (Guest) on November 04, 2009 at 12:16 PM
The thing that I have to wonder about with the Wii 2 rumors is the Trade in. That alone is going to skyrocket the problems with finding them. Another thing I have to wonder about is what it means about the saves for first party games. Stuff like Smash Bros Brawl and Mario Kart Wii can't be put onto a memory card. That means if you do the trade, unless nintendo really goes the extra mile, your going to lose a lot of hard work. Damn it, Rainbow Road is paved with my tears! I don't want to have another breakdown unlocking the mirror courses!
Posted By: Minimoose (Guest) on November 04, 2009 at 07:10 PM
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