Top Wii Games

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Get the most out of Dragon Quest IX with Tag Mode! - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Interact with other players and receive new maps!

Download two new Nintendo DS demos today! - Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Sample Art Academy and get a taste of 1000 Cooking Recipes from ELLE à table!

Train, relax and strengthen your facial muscles with Face Training on your Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL - Mon, 26 Jul 2010
'Face Training: Facial exercises to strengthen and relax from Fumiko Inudo' launches across Europe on 24th September 2010

In shops now: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies - Fri, 23 Jul 2010
Check out the new Side Quest Calendar at the official website!

Weekly download news - Fri, 23 Jul 2010
Play poker, pool, pinball and much more with six new Wii and Nintendo DSi downloads

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Nintendo on 3DS price - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
UK marketing manager speaks...
We know that the Nintendo 3DS will be released before March 2011 but the question of many gamer's lips is how much will the console cost. It was a question posed to UK marketing manager James Honeywell this week and this is what he had to say.

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Last Story: new details - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Meet some of the star characters.
These latest images of The Last Story reveal the three characters who will accompany the main star in the hyped Japanese RPG from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi.



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Pokémon Ranger Guardian Signs release date confirmed - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
When will you be able to get your hands on it?.
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs series will be released for DS in Europe in November.

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Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver hits 10 million sales - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Mario Galaxy 2 stands at 4 million.
Nintendo has released it's latest financial results and there's good news for two of its biggest games of the last year with Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver and Mario Galaxy 2 both selling in big numbers.

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Professor Layton and The Unwound Future release date - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
When will you be able to play the final game in the trilogy?.
Professor Layton and The Unwound Future will be released in Europe in October. That's the word from Nintendo who announced that the final game in the puzzle trilogy in their financial forecasts.

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Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions' alternate costumes revealed (Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions) - 28/07/2010

Comic-Con has come and gone, and with it a multitude of panels and press releases, which we’re still catching up with. For example, though we covered the most important Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions news (namely the Ultimate universe and Neil Patrick Harris), during a Comic-Con panel over the weekend Activision revealed many of the alternate costumes the four Spider-Men can wear throughout the game... ...

New Zelda game art style specifically chosen to "over-exaggerate" gameplay (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword) - 28/07/2010

When it comes to art styles in Zelda, Nintendo has changed its mind more times than most people change their socks. Upcoming entry The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword takes yet another graphical approach to the series, this time going for an intentionally "exaggerated" appearance. But why? ...

New Metroid: Other M Trailer suggests that Samus will be more of a team player (Metroid: Other M) - 28/07/2010

 

A new Japanese trailer for Metroid: Other M has just released, which shows off some story cutscenes and additional gameplay footage. The first half of the cutscene introduces you to the team that Samus will be working with in the game’s opening area. Adam Malkovich is supposedly based on the Adam you meet in Metroid Fusion. The purple monster is a boss that can be defeated with missiles after your teammate freezes its arms.

We were expecting Samus to ditch her team shortly after the game’s opening level, but you’ll notice clips of the team in several different environments, perhaps suggesting that you’ll be working together for a larger portion of the game than originally expected. Check out the entire trailer inside for yourself… ...

New Epic Mickey footage reveals the twisted inner-psyche of a dog gone mad (Disney Epic Mickey) - 27/07/2010

And it’s playable! A first look at some new levels and more background than most will ever need... ...

One minute tour of Comic-Con 2010 [VIDEO] (Wii) - 24/07/2010

We've been wading through Comic-Con 2010's ocean of fanaticism for over two days now, and we've seen more than we probably wanted to. Screaming fans (unfortunately, not screaming for us), costumed camera-magnets, crying children, oh, and comics, toys, and videogames. But that stuff is so shrouded by the cloud of flesh and sweat, our camera could barely pick it up. Here's a quick overview of what the show floor looks like, if you couldn't make it... ...

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Last chance: 50% off Edge, OXM, PCG - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Games mag discounts approaching an end...
It's your last chance to pick up the country's best games magazines as Future's 50 percent sales nears an end.

