Nintendophiles 03.15.07
Posted by Theo Fraser on 03.15.2007
It’s the fallout from the Game Developers Conference, which means that it’s another jam-packed edition of Nintendophiles! Come on inside for all the latest on the new Wii functionality, the date set for the Wii heading online, the potential slip of Metroid Prime: Corruption to 2008, and updates on Super Mario Galaxy and No More Heroes!
Hurray, I finally completed the Cave of Ordeals in Twilight Princess! Those Great Fairy Tears will be mine! And now I can actually, you know…complete the game?! Still, I've been a little distracted this week, as I picked up a brand new copy of Hitman: Blood Money on the PC for the princely sum of £4. My local WHSmiths had a flood, and the box got a little bit soggy so they were selling it off. The disc wasn't anywhere near the box, so the game itself isn't affected at all. What a bargain, eh?
This past week saw the Game Developers Conference take place in San Francisco, and whilst the main story of the show might have been the announcement of the Playstation Home for the PS3, Nintendo fans also went home happy after a tremendous brand new Super Mario Galaxy trailer was shown. So for those who missed it, here is the stunning trailer in all its splendid glory.
Sorry, can't talk…drooling too much…
Enhanced development tools for third party Wii developers, New Wii functionality and more!
Credit: CVG, Cubed3, BetaNews, Joystiq
In other news from the GDC, Nintendo representative Takeshi Shimada spoke on a number of topics, most significantly the new enhanced development tools that Nintendo are in the process of producing for the Wii.
Shimada mentioned the name "NintendoWare," which he described as the development application that can emulate Wii hardware on a PC. This makes life a heck of a lot easier for third-party developers, as they can then sample sections of their games on the PC without actually having to get the code working on a Wii dev machine.
Also scheduled to be included in the application is an accessible ‘fur-shading effect', which according to reports would enable the kind of effects shown in Starfox Adventures and (more recently) Conker's Bad Fur Day on the Xbox. Basically, it will enable third-party developers to add a lot more detail than they'd previously been able to.
The additions to the hardware don't end there, however. Shimada stated that the motion recognition software could be upgraded too, with a predictive input tool that analyses prior movements to predict your next move. For example, this could be used for menu shortcuts and to generally help make things more accessible.
As for the new Wii functionality mentioned in the title, a text-to-speech tool is being worked on, which would read the news and weather to the player, but (more interestingly) could do so whilst you were playing a game. Imagine how awesome it would be to play Red Steel, whilst hearing a news report on the latest gun crimes in the US? THAT'S the Nintendo Difference!!!
Finally, word got out that Nintendo are planning to add another Wii Channel to your Wii homepage in the coming months with a Mii Popularity Channel. The specifics were not divulged, but reports indicate that two Miis would face off, and the player can vote which one they prefer. So, ultimately, we could see Mii league tables, and one lucky gamer could hold the prestigious title of Most Popular Mii in the World!
Personally, I think the story regarding the enhanced development tools deserves a lot more attention than it seems to be getting. Many people seem to have forgotten that Nintendo were pretty late sending out the first batch on Wii dev systems, so many of the games that are currently on the shelves were in fact developed using modified Gamecubes, hence the reason why, graphically, they haven't looked particularly superior to the offerings on Nintendo's previous console. Compare something like Call of Duty 3 with the sumptuous-looking Super Mario Galaxy. Are you telling me that Activision aren't capable of producing something that equals the graphics shown thus far in Super Mario Galaxy? No, of course they can! They've just been limited up until now, but these enhanced tools could be a real turning point for the quality of third-party titles. And I don't want to draw the line at graphics. Quite a few third-party Wii games have shied away from utilising much of the Wii-mote's functionality, perhaps (and this is a pure guess here) because the development tool wasn't as user-friendly as Nintendo had hoped? With the new tools in the works, and a couple of months experience spent with the dev kits, third party developers might be able to integrate more complex motion-sensitivity into their games. Things are really looking bright, and I think we'll see the result of all this when the games companies show off what they've got to offer at E3. Look, even Mario's happy!
Samus gets knocked back to 2008? Well, kinda…
Credit: Best Buy
Retail website Best Buy sent email notification to its customers this week who had already pre-ordered Metroid Prime: Corruption, stating that its release date had been moved from Summer 07 until New Year's Eve. Whilst that doesn't provide concrete proof, I've got to say (if it's true)…that sucks!
However, not all is lost. It's worth mentioning that Best Buy lists the date as 12/31/07. Now, I'm not sure about US policy on this kind of stuff, but I know that in the UK, sites such as Play.com and HMV etc use rough estimates if a release date is not officially confirmed. For example, a game scheduled to be released in March without a specific date would be recorded as 03/31/07 to imply that it would appear at some point in the month. Could this date of 12/31/07 simply be because they were told that the game had slipped from its Summer release date to "some point in 2007", in which case the 12/31/07 date is technically still correct. That could be more wishful thinking than anything else, but it's worth pointing out. I'll be sure to keep you updated if a final date is set anytime soon.
