Joystiq [Nintendo]

Just Dance with Suda51

JC Fletcher — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:15:00 EST

Okay, so it's a bit odd for Ubisoft to release a promo in January for a casual game that came out in November, starring a game industry figure who nobody in the target audience would be familiar with. But you know what else is a bit odd? Goichi Suda.

In the video after the break, see the No More Heroes creator dance to MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" with Frag Doll "Psyche" in Ubisoft's Just Dance. It's likely to be the best video of a Japanese game designer dancing to a vintage hip-hop crossover hit you'll see today! But do let us know if you see a better one.

[Via GSW]

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Just Dance with Suda51 originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA Sports Active price pretty slim on Amazon today

Justin McElroy — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:45:00 EST

If you're among those who resolved both to lose weight and procrastinate more in 2010, you've got a perfectly opportunity to belatedly begin your regimen today with Amazon's Gold Box deal: EA Sports Active. The fat-fighting gamercise is available for $40 right now, $20 less than its usual price.

It's a shame to have to break one of your resolutions to keep another one, but you sadly can't procrastinate too much on this deal: It'll disappear by day's end.

EA Sports Active price pretty slim on Amazon today originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirates Plundarrr sailing Wii-ward this April

JC Fletcher — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST

click to plund-arrr the gall-arrr-yMajesco followed up its announcement of Attack of the Movies 3D with another multiplayer Wii experience, this time with a much sillier title: Pirates Plund-arrr. Three r's. If it were two r's, it would be the planet that the Thundercats' enemies come from. Obviously.

The Wii game, developed by casual game creator Boomzap Entertainment, is a 2D side-scrolling brawler, with (obviously) a pirate theme. You and up to three friends beat up a bunch of pirates and ghosts (and pirate ghosts, presumably) in a quest to find Captain Rudebelly and retrieve the Scepter of Power.

To help them along, players will be able to ride warthogs and ... "trigger meat meteor showers raining down from above." The combination of four-player fighting, Flash-like 2D graphics, and character leveling makes this sound somewhat like a take on the Castle Crashers style, which sounds good to us. Majesco plans to release Plund-Arrr in April.

Pirates Plundarrr sailing Wii-ward this April originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: A second look at the second Yatterman

JC Fletcher — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:15:00 EST

Capcom has released two videos of the newly-announced Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars character, Yatterman-2. Unsurprisingly, given the way the rest of the game has played out, she's utterly ridiculous, throwing giant heart-shaped electrical spark formations out and summoning a gigantic robot pelican!

In addition to the videos, new screens featuring a Yatterman-1 and Yatterman-2 team document the kind of giant robot animal chaos you'll be able to unleash -- possibly with a branded implement -- when the game comes out on January 26.

Continue reading Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: A second look at the second Yatterman

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: A second look at the second Yatterman originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Glen Schofield on Dead Space, Sledgehammer Games and the transition from EA to Activision

David Hinkle — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST

We don't have to tell you who Glen Schofield is. The guy's been cementing his name in the industry for years now, and considering his recent realignment from EA's banner to Activision's, starting a new studio in Sledgehammer Games, we all have a lot of questions. Let's get to it:

You were one of the individuals most responsible for bringing Dead Space to fruition -- one of Joystiq's best games of 2008. How difficult an endeavor was conceptualizing that game, and how willing -- in the way of providing resources -- was EA to create the game?

Dead Space was an idea I wanted to pursue for quite a few years while at EA. I brought the idea to the previous president when I believed the window was right for the game to fit within EA's portfolio. At the time, EA was largely leveraging licensed IPs, and getting support for a new IP concept was tough. I really appreciated the opportunity he gave us. Fortunately, we had a passionate team of developers who poured a ton of energy into converting our skeptics into believers. In the end, the critical response by fans and the press is something myself and the entire team are very proud of.

Visceral Games (formerly EA Redwood Shores) is still an EA studio, currently wrapping up Dante's Inferno. When you began Dead Space, Game Informer #174 -- the official unveiling -- called you guys a "renegade team." Who was on that team, and how did you earn that "renegade" status?