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Gaming gadget of the year: 360 S, PS3 Slim - or something else? - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
T3 taking votes for its gaming gadget of the year...
Gadget mag T3 has once again begun its annual campaign to find the best gaming gadget of the year in the T3 Gadget Awards 2010 - and it wants your vote.

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Nintendo reports £184m loss - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Hardware and software sales drop hits hard in first quarter.
Nintendo has reported a 25.2 billion yen (£184.3m) loss for its first financial quarter ended June 30, down from a profit of 42.3 billion yen a year ago.

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Nintendo Europe release schedule - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Metroid, Zelda, Kirby join the list...
Following on from this morning's financial results - which saw Nintendo report a £184m loss - the platform holder's released its latest European release schedule.

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Sakamoto: 'It's hard to tell a story in a game' - Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Metroid Other M man explains new theatre mode.
Metroid Other M producer Yoshio Sakamoto has claimed that "it's hard to communicate a story in a video game." That's why Team Ninja has created a new Theatre mode for Samus Aran's new game which will enable you to watch all the cut-scenes in a row.

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Monster Hunter Tri - Mon, 19 Jul 2010

RPGs are about the little things. Monster Hunter Tri achieved high-end graphics on the Wii, but it does more than that. It gets the little things right.

 

 

Developed and published by an in-house studio at Capcom, Monster Hunter Tri is the third home-console-based game in a series with great success in a niche market: on handheld systems in Japan. Bringing the newest game to a broadened audience was a trick for Capcom. The Wii is a tough arena for "core" games to be successful, and North America never grasped "Monster Hunter Fever" like Japan has. Capcom developed and marketed this Action/RPG with international Wii owners in mind.

 

Still, Monster Hunter Tri stays true to its roots. Players partake in epic battles with large beasts while collecting, modifying, and creating items and equipment along the way. Fans of the storied series will be happy with what they see here, and not only for the purpose of familiarity.

 

Urugaan's Leno-like chin is a powerful, and devastating weapon.

 

In terms of the familiar, the plot is nothing spectacular. You (hunter of a name and gender of your choosing) find yourself at Moga Village, pressured by a water dragon named Lagiacrus. As a monster hunter, it is your job to build your weapons and armor up to Lagiacrus' level, to defeat him and spare the village from certain destruction. The game spreads to different locales, all very element-based, therefore forcing the player to cope with many beasts of the same caliber as Lagiacrus.

 

Monster Hunter Tri is also full of humorous characters. They usually stray from being your typical face-less non-player characters, but are not averse to breaking down the fourth wall. Both townsfolk and an organization called "The Guild" request jobs of all kinds from your character. Tasks range from gathering items and slaying beasts to mining for rare jewels and metals.

 

These game elements aren't just common in the Monster Hunter series, they're common in RPGs. It isn't clear what influenced Monster Hunter creator Ryozo Tsujimoto to begin the series on the PlayStation 2 in 2004, SEGA's Phantasy Star Online for the SEGA Dreamcast first showed console gamers the potential of online RPGs. Monster Hunter took the budding genre into new directions, especially in terms of being epic in its scale and graphics.

 

Underwater areas are abundant in Monster Hunter Tri.

 

While the game shines in its non-playable cut-scenes, Capcom delivers possibly the best looking in-game presentation on the Wii. Your first trek out of the village leads to a cliff overlooking a sparkling ocean with detailed, rocky islands in the distance. Lifelike birds coast across the sky during the day. Capcom created more than game levels. They payed attention to the necessary details in creating a world.

 

This world is accessible to players of all ages (bear in mind, the game maintains a Teen rating from the ESRB), primarily via online play. Capcom is devoting multiple game servers to ensure the highest possible online multiplayer experience for their western audience. Unlike Japanese players who are used to monthly Monster Hunter subscriptions, North American players get the full online modes for free.

Capcom also developed around different devices to enrich the player experience.

 

Hunters can chat via Wii Speak, or use any USB computer keyboard for text chatting. Capcom avoided Nintendo's friend code system by letting players find friends and family with nicknames and short user IDs. You aren't confined to undesirable motion controls, either; you have the option of using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk or the Classic Controller. The latter works extremely well, with the right joystick being swappable between camera control and weapon control.

