News from Bitopia 08.10.06
Posted by Caleb Newby on 08.10.2006
We've got news on the Halo movie, the Wii's possible price at launch and more! Plus, I've discovered the Guitar Hero addiction.
I am so into Rockstar: Supernova… I hate you Mellick. On the plus side, I am not addicted to Guitar Hero. I know I am late to the party, but it is fun none the less.
The News
Nintendo and 7-11 Convenience Stores have a promotion going where the chain will be giving away 711 Nintendo Wiis. The interesting note is that the rules and regulations of the contest list the value of a Wii system at $299.99 USD. Nintendo has hinted in the past that the system will sell for less than $250. It may just be that the 7-11 deal includes the system and a game or so, or that the price has changed. The other prizes in the contest are priced accurately (512MB iPod Shuffle at $69 for example).
Seems unlikely that Nintendo would raise the price of Wii now that it has garnered so much buzz, but who knows.
Credit: Gamespot.com
I hope that's not true, for everyone's sake. Call me crazy but I think the Wii is going to take off, and in large part due to the price point combined with the innovation. $200-$250 sure has a better ring to it than $300. I'll just assume it is still on track for the below $250 price range and the 7-11 deal is including a game with it.
Sony has all corners covered according to the PS3 FAQ site. Not only have they confired that they are working hard to make every single PSOne and PS2 game playable on the PS3, but they already have the technology to import save game files from PSOne and PS2 memory cards to the PS3 hard drive.
"To use saved data on a PlayStation 2 memory card, you must copy the data onto a virtual memory card within the hard disk," the site reads. "This requires a PS2/PSone memory card adaptor to copy the data to your PlayStation 3. A memory card adaptor is designed to edit, up/download game saves to and from EMS flash card or smart media card."
However, Sony has failed to confirm if they will make this adaptor themselves. Xbox save files can be imported to the Xbox 360 with third party peripherals.
The more time passes, the more I dislike Sony. Good, the PS3 can play PS1 and PS2 games. That is nice. But it still costs $600. If I wanted a Blu-Ray player, then ok, great deal. But I believe I am with the vast majority who wants this as a game machine first and foremost. Bah… I used to like you Sony… but you crushed my heart.
Microsoft recently announced a director had been chosen for Halo movie. The lucky filmmaker is Neill Blomkamp, a native of South Africa. Blomkamp is best known for commercials and short films, including one short titled Alive in Joburg which tells the story of alien refugees in the future. Halo will be his very first big-budget feature film. Blomkamp received an Emmy nomination for working on an episode of the television series Dark Angel.
Mary Parent and Scott Stuber, both of whom were producers for You, Me and Dupree, as well as Peter Schlessel, prodcuer of Stay Alive, are listed as producers for Halo. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, the same duo behind the The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong, are both executive producers on the project, while Weta Digital will be handling all the special effects.
Credit: Gamespy
If Doom was panned by critics, what hope does Halo have, honestly? I actually have never cared for Halo's story in the least. Thankfully it has all that fun gameplay to keep me around.
The latest issue of Famitsu out of Japan has new details about the Harvest Moon game set for the Nintendo Wii.
Gamers will use the Wii controller to raise animals and grow crops. To till soil, you swing the controller like a hoe. To water plants, you tilt the controller downward like a bucket. Other controller motions will control fishing and other duties.
The left and right buttons will be used to go through your tools while the A button is used for other general action and talking.
As for the story, from IGN:
Harvest Moon Wii takes place on an island that's home to a goddess and a great tree. One day, the tree suddenly goes dry and the goddess disappears. The Koropokuru, a group of helper creatures that should be familiar to anyone who's played Harvest Moon, call upon the player to farm the land, build relationships with other characters and, eventually, revive the tree and bring back the goddess.
Credit: IGN.com
I have only played one Harvest Moon game, but I loved it and if all things go well I will be reviewing the upcoming game for the DS. I bet the Wii controls will just be perfect for the Harvfest Moon game and make the fans ecstatic.
What looks good this week?
Sorry, I know it is "old" but I am just getting into it as I mentioned earlier… GUITAR HERO! I am a rocker and starting the journey in my living room. It is as fun as advertised, and the guitar controller is just unbelievably fun.
Flash Game of the Week
Once again, I didn't have time for a Flash game. Maybe I should open this up to you guys. If anyone has a game to recommend, email me at cnewbs@gmail.com and I will give it this spot in the future.
Gothic III! I am just discovering this game but it sounds great. Another single player RPG… the best kind of game out there if you ask me.
Now what?
Check out The Tap-Out! over in sports since I finally had a decent effort put forth over there again. I'm done writing for the week and back to rocking.
