News: October 2007 Archives

If family fun and board games are your thing, it's time to look towards the Wii with expectation.  The modern incarnation of 'family fun' in the living room is set to include a new title that will revive classic board and tabletop games such as chess, dominoes and backgammon.
 
Q1 2008 will see this as the first Wii title from Empire Interactive, who are known for their direct marketing distribution network across Europe.  Containing 20 of the most recognisable and popular games played around the world, Ultimate Board Game Collection is already a huge hit in the US, having sold almost half a million copies to date.  Empire believe they can do great things with the title in Europe.
 
Each of the games will be fully customisable to suit any player's tastes with different rule sets, environments, piece types and sound tracks. 
 

Key Features:
 

24 Classic board game style games.
Enhanced physical gesturing and unique game play via the hand held wireless controller on Wii
(12 games).
Customise each game by selecting different rules, environments, piece type and sound tracks.
Play against the CPU or up to 6 other players.
User selectable sound track; chose from 4 different styles.
CPU opponent has multiple difficulty levels.
Includes 100 different Jigsaw pictures.
Each game has a trophy that can be unlocked by completing a specific goal. Can you unlock all?
Twenty trophies?
Suitable for players of all ages.
 
Games Include:
 
Chess, Quarto, Checkers, Enigma, Backgammon, Reversi, Snakes & Ladders, Parcheesi, Dice, Dominoes, Go, Chinese Checkers, Word Cubes, Mah-jong Solitaire, Anagrams, Concentration, 3D Tic-Tac-Toe, Mancala, Jigsaws.
 
Watch for more news on this classic collection in 2008.  We'll review it of course, and let you know in advance whether its aces, or more crackers than checkers. 

Ideas are awesome things.  They change the way we play games and they alter the way we accept certain preset concepts in our game playing, too.  But what is more powerful; the playing of the meaty game or innovation for forming the future?  The Golden Joysticks seemed to have the answer, and it's a good one for the industry as a whole.

As expected in a poll voted for by members of the public, there was a surge of meatiness on offer.  Games such as World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade and the mega-giant Gears of War saw great success as voters took a punt for these top titles.  The Wii won the innovation award, and Wii Sports picked up the Sun's award for family gaming.  Zelda also won the internal Nintendo award for best game.

If Wii Play's little bit of ball bashing (pool) isn't enough for you, there's good news in the form of a brand new game that promises to make full use of the Wii's unique control system.  Southpeak games have announced their first Wii title for 2008, Pool Party!

Southpeak are promising 13 different single player and multi-player game types, encompassing the standard 8-ball, 9-ball, snooker game modes, but including more exotic game types such as Rotation and Black Jack. Play takes place in a choice of 10 stylised environments, ranging from the seediest dive bars to opulent mansions and supremely luxurious yachts and players will also be stepping into the shoes of a range of distinctive characters, as well as facing off against formidable player AI. Expect to see shot placement, targeting and adjustments mediated through the Wii's motion-sensing.

"Pool Party is a major milestone for us, being our first title for Wii. In line with our philosophy of publishing games with an emphasis on distinctive individuality and outright fun, Pool Party's light-hearted settings and characterisation make it a perfect title for us and we're certain it'll be a group-gaming favourite when released in February 2008," says Melanie Mroz, Executive Vice President at SouthPeak Games.

Generally, games which aren't football don't do exceptionally well in the UK due to the dominance of a few key sports here.  However, we think there's plenty of room in the market for innovative snooker and pool games, and there's a good chance that the fun side of these may attract non-snooker/pool fans, too. We certainly hope so and would like to see a wider variety of sporting title for the Wii as soon as possible.

Yet another chance to swing out on video, with the release of King of Clubs literally knocking at the door on other formats! The latest King of Clubs trailer from our friends at Oxygen features more gameplay footage as well as footage of players experiencing the Wii's unique controlling system. Though, the way that older guy is wiggling his butt leaves me rather worried ...