The Wii finally goes online!
Credit: IGN
Yes, the day has finally come…or is coming, at least. Your little white box of delights will soon be venturing into online gaming territory alongside the release of Pokemon Battle Revolution. The date in question? June 25th, folks. Mark it down! Japanese Wii-ers went online back in November, and now the Western world gets its turn. With Pokemon Battle Revolution leading the Wii onto new ground, it won't be long before we see Nintendo's other online-enabled games following suit, namely Mario Strikers Charged and Battalion Wars II. The fun is only beginning!
Updated Wii and DS release dates for the US
Nintendo representatives at the GDC released an updated release list for both Wii and DS titles leading us into the summer. Here's the list:
Wii
Super Paper Mario (Nintendo) - April 9
Prince of Persia Rival Swords (Ubisoft) - April
Bust-A-Move Bash (Majesco) - April
Bioncle Heroes (Eidos) - April
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (Midway) - May 15
Mario Party 8 (Nintendo) - May 29
Tamagotchi Party On (Namco Bandai) - May
Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean at World's End (Disney Interactive) - May
Escape from Bug Island (Eidos) - May
Spider-Man The Movie 3 (Activision) - May
Big Brain Academy (Nintendo) - June 11
Pokemon Battle Revolution (Nintendo) - June 25
Cosmic Family (Ubisoft) - June
Heatseeker (Codemasters) - Spring
Legend of the Dragon (American Game Factory) - Q2
Shrek the Third (Activision) - Summer
Transformers the Game (Activision) – Summer
Nintendo DS
Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl (Nintendo) - April 22
Pirates of the Caribbean 3 (Disney Interactive) - May
Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu (Atari) - May
Pony Friends (Eidos) - May
Diner Dash (Eidos) - May
Touch the Dead (Eidos) - May
Nintendo DS Browser (Nintendo) - June 4
Planet Puzzle League (Nintendo) - June 4
Touchmaster DS (Midway) - June 11
Zendoku (Eidos) - June
Naruto Ninja Council 3 (Tomy) - Spring
Time Ace (Konami) - Spring
Death Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom (Konami) - Spring
Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon (Natsume) - Q2
Shrek the Third (Activision) - Summer
Transformers: Autobots (Activision) - Summer
Transformers: Decepticons (Activision) - Summer
Great to see Super Paper Mario staying on target for its April release. But April looks to be a big (and expensive) month for Nintendo gamers, as the two new DS Pokemon games are released on the 22nd, and I know there are more than a few Pokemaniacs of you out there who are waiting on those with baited breath.
For me, it's funny to see the DS Browser only just going on sale, as we've had it in the UK since October. Worth getting just to prove your Sony-minded friends that the DS isn't JUST a handheld games machine, and can do what the PSP does just as well.
HE JUST FRICKIN' SLICED HIM IN HALF!!!
OK, are you ready for this? No, seriously, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?! Because I don't think you are. Nothing can prepare you for what's inside this trailer. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the brand new trailer for No More Heroes, that director SUDA 51 showed at the GDC. And it will blow your mind, guaranteed!
What can I possibly say to follow that? No, this isn't all one big dream; that game really IS coming out on the Wii…the "kiddie console".
I will say that the wrestling nerd in me totally marked out when Travis pulled off a Dragon Suplex. A while ago, SUDA 51 hinted at various combat techniques being available in the game through visiting dojos and gyms (kinda like in True Crime: Streets of LA), so perhaps one character teaches you wrestling moves? Someone at Grasshopper Manufacturer is obviously a wrestling fan, as in Killer 7, the character of Mask De Smith was a pro wrestler and there were a few references to wrestling scattered in the game. So who knows, maybe we'll see Travis deliver a knee to the face of his foes, screaming "GO TO SLEEEEEEP!" (a la KENTA, for those that don't know).
What's clear is that No More Heroes is shaping up to be rather awesome. And there's strangely something I love about the incredibly cheesy dialogue. "DESTROOOOY BEAM! DESTROOOOY SPARK! DESTROOOOY CANNON!" That's the kind of dialogue that will go down in the history books along with "You Spoony Bard" and "Shine Get!"
The action looks intense, the style is unmatched, Travis seems like a pretty cool dude, and the kills are gorier than a Mortal Kombat game on steroids having a haemorrhage.
I want it. I want it NOW.
One Nintendo Game You Must Play Today
In last week's Viable Candidates for the Virtual Console, I selected Excitebike 64, one of the most accessible and exhilarating racers on the Nintendo 64. This week, I've chosen to stick with the theme of racing games to look at F-Zero GX for the Gamecube.
When F-Zero GX was first announced, there was a somewhat reasonable amount of controversy surrounding it, as it was to be developed by SEGA. Cries of "Nintendo, what are you THINKING?" were heard all around the world, as Nintendo passed off one of their key franchises to their former rivals. But all fears were soon dispatched as SEGA demonstrated the game in action, and it was clear that F-Zero GX was on track to becoming something quite special (As an interesting bit of Nintendo trivia for you, in case you didn't already know, the engine used for the game is actually a heavily modified version of the Super Monkey Ball engine!).