Continue reading Interview: Glen Schofield on Dead Space, Sledgehammer Games and the transition from EA to Activision

Interview: Glen Schofield on Dead Space, Sledgehammer Games and the transition from EA to Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero: January DLC

JC Fletcher — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:26:00 EST

If you've been jonesing to play along to a song performed by a fictional, cartoon heavy metal band, then look no further: Activision has announced a downloadable Dethklok song coming this month to the Guitar Hero line, as part of a metal track pack.

On the opposite extreme, January will see a Vampire Weekend collection released for Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero to coincide with the band's new album, as well as a three-track Creedence Clearwater Revival set and a collection of songs from "up-and-coming blues masters." (We assume that these so-called masters are real people and not cartoon characters.)

All tracks packs will be available for $5.49 on PS3, 550 Wii Points, or 440 on Xbox 360. In addition, all songs will be available a la carte for $1.99, 200 Wii Points, or 160. Head past the break for the complete January DLC lineup.

Continue reading Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero: January DLC

Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero: January DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom backpedals from unfavorable Wii comments

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:38:00 EST

Following Capcom France head Antoine Seux's uncertainty about the Wii as a profitable platform for the company going into 2010, it would appear that the Capcom mothership would like to carefully rephrase the sentiment. As such, HQ has issued a statement reconfirming the Japanese publisher's "commitment as a multiplatform developer and publisher of interactive software."

There's no word on just how many lashes Mr. Seux is to receive.

Capcom backpedals from unfavorable Wii comments originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DSi motion control demoed by Engine Software

David Hinkle — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:06:00 EST

Netherlands-based handheld gaming studio Engine Software has developed a cool new piece of tech for the DSi: motion sensitivity. To show off this breakthrough, the company has developed a brief demo video of TILT, a kind of Marble Blast Ultra clone where the player guides a ball around the gameworld by tilting the DSi. It's not the first we've heard of this kinda tech, and it won't be the last.

Engine Software isn't stopping with just this tech demo, however. The company is currently working on a full DSiWare game that will incorporate this new technology; though it likely won't be a full version of TILT, but rather an entirely new game. Head past the break to check out a brief video showcasing the tech.

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DSi motion control demoed by Engine Software originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nyko reveals Wii Wand with built-in MotionPlus, more at CES

JC Fletcher — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:25:00 EST

Last year at CES, Nyko unveiled the Wand, its take on Nintendo's Wiimote. This year, the peripheral maker's big item is ... abracadabra ... the Wand -- with one exciting addition! The $40 Wand+ is a single, self-contained unit that includes MotionPlus compatibility. The device still supports the crazy Trans-Port stuff, like the original Wand does, which means that Wiimote buttons can be automatically remapped to buttons on other Nyko accessories, including its gun controller.

Nyko has also introduced two variants of its cookie-inspiring Charge Base IC remote charger: a version of the original in black and a new one that can accommodate four Wiimotes.

For PS3, the company has designed a new version of its Intercooler made to bulk up Sony's Slim model, and the Media Hub Slim, a combination of a tiny remote control and a USB hub.

The Wand and Charge Base Quad IC are due in stores this March. The Intercooler will be available next month for $19.99, and the Media Hub Slim will retail for $19.99 when it's released in April.

Nyko reveals Wii Wand with built-in MotionPlus, more at CES originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mario plus Tetris equals one fun game

David Hinkle — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:45:00 EST

And here we thought Tetris DS was the best blend of the Russian puzzler and Nintendo's classic platforming game Super Mario Bros., but Tuper Tario Tros. is a quite imaginative combination of the two. In fact, we haven't seen Tetris go so well with something since we were introduced to the conflict resolution capabilities of Tresling.

Already the culprit behind a sharp downturn in Joystiq productivity today, we now offer it to you. Just, uh, don't play it as much as we did. We can get away with it since, y'know, it's kinda our job.

[Via digg]

Mario plus Tetris equals one fun game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A slice of Trauma Team gameplay

JC Fletcher — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST

In previous videos for Atlus's upcoming game Trauma Team, we've seen interviews with the voice actors, and behind-the-scenes footage of the recording process and game development. This latest, however, focuses on something that's only been incidental to other trailers: footage of Trauma Team, the game.