Until this Friday, you might want to grab your free Metroid Prime 3 Corruption preview from the Wii Shop.  This link offers Nintendo's official, simple guide as to how you can do this: http://ms.nintendo-europe.com/corruption/enGB/preview.html

It's a good way to get a good look into the game, decide if you like the look of it or not and it's also a great step towards seeing how aspects of the game may look on your TV at home.  We like the concept of using the Wii shop as a front to download bytesize new game previews and the like; a great direction for gamer control and sampling to move into. So even if Metroid doesn't float your particular boat, we recommend downloading the freebie to see what you think about the concept of these samples, if nothing else.

It's really frustrating being so sick that you can't even enjoy playing games whilst you're off work, sat in bed, hacking your guts up.  Flicking through the e-pages of life as we know it, I came across this interview on Destructoid.com: "I think with Metroid the new direction it has taken is great. I think it's fabulous. With Castlevania, I want to do something like that. Not exactly what they did, but something that takes it to the next level. So, I haven't found the right way to do it yet, but it's something I'm looking for right now." -- Koji Igarashi

It seems that if we're going to see a Castlevania game developed, we're going to see it stepping into the realms of 3D, and perhaps not in a style unsimilar to the Metroid Prime series.  It's a big leap from an idea to concept art, but if this means the beginning of a process that leads us to the next step in Castlevania?  That can only be a good thing, and the Wii would be a prime format to expect to see the results upon.  Whether or not the wiimote would be used to control whipping action remains to be seen I guess, but a game shouldn't hinge on a gimmick like that anyway.  I was encouraged to hear that Koji felt it was important to allow those whose lifeblood is actually creating, designing and making games to have the say in how the game would be controlled, and not a 'nice idea' generated by wishful thinking, perhaps.

Phew! Another hot night with flowing alcohol at the BAFTA Academy Awards in London, and not surprisingly Wii owners will have a lot to be smiling about.  The playful, little white box of fun cleaned up at the prestigious industry event with bundled game Wii Sports taking six awards in the following categories: Gameplay, Casual, Innovation, Multiplayer, Sports, and Strategy & Simulation.  Getting up off your sofa it seems, has never been more a part of video gaming as it is today.

Find out what other games Wii Sports defeated to hold these accolades by reading on ...

Zombie busting action in Capcom's latest trailer for Resident Evil: The Umbrella Cronicles.

Here's the trailer to Capcom's We Love Golf. As well as seeing gameplay footage the video also shows other features from the game.

One of the more anticipated titles soon to release on the Wii has been changed to a 2008 release date.  Sega today announced that NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams will ship January 2008, in Europe & the UK.

The title, a sequel to the critically-acclaimed hit NiGHTS on the Sega Saturn, will allow players to take flight, unleash incredible airborne maneuvers, and explore seven worlds of imagination, dreams and nightmares.Sega also unveiled plans to reawaken the Artificial Life feature in NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, which gives gamers the freedom to oversee and develop their own sandbox environment enabling them to capture, raise, and even combine the inhabitants from the world of Nightopia, and has confirmed that the game will feature a two-player mode and network support at launch.

Many traditional gamers revere NiGHTS as being a reason all on it's own just to own a Sega Saturn.  We're looking forward to seeing how the sequel transfers to the Wii with the unique control methods available.  Frankly, it really could be something rather special, but you never know until you get your hands on it.  We plan to very soon, and we'll let you know.

A much awaited announcement concerning Miis in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has arrived, that being to confirm that you will be able to play as your very own Mii against famous Nintendo and Sega characters.  This is a feature for the game that players have been asking for, so it's good to see the inclusion at this stage.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is out across Europe & the UK on November 23rd 2007 for Wii.  A DS release will follow in Q1 2008.

In addition, there's other news regarding events.  Here's the list of newly added events - called 'Dream events' that are set in a fun backdrop:

Dream Race (Sandhill Race Course) - Get on your marks for this intense power-up filled race course, made for either one player, or as many as four.

Dream Platform (Tropical Reef Diving Area - 10,000M Diving) - More like skydiving, soar through hoops and perform aerial tricks while avoiding obstacles and opponents to reach the finish line first.