This word gets bandied around a lot when talking about computer games, but F-Zero GX does legitimately look beautiful. It's a four year old game now, but I genuinely believe that it stands up to a few next-gen titles out there on rival consoles. From the intricately detailed backgrounds to the impressive exhaust effects, everything about the F-Zero world is stunning… even though Captain Falcon may be the campest creation to ever come out of Nintendo (and seriously, the animations don't do his masculinity any favours). However, you rarely have time to admire the view. The game is blindingly fast. Before playing it, make sure you screw your eyeballs to your head, as they're likely to fall out! With average speeds clocking in at over 1000kmph, it's always a pretty hectic sprint to the finish and it's the sense of speed that really helps to give it the futuristic vibe that the setting hopes for.
Being a racing game, you have your standard grand prix mode, with three levels of difficulty. By progressing through these levels, you unlock more tracks for use in Vs mode. There is near-endless replayability to this tournament, as at the end of the Grand Prix, your chosen character is interviewed, and you get the option of choosing which question you'd like answered. Characters all have their own unique responses, and in a brilliant touch, the interviewer even cowers from the ‘evil' drivers, such as Falcon's arch nemesis, Black Shadow.
As if the tournament/grand prix mode wasn't enough, you have the insanely challenging Story Mode, with each chapter focusing on different strengths to make sure that only a true F-Zero master makes it to the end. My personal favourite was the escape-the-building-before-it-blows-up level. On Very Hard, you have barely 30 seconds, and basically need a perfect run. Hit ALL the boosts, don't waste your turbo, don't even scratch the walls. It took me months of constant play to finally achieve it, and when I did, boy I felt good! And that's why I hold F-Zero GX in such high regard; despite its difficulty, it is immensely rewarding, ensuring that you keep coming back for one more go.
But what makes it so good is the fact that it forced you to utilise all the modes. If you wanted to progress in Story Mode, you had to earn the credits from Grand Prix mode in order to buy the next chapter. That was a great touch in my opinion, as it meant that determined players became experienced in all areas of the game.
Aside from the main modes of play, you also had infinite customization options, allowing you to design your own emblem to put on your vehicles as well as the opportunity to buy various ship parts to tinker with your own vehicles. Amusement Vision really thought of everything in that respect, so even if you somehow find yourself getting bored of the racing, you'll find plenty of other activities to spend your time with.
At its heart, F-Zero GX is ‘just another racing game'. But it does everything so well and covers so many areas that you can't help but fall in love with it. Whereas many other racers would be content to just throw a Grand Prix mode at you, in F-Zero GX, that is just the tip of the iceberg of what the game has to offer you. You could waste hours just tinkering with your customised ships, or you could put that time to good use in trying to conquer one of the scenarios in Story Mode. The choice is yours. The game doesn't shove anything down your throat; you can choose how you want to play it. Ultimately, the more play time you put in, the more you'll get out of it. If you're prepared to try out all the various modes it throws at you, you'll be rewarded with an expansive futuristic racing universe for you to explore. For the best racing game money can buy on the Gamecube, F-Zero GX is number one. And it's a Player's Choice title these days, so you can pick it up for next to nothing. BARGAIN~!
The 411 Games Crew
Vincent Chiucchi's Select and Start News Report has more from the GDC, with all the info on Phil Harrison's PS3 keynote speech (boo!) and Shigeru Miyamoto's talk about the "Nintendo Difference" (yay!). So go ahead, check it out.
Andrew Mellick has all the news on the upcoming Mii ChannelPlaystation Home for the PS3. Check it out in The SIXAXIS
Cory Moore travels all the way back to 1992 for a look at Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in the latest edition of The Fun Factor!
The latest 411 Games Fact or Fiction is here, brought to you by Tommy Coloma. This week, Chris Kovatsh and Adam Smith duke it out, debating issues such as video game piracy, Phil Harrison's GDC keynote speech, the rumble feature in the SIXAXIS controller, and plenty more.
Damian Sarcuni goes where few columnists dare to venture…yes, it's the game that even the mighty EA were too scared to release, Thrill Kill! This Playstation game is so sick and twisted I can barely bring myself to talk about it. Fortunately, I don't have to, as Angry Gaming gives you the lowdown. I hope you haven't just eaten…
Think you know scary games? Sean McCabe says think again! Check out The Retrospective for his take on the games that REALLY kicked off the horror genre; Clock Tower. Man, what with this and Angry Gaming, are these guys TRYING to make sure I have nightmares?
Jordan Williams has already looked at how our favourite video games have fared in Hollywood, but now he swaps things around and looks at films that could potentially make quality video games. The series kicks off this week with Shaolin Soccer, so find out what Jordan has to say in Working Title.
Plus, be sure to check out the 411mania Myspace page (www.myspace.com/411mania) and the 411 Games Myspace page (www.myspace.com/164604475)! Because we're all a cool bunch of people and we want to be your friend. Awww.