In this somewhat infomercial-esque video, Atlus introduces the aspect of the game most like its Trauma Center predecessors: the surgical portion. However, unlike the maddening, arcade-style Trauma Center, many of the surgical challenges come without a time limit. Also seen in this video: pretty good 3D models of bones! We just wanted to point that out.

A slice of Trauma Team gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom France head wary of Wii, says 2010 will be a 'difficult year' for DS and PSP

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:35:00 EST

Though we've yet to see official numbers on November's Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, Capcom France head Antoine Seux told Gamekult in a recent interview that sales of the game were "below what we had hoped." The English translation of the interview indicates that just 16,000 units were sold worldwide as of December 23, something that has Seux feeling "concerned" as Capcom continues to develop for Nintendo's consoles.

"Indeed, the Wii is becoming complex," he says. Seux believes that high-profile games like Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and New Super Mario Bros. Wii -- games that were "strongly supported" by "massive advertising campaigns" -- are the only ones that stand a chance. "For us, Capcom, the future is the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360," he finishes up with, couching that in his belief that "This will be a difficult year for the handheld in general, DS or PSP." Perhaps he's been borrowing Pachter's sorcery ball?

[Via Nintendo Everything]

Capcom France head wary of Wii, says 2010 will be a 'difficult year' for DS and PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pachter predicts 'solid' holiday for GameStop, industry sales 'rebound' in 2010

David Hinkle — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST

In a recent sales projection sent to Joystiq centering around GameStop, everyone's favorite games analyst, Michael Pachter, offered some viewpoints on December sales for GameStop, taking care to also paint his own portrait on industry sales as a whole for 2010. He points to Modern Warfare 2 and hardware sales (thanks, price drops!) as top earners for GameStop.

Pachter is hopeful for 2010, expecting a full-on rebound in game sales starting January. He points to the great exodus of fourth quarter 2009 as a factor behind the increased game sales, with first quarter releases of Bioshock 2, Splinter Cell: Conviction and Army of Two: The 40th Day mentioned as expected top earners. He says this uptick in sales will benefit GameStop, which he surmises will have about 30 percent share of the software market in January -- something that will insulate against what he expects to be a year of gradual decline in Wii hardware sales.

Pachter predicts 'solid' holiday for GameStop, industry sales 'rebound' in 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One more new challenger for Tatsunoko vs. Capcom

JC Fletcher — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:45:00 EST

Just a few weeks before the game is due for release in North America, Capcom revealed one final new character for Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Yatterman-2. For those of you unfamiliar with the Yatterman series, Yatterman-2 is the girlfriend of "Yatterman-1" Gan, who accompanies him on his superhero-ing work, and uses an electrified baton in fights. For the more pragmatic among you, Yatterman-2 is another character you'll get to try in the game, which should be exciting on its own merits. This is the last of the rumored new characters to be revealed.

You can see Yatterman-2 in action at GameSpot -- the character premiered exclusively on that site's "On the Spot" video feature.

One more new challenger for Tatsunoko vs. Capcom originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Add Mii to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

JC Fletcher — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST

You might not be able to play as Banjo and Kazooie in the Wii version of Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing, but you will be able to play as ... The Notorious B.I.G.! No, Sega hasn't added a selection of deceased rappers to the game's playable cast (no matter how many times we ask) -- the publisher has merely announced Mii support.

Much like the racing Avatars in the Xbox 360 version, the Wii version of Sega All-Stars Racing allows your Miis to compete against Sonic, Knuckles, Ryo Hazuki, and the rest of the assembled Sega crew. Hey, this is one way to get Segata Sanshiro back in the game -- where he belongs.

Add Mii to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hold it! Phoenix Wright available on WiiWare this Monday

David Hinkle — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is ready to head into the WiiWare courtroom this Monday, Capcom reveals. You'll be able to relive the classic lawyer-em-up for 1,000 Wii Points ($10), where your Hamilton will net you the first four episodes from the original GBA game -- Capcom says the final fifth episode will be available later as DLC for 100 Wii Points ($1).

And if you're scratching your noggin, wondering what the big deal is, feel free to check out some recent videos from the game.

Hold it! Phoenix Wright available on WiiWare this Monday originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Memorex unveils line of Wii, Wii Fit, DSi gaming accessories at CES

Christopher Grant — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Click to enlarge

We're not sure what the tagline will be - "Is it first-party? Or is it Memorex?" - but the storied consumer electronics company best known for its blank cassette tapes (remember those?) has been busy branching out, and a new series of video games accessories targeting Nintendo's various products is its latest endeavor.