 

As the cover monster for Tri, Lagiacrus is strong and fast.

 

Multiplayer is where the game shines. Players can challenge one friend to local bouts in the arena, or hop online to join in quests with up to three other players across the globe.  Players advance their Hunter Rank via the online quests, eventually encountering plenty of monsters not available in the offline mode.  Each hunter brings their own skills and equipment to the table in these higher-difficulty quests, and also reap the benefits of cooperating with one another to take down massive dragons and dinosaurs.

 

By benefits, I mean items, and plenty of them. Monster Hunter scratches both of the "just one more" and "I need to collect them all" itches to unhealthy amounts. By collecting hundreds of herbs, mushrooms, ores, skins, scales, and all the other spoils a hunter would gather, players are opened up to a simple-yet-deep combining system. Then, these combined and found items play into the weapon, armor, and decoration forging and upgrading system.

 

Monster Hunter Tri has a great, epic soundtrack to accompany grand entrances, yet most songs aren't very memorable. In the audio department, the game performs well, but doesn't "wow." Characters grunt and moan, and a strangely large amount of cats meow (they also steal your items).

 

Moga Village is your only offline hub world between quests.

 

The timing of this review speaks to the depth of Monster Hunter Tri's content.  I've personally clocked in over 85 hours with the game, am wrapping up the offline single player mode, and have plenty to see in the online modes.  In fact, it would be a disservice to the game to have posted my experience of the first few hours of the game, when it is entirely about the length and depth of the experience.

 

While it sounds like a lot of monotonous grind at first glance, the important thing to note is this: I am still addicted to this game.  In an age of Farmville-ian collecting and hoarding games, Monster Hunter Tri is second to none.

 

Online Communication. I'm not here to review Wii Speak. Even if it isn't the best voice chat solution, Monster Hunter Tri is the best implementation of it. With the ability to tweak voice chat settings on the fly, use customizable canned responses, and added usb keyboard support for in-game chat (without regard to friends and friend codes), this is the most communication-friendly online Wii game.

 

Event & Arena Quests. Capcom continues to release new, challenging online quests with special rewards for completion.

 

Excellent Pacing. Players are always a single quest away from something new, whether it's an equipment and weapon upgrade, treasure and items, money, or storyline-pushing quests.

 

Weapons, Equipment, Skills, and Elements. The incredibly deep skill points system in Tri encourages players to be creative with forging and equipping armor and item sets.

 

Lack of Pervasive Online. There's a disconnect between online and offline modes, not allowing players in their offline modes to interact with others online.  There are dozens of advantages to having a pervasive online structure, which Tri misses out on.

 

Clunky Item Management. Chalked up to "things you can get used to," the icon-happy item management screens are time-consuming and take some time to get used to.

 

Load Screens. Albeit understandable, load screens clutter up the game worlds. It's fairly easy to get accustomed to this, though.

 

No Lock-On, and Player Animations. While the lack of lock-on combat forces players to take down monsters with more skill, the dreadfully long player animations (such as the hunter drinking a potion, then taking the time to always comically flex his biceps with gusto) means the difference between life and death in a lot of tough situations.

 

Read the manual! The in-game tutorials do well to get players started, but the sheer depth of the skills, items, and elements system certainly requires the use of the game's physical manual, walkthrough, or links to Monster Hunter Wikis and FAQ sites. I've had five or six browser tabs of Monster Hunter Tri FAQs and charts up during my time with the game... all at once.

 

Overall, this game consumes you. No matter where you find yourself in it, you're always two to three items away from that next piece of equipment. By the time I finish playing in one sitting, hours have passed. It appeases the grind-happy RPG player in me, something no other Wii game has done.

 

Capcom is supporting Monster Hunter Tri with new online event and arena quests frequently. That, in addition to fantastic graphics, deep online play, and the "I need more" addiction it instills, proves that Capcom is all about the small, important details that makes for an excellent Wii game.

Nintendo Tops Japan's First Half 2010 Charts - Wed, 14 Jul 2010

Wii and DS games dominate sales

 

The latest issue of the popular Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu reveals the top selling games of the first half of 2010 in Japan.