The company has taken the opportunity at CES to unveil a Wii racing wheel, a Wii wireless sensor bar, some sleeves for everything from your Wiimote to your Wii Fit balance board, a charging kit for your Wiimotes, a rechargeable battery pack for Wii Fit, and some DSi goodies as well. Like most of these offerings, there isn't much you'll find exciting here. Check out the full specs in the press release after the break, or, if you're a visual learner, flip through the gallery for some eye candy.

Continue reading Memorex unveils line of Wii, Wii Fit, DSi gaming accessories at CES

Memorex unveils line of Wii, Wii Fit, DSi gaming accessories at CES originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Wii is safe from 'Attack of the Movies 3D'

JC Fletcher — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:05:00 EST

Avatar may be the big buzz in 3D flicks these days, but for many, the technology is always going to be associated with monster movies and those red-and-blue anaglyph lenses. For those of us hopelessly infatuated with those ridiculous-looking lenses and cheesy movies, Majesco is publishing Attack of the Movies 3D for Wii.

The on-rails shooter features set pieces heavily inspired by movies, for up to four players to ~~blast~~ point-and-click their way through. With your friends, you'll "battle large alien space cruisers, shoot underwater monsters, join the resistance against the machines and more" against enemies "culled from the annals of film history." And you'll get to do it in glorious red and blue -- the game includes four sets of 3D glasses!

Attack of the Movies 3D is expected for release this spring.

No Wii is safe from 'Attack of the Movies 3D' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM-1 connects real drums to Guitar Hero, Rock Band

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:39:00 EST

If you're the type of person who spends the weekend stuffing wads of cash into your Skeet shooter, only to blow 'em to pieces with your golden shotgun once they're airborne, then the $250 Omega Music Technology's GM-1 may be the perfect accessory to your expensive hobbies. The system is essentially an intermediary between Guitar Hero or Rock Band gaming drums, allowing you to play along with the games' drum tracks on the real thing ($500 drum set sold separately).

As Ars Technica points out in a recent hands-on with the product, "It's an interesting idea, but you need to be willing to put some serious time and money into the project to get worthwhile results." Aside from owning a set of real drums, you'll need the "fake" ones, too -- the GM-1 sensors send feedback from your drum set to the attached Guitar Hero or Rock Band drums, which then send the in-game cues to the gaming console. Sure, it might work, but who's got the time and money? Oh, that's right, you, Mr. I Own the Biggest Music Game Peripheral Ever. Congratulations.

GM-1 connects real drums to Guitar Hero, Rock Band originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata: DS2 to feature movement sensor, new Wii Zelda coming 2010

JC Fletcher — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:40:00 EST

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has offered the first concrete information about the next DS system -- as in, not the next revision of the current DS, but the true next Nintendo handheld system -- in an interview with the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. "[It will have] highly detailed graphics," Iwata said, "and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing." Sort of like the iPhone, yes, but Nintendo isn't exactly an also-ran in the field of motion-controlled gaming. Iwata declined to specify a release window for this DS2 -- or a better name than our suggestion.

Iwata also addressed potential service changes for both the current DS network and its successor, suggesting that there would be no "monthly service plan" offered for games. He indicated that Nintendo was looking to increase the number of businesses that host DS Wi-Fi hotspots instead of supporting a 3G-like service (à la Kindle or iPhone) for the DS. The "Mac de DS" service Nintendo provides in partnership with McDonald's offers free wireless connections for the handheld, along with exclusive downloadable content.

In Wii news, Iwata dropped one bomb that will delight fans ... and one that will probably initiate eyerolls. First, the good news: The new Zelda game -- sort of revealed at E3 last year -- is scheduled for release by the end of 2010. And now, that other news: The Wii Vitality Sensor, the bizarre biofeedback attachment also unveiled at E3, will be released somewhere in the neighborhood of July, following a press conference about the device.

[Via Kotaku]

Iwata: DS2 to feature movement sensor, new Wii Zelda coming 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nielsen survey says most PSP users are female, Xbox 360 most played

Xav de Matos — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:15:00 EST

In its 2010 Media Industry Fact Sheet, the Nielsen Company tallied some interesting numbers [PDF] related to the increase of social media and how video game console usage trended in 2009. According to its survey statistics, Sony's PSP market in the United States contains a slight majority of female gamers -- 52% of the platform's owners in the region, while 49% of Nintendo Wii owners are female. Nielsen's survey statistics show that, as of 2009, 45% of all active gamers are women.

Social media has, expectantly, made a dramatic leap in usage. Nielsen's survey claims Facebook membership skyrocketing from November 2008 to 2009 with 109 million members accessing the site at the end of the the decade versus about 47.5 million the year before. Twitter saw its user base increase by 15.9 million members in the same time frame. Both social media sites have seen life on consoles.

Related to each console's individual usage -- besides what the good looking gamers enjoy -- Nielsen's survey claims the Xbox 360 is the most played console (ranked by share of total usage minutes), taking 23.1% of the measured playtime. Sony's PlayStation 2 netted second with 20.4% and the Nintendo Wii closed up the top three with 19% of the vote. While we know the previous sentence sounds like we just called all console gamers hideous beings, we just mean that ladies are pretty and smell like daffodils compared to the faint odor of Cheetos and Mountain Dew that lingers around us fellas.

[Via Edge]

Nielsen survey says most PSP users are female, Xbox 360 most played originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pen tapping along with the Super Mario song

Mike Schramm — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST

"Clicking out beats to the Mario tunes with disposable pens" sounds a lot less impressive and awesome than this video actually is, so you might as well go ahead and check the video after the break to watch for yourself. We can't help think that Shane has better things to do, but this is what the kids are up to nowadays, we guess. No more useless than pogs were back in the nineties, and a lot cheaper to boot.

A better question might be: Where can we get that T-shirt? Our extensive Google-searching turned up lots of great Mario shirts, but we couldn't find that one for sale. If you see it online, let us know in the comments below.

[Via GoNintendo]

Continue reading Pen tapping along with the Super Mario song

Pen tapping along with the Super Mario song originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese games market shrank in 2009

JC Fletcher — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST

2009 looked fairly dire for the Japanese games industry. Now that we're on the other side of the year, we can assess the damage. Andriasang reports Enterbrain numbers claiming that, overall, the market shrank ¥543 billion, a reduction of 6.9% from 2008. Since we're in a Seinfeld-quoting mood today, we might posit that the Japanese game industry had been in the pool.

Hardware sales dropped 13.9%, with the DS unsurprisingly leading among consoles with 4,025,313 million units and the Xbox 360 even less surprisingly at the bottom, with 331,706 consoles sold. In software, the big winner (or smallest loser, we suppose, given the overall tone of the news) was Dragon Quest IX, which sold a whopping 4,100,968 copies -- slightly more than the total number of DS consoles sold in 2009! Final Fantasy XIII managed to make it onto the tail end of the top five with 1,698,256 copies. But if you weren't Square Enix or Nintendo (who had the other three spots on the top five software charts), 2009 was one to forget.

Japanese games market shrank in 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Point yourself toward these Phoenix Wright WiiWare videos

David Hinkle — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:15:00 EST

We hope you came here today to see a ridiculous amount of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney footage on WiiWare, because there are three ridiculously long videos past the break showing off just that. As expected, it's more or less unchanged in its transition from Nintendo's handheld to its home console -- save for the new Wiimote gestures and bigger pixels. Regardless, we certainly wouldn't object to you clicking past the break to check out the trio of trailers (see what we did there?).

[Via Capcom Unity]

Continue reading Point yourself toward these Phoenix Wright WiiWare videos

Point yourself toward these Phoenix Wright WiiWare videos originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision UK head polls execs from 'The Big Three' on digital distribution, cloud gaming

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST

[Image credit: Vermin Inc]

If it weren't for the fact that the recent "Andrew Brown asks" is a featured piece on UK-based MCV, the answers to his questions repeatedly starting with "Whilst" would have likely tipped us off to the Britishness of the feature and all involved. Both Sony's Ray Maguire and Nintendo's David Yarnton employ the subordinating conjunction whilst responding to questions about everything from the future of digital distribution to what the industry will look like in 2019. Though the Sony and Nintendo execs were a bit more reserved in their predictions, Microsoft's Neil Thompson believes digital distribution will "explode in the next three years." All three gentlemen admitted that retail will still play a major role for (at very least) a few more years.