 

Topping the list with 1,401,895 units sold is New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which saw an early December 2009 release in Japan.  The hit game also helped move 700,000 Wii consoles that month in Japan.

 

Below are the top 20 best sellers, courtesy of 1Up.

 

1. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo, Wii): 1,401,895
2. Dragon Quest VI (Square Enix, DS): 1,293,916
3. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 (Square Enix, DS): 1,194,584
4. Tomodachi Collection (Nintendo, DS): 1,012,437
5. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (Square Enix, DS): 728,286
6. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (Konami, PSP): 727,823
7. Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo, Wii): 695,295
8. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo, Wii): 613,290
9. God Eater (Namco Bandai Games, PSP): 605,316
10. Yakuza 4 (Sega, PS3): 552,531
11. Fist of the North Star (Tecmo Koei, PS3): 544,807
12. Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Nintendo, DS): 475,275
13. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver (Nintendo, DS): 393,862
14. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Nintendo, DS): 376,054
15. Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo, Wii): 366,833
16. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo, Wii): 329,570
17. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (Capcom, PSP): 294,446
18. Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition (Capcom, PS3): 258,961
19. Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix, PS3): 193,179
20. Inazuma Eleven 2 (Level-5, DS): 186,066

The Wiire Podcast 169 - Wed, 14 Jul 2010

Scott's Epic Impressions from E3 2010

In part 2 of our E3 2010 coverage, Scott Barkman returns to voice his opinions on the Nintendo 3DS and nearly every game he could get his hands on, including Zelda: Skyward Sword, Mario Sports Mix, Wii Party, Goldeneye 007, Epic Mickey, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Metroid: Other M, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and much more. Don't miss this episode, download today!

Topics covered in this week's episode:

• Epic Hands-On Impressions from E3 2010
• Epic Listener Mail

Runtime: 1:35:16

 

Pre-Order Sonic Hat, Get Sonic Colors - Tue, 13 Jul 2010

Or something like that

 

GameStop is offering a new incentive to pre-order Sonic Colors: a plush Sonic hat as a bonus gift.

 

 

While the game looks promising, popular opinion is that SEGA has let down its fans with past Sonic games.  The screenshots look great, and the game is described as having the fast-paced chaos we expect from Sonic, with power-ups mixed in.  Pre-ordering may still be a gamble for even the most devoted of Sonic fans.

 

While GameStop lists Sonic Colors for release on December 31, we can expect an actual Fall release date sometime soon.  This pre-order applies to both the DS and Wii releases of the game.

 

Who's interested in pre-ordering Sonic Colors?  What kind of outfit can you match this hat with?

 

Square Enix CEO Downplays This Year's E3 - Thu, 08 Jul 2010

Says Kinect and the 3DS are not going to push the industry forward.

What impressions did you have of this year's E3? Were you impressed with motion controls like Kinect and Playstation Move? Or perhaps Nintendo's 3DS stole the show for you? Well, the CEO of Square Enix, Yoichi Wada spoke with Venturebeat (via CVG) and said none of these announcements are going to drive the industry forward.

 

 

So what does Yoichi Wada feel is actually going to move the industry over the next few years? That'd be the digital platforms on each of the consoles. He went on to say, "What's being announced are the Nintendo 3DS, the Microsoft Kinect, and the Sony Move... frankly, these are not the most essential parts of the console technology. The key parts of the console technology are Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and WiiWare." This means that Wada feels that it'll be software pushing the games industry, and not the new hardware.

 

He did not deny the potential impact these new announcements could make though. After looking at what the Wii was able to do with attracting such a broad audience, Microsoft and Sony's attempts must be taken seriously as well. Wada said, "I think that what they have focused on for Kinect is very interesting and I hope they will attract an even wider audience," however he remained skeptical that it would break new ground, as he stated, "I would say it is no different from just the Wii."

 

So that leaves me with two questions for you.

 

The first is, do you believe the WiiWare platform will have the content and sales to compete with PSN and the XBLA?

 

And the second question is, how much of a threat do you feel Kinect and Move are going to be?

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