As for cloud computing, only Microsoft's Thompson seems to be on board. "I'm convinced cloud will play a central role in the games industry of the future ... our strategy is certainly to enable people to connect to their key entertainment content through innovative services that span across multiple devices." Our only worry is that, by the time all this future stuff arrives, we'll be too busy cruising around in our flying cars to care.

Activision UK head polls execs from 'The Big Three' on digital distribution, cloud gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese Nintendo downloads: Kirby's Star Stacker, I am a Pla-Rail Driver

JC Fletcher — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:15:00 EST

The Japanese Wii and DSi Shops are taking it easy on the first week back after a holiday, with just one WiiWare, one Virtual Console, and two DSiWare games available, quite a change from the massive pileups of previous weeks. The Virtual Console game is the Super Famicom version of Kirby's Star Stacker, an original Kirby-themed puzzle game we received on the Game Boy. And on WiiWare, a painfully adorable ... train simulator?

DSiWare has another G.G. series shmup, and another miniature Paint By DS featuring cats. Pretty mellow week!

Boku wa Pla-Rail Untenshi: Shinkansen & Joukikansha Hen (1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points)
Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)
G.G. Series Dark Spirits (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points)
Artist ni Narou! Minna no Nurikai Neko Hen (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)

Japanese Nintendo downloads: Kirby's Star Stacker, I am a Pla-Rail Driver originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo celebrates DS, Wii, software sales milestones in Europe, U.S.

David Hinkle — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST

Across two of Nintendo's biggest markets, the US and Europe, the house that Mario built has managed to get a lot of its hardware and software into customers' hands, reporting huge sales milestones and a very prosperous December. In Europe, the DS is now the best-selling video game console of all time, surpassing the 40 million mark in the region. The Wii now tops 20 million, becoming the fastest-selling console in the region since its release three years ago. There's also some data on Nintendo's games to chew on, including Wii Sports Resort, which sold five million since releasing in July, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which just reached 2.5 million units sold.

As for the States, Nintendo's been raking in equally impressive amounts of cash here. In December, three million Wii consoles were purchased and the DS set "a new all-time calendar-year U.S. sales record for any console or hand-held system." You know, just like the company did last year. Also, New Super Mario Bros. Wii had quite the stellar showing in the U.S., achieving lifetime sales of four million units in the region.

In short: Nintendo is pretty much the same as always.

Source - Nintendo UK press release
Source - Nintendo of America press release

Nintendo celebrates DS, Wii, software sales milestones in Europe, U.S. originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official Tatsunoko vs. Capcom FightStick is officially real

JC Fletcher — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:15:00 EST

Though we've had very specific hints about such an item for a while, MadCatz never released details about an officially licensed Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars arcade stick until today. Now, the peripheral maker has announced that the stick is real and will be out sometime this month, to coincide with the game whose name and art it bears. It's so real that, as Kotaku reports, you can pre-order one from MadCatz's site!

The stick connects to the Wiimote for a wireless-ish experience, a de facto upgrade over the wired connections used by the PS3 and Xbox 360 Street Fighter IV FightSticks. It'll retail for $79.99.

Official Tatsunoko vs. Capcom FightStick is officially real originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo distributing Monster Hunter 3 in Europe this April

JC Fletcher — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:45:00 EST

Nintendo appears to be confident in the sales potential of Capcom's Monster Hunter Tri. The company will take on sales, marketing, and distribution of the Wii action RPG in Europe and Australia, as it did for Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles and Zack and Wiki. Despite Capcom's announcement that the title would be delayed, Monster Hunter Tri will be released in April in the West -- just out of its original Q1 window.

"Nintendo has identified Monster Hunter Tri as a key title for the Wii platform in 2010," Capcom Europe senior director of marketing Michael Pattison said. " We are really excited about partnering with Nintendo to further develop this franchise." Perhaps it could be developed further by releasing the Classic Controller Pro along with it. Just an option.

Nintendo distributing Monster Hunter 3 in Europe this April originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: EA Sports creating new NBA Jam

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:02:00 EST

ESPN reports that Electronic Arts has acquired the rights for NBA Jam and has assigned EA Canada's Vancouver studio to a reboot of the franchise. The game's original creator, Mark Turmell, who currently works at EA Tiburon as a senior creative director, is allegedly collaborating on the project, which, according to ESPN, will "ship to retail exclusively for the Wii."

With no other platforms mentioned in the report, the story sounds a bit off. However, 1UP, which has partnered with ESPN on the sports network's video game wing, has suggested XBLA and PSN versions of a new NBA Jam are also in the works, though that is not corroborated by the original report.

We've contacted EA and Turmell for confirmation and details. EA Sports will allegedly announce the game later this month.

Update: Joystiq has confirmed with Warner Bros. that it did not purchase the NBA Jam license when it acquired elements of Midway. EA's official statement: "We do not comment on speculation or rumor."

Rumor: EA Sports creating new NBA Jam originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Moore reiterates EA Sports commitment to Tiger Woods

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:01:00 EST

EA Sports president Peter Moore recently restated the publisher's commitment to golfer Tiger Woods in a blog post, despite the once pristine athlete's incredibly public fall from grace. Moore reaffirmed that EA's relationship with Woods has always been "rooted in golf" and that the company "didn't form a relationship with him so that he could act as an arm's length endorser." As for Tiger's penchant for prowling, the executive concluded, "Regardless of what's happening in his personal life, and regardless of his decision to take a personal leave from the sport, Tiger Woods is still one of the greatest athletes in history."

EA told Joystiq in early December that it plans to stand by Woods. The sports superstar may be losing other endorsement deals, but as GI.biz notes, EA Sports put convicted rapist and ear connoisseur Mike Tyson on the cover of ~~Bite~~ Fight Night: Round 4, so what's a little philandering between friends and business buddies?

[Via GI.biz]

Moore reiterates EA Sports commitment to Tiger Woods originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hudson's 'Master Higgins' sings on new game music CD

JC Fletcher — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:15:00 EST

For some of us, the latest game music remix album release from Hudson is going to be a bizarre retrogaming oddity. But for a few -- those who love Hudson classics and also idolize Takahashi Meijin, the Hudson PR executive who became famous for his ability to push a button 16 times a second, and who served as the model for Adventure Island's protagonist, Takahashi Meijin Legend: Soul of the 16 Shot -- is instantly going to become one of the year's most anticipated music releases. And a bizarre retrogaming oddity.

Soul of the 16 Shot features the Meijin singing, auto-tuned, over new arrangements of the music from classic Star Soldier, Challenger and Milon's Secret Castle. It'll be available on CD and in the Japanese iTunes store January 27. After hearing the new interpretation of the Adventure Island music, we're going to hope really hard that it shows up in the US iTunes store as well. Listen to some preview tracks after the break!

[Via Chiptuned]

Continue reading Hudson's 'Master Higgins' sings on new game music CD

Hudson's 'Master Higgins' sings on new game music CD originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VC in Brief: Final Fight 3 (SNES)

David Hinkle — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST

Only one Virtual Console game this week: Final Fight 3. It's more of the same in the third installment of Capcom's classic beat-em-up, which adds custom super moves for each fighter. Check it out in the latest episode of VC in Brief above!

Final Fight 3 (SNES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)

Every week, we like to check out what's new on the Virtual Console. We offer these videos as a sort of taste to help you decide whether or not you would want the game in question. We also toss in our own two cents because we're pushy jerks like that.

VC in Brief: Final Fight 3 (SNES) originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Make time for Chronos Twins DX on WiiWare next week

JC Fletcher — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:15:00 EST

The original DS version of Chronos Twin was released in Europe in 2007, but never made it to North America. The WiiWare update on the time-traveling action game, however, will be, thanks to the fact that developer Enjoy Up doesn't have to seek a publishing partner for a digital release.

Not only will Chronos Twins DX be coming to North America, Enjoy Up says it will be released next week. See a trailer after the break to decide whether that's good news or not. For our part, the Reflection-like concept of playing in two places simultaneously, combined with the idea of altering something in one time period to change the other, sounds like an excellent setup for some puzzle platforming.

Continue reading Make time for Chronos Twins DX on WiiWare next week

Make time for Chronos Twins DX on WiiWare next week originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even burglars enjoy playing DS

David Hinkle — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:15:00 EST

We're not experienced in the crafty art of breaking and entering, but we certainly understand the draw of games. That's why this story out of a Chicago suburb really didn't surprise us so much. See, some guy broke into a young woman's apartment over the weekend and proceeded to steal her stuff, but upon seeing her DS, took a break from his heinous law-breaking to check out what the handheld had to offer.

It gets even more interesting, though. While he was engrossed in whatever DS game she had in the system, she ended up coming home from running errands, spooking the burglar. He then made off with only her pink iPod Touch, leaving her with a ransacked house and, thankfully, her DS system. We just hope he at least had the decency to not save over her game.

[Via Yahoo; thanks, Greg D]

Even burglars enjoy playing DS originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Games This Month: January 2010

Justin McElroy — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST

Traditionally, this is the time of year when we'd be able to put our feet up and savor the calm after the Q4 storm. But in 2010/Two-Thousand-and-Sin/ZOLO, we're stuck with a month of completely decent releases. We've always begged the industry to release games throughout the year, but never stopped to consider the terrible cost: More work for us.

Check out the infuriatingly decent list and plan your purchasing strategy.

New Games This Month: January 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Calling has a story

David Hinkle — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:45:00 EST

It seems the Nintendo Channel is still in vacation mode, because there isn't much in the way of new content this week. Sure, there's some No More Heroes 2 footage to check out -- odds are you've already seen it on our site -- but the only genuinely new and interesting video is the story trailer above for Hudson's survival-horror game, Calling. Check it out then be sure to head past the break for the full list of this week's content.

Gallery: Calling (Wii)

Continue reading This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Calling has a story

This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Calling has a story originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now Playing: January 4-10, 2010

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:32:00 EST

It begins: Q1 2010.

Choose your platform to jump to a specific release list:

Last updated: Thursday, 5:59 PM

Continue reading Now Playing: January 4-10, 2010

Now Playing: January 4-10, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo shuts down Zelda fan film, four years in the making

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:59:00 EST

A few weeks ago, the fruits of four years of labor finally paid off for independent film studio BMB Finishes when its Zelda-based movie, The Hero of Time, was released for public consumption over the internets. Reaction to the film was mixed, but it seemed like everyone appreciated the 1,460 days of hard work that went into the feature-length film's creation. Apparently, that's not the case -- the movie's official site was updated on New Years Day, explaining that the studio had come to an agreement with Nintendo to stop distributing the film online.

The update sounds less miffed than you might imagine, stating, "we understand Nintendo's right to protect its characters and trademarks and understand how in order to keep their property unspoiled by fan's interpretation of the franchise, Nintendo needs to protect itself - even from fan-works with good intentions." The missive jokingly ends by saying, "I'm sure our next project will be right around the corner! No, it's not Majora's Mask." Yeah, that would be ridiculous. Twilight Princess, on the other hand, seems like a logical choice.

Nintendo shuts down Zelda fan film, four years in the making originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modern Warfare 2 leads UK game sales for 8th straight week

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:59:00 EST

Following another week of tepid new releases (er, were there any releases at all?), and despite a 41-percent drop in sales, Modern Warfare 2 remained atop the UK all-formats sales chart for the week ending January 2. This marked the eighth straight week that Modern Warfare 2 led UK game sales, a feat unequaled since the gritty street sequel, Need for Speed: Underground 2, captured the British imagination five years ago. This week, Bayonetta gets her first shot at taking down the reigning champ.

Additionally, Assassin's Creed II continued its rebound up the week's towering sales list, perched at the number two position, followed by a trio of casual Wii games. FIFA 10 dropped four spots into sixth place as weekly sales of the ~~soccer sim~~ "footie fax" fell 61 percent. Finally, UbiGaga's Just Dance made a fevered surge up to seventh on the chart, with New Super Mario Bros., Mario Kart and Avatar rounding out the top ten. Can we get a "TAROK MAKTO!"?

Source - Call of Duty Ends the Year on a High [GFK Chart-Track]
Source - Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]

Modern Warfare 2 leads UK game sales for 8th straight week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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