Dream Fencing (Duel Wharf Fencing Beach) - With unique special attacks

for each character, this jungle-inspired world offers the ultimate duel.

Dream Table Tennis (Speed Rally Table Tennis Stadium) - A sci-fi wonderland, this magical table tennis extravaganza offers a special ability for each character - so move fast!

The arrival of your own Miis is a very welcome addition, though the dream events will be hard to judge without playing them first.  They sound like a nice, non-serious addition to the game, so we're reserving our judgement until we play it ourselves.  Watch for the review very soon!

Ever since the announcement that the Wii is to support USB keyboard input, we've been wondering who'll be the first to jump on the bandwagon and market their wares towards the little white box and it's users.  Today, that question was answered in the form of Logitech, who have announced that the Logitech Classic Keyboard 200, a full-sized USB keyboard, is now compatible with the Wii.

"Wii has infused the gaming community with tremendous new energy," said Bruce Lancaster, vice president of Logitech's gaming business unit. "And the Logitech Classic Keyboard 200 adds value to the exciting Wii experience. Now consumers can enjoy the advantages of having a keyboard to help them manage their Wii Message Board and enter text in the Wii Internet Channel."

Ready for immediate use, Logitech claim that the plug-and-play Classic Keyboard 200 offers people the advantages of a compact form factor and low-profile keys. Ideal for use in the living room, the Classic Keyboard 200 features a spill-resistant design; if a gamer does spill water or coffee, for example, on the keyboard during the heat of competition, a carefully designed drainage system prevents the hardware from being damaged under most circumstances. Hmm. So, this is not a Pepsi-free zone after all.

The keyboard will work with Wii systems that have been updated to the latest Wii Menu, version 3.1. Users can perform this update by selecting the Wii System Update button in the Wii Settings menu.  The keyboard is expected to be available in Europe, the UK and the US in November 2007.

Anyone disappointed at the thought of Mario and Sonic having their first crossover at the Olympics can now rest easy, as these two long-time rival gaming icons will now be able to either team up or duke it out on better grounds.

That's right! It was revealed today by Nintendo and Sega that Sonic the Hedgehog is the latest addition to the playable roster on the upcoming Smash Brothers Brawl. Having now watched videos with Sonic in action, we can confirm that it's true and also that Sonic's moveset is very much what you'd expect - he can go SuperSonic but the rest of the time he relies very much on whirling around and hitting everything, very quickly.

A fantasy for many has been fulfilled.

The Internet Channel on your Wii is changing, for the second time!  Don't panic - you won't have to pay for it (unless you've never had the channel, in which case the bill is 500 Wii points).  Should you be getting exited, though?  The upgrade features are support for USB keyboards & new ability to send a link directly to a Wii friend, complete with note.

Opera today announced Nintendo has started distributing a new version of the Internet Channel.  Hardware support for any USB keyboard should make typing both easier and faster, though what we really want to see is a wireless keyboard like the one Virgin use with their TV customers.
Simply plug any USB keyboard into one of the two USB ports on your Wii and you're ready to write email, compose blog posts or update your Facebook. In addition to this, a softkey improvement has been made; several new keyboard-specific shortcuts have been introduced, such as using the B button on the Wiimote as a Shift button.

Send to a friend enables you to send links to your favourite Web sites - or the one you are currently browsing - to your Wii friends. You can also add a message to send along with the link. When your friend opens the message, they can immediately visit the page in the Internet Channel.

Also, users can now copy information from a Web page and paste it directly into the search field. Users may also store nine more favourites, bringing the total to 56. A simple visit to the Wii Shop Channel is all you need to do if you already have the channel on your Wii, and the download of this upgrade will be free.  If not, then it's 500 smakeroos.

We think this is definitely worth getting hold of, unless you're absolutely adamant that you'll never ever use a games console to browse the internet ... in your lounge ... watching Youtube ... come on. We know you do it.

 

In the wake of the BBFC rejecting a revised version of Manhunt 2 across every format in the UK (including the Wii), we ask if the decision was a fair one, and what it represents.  Already an appeal is in place, and that will now roll forward in the wake of this second rejection.

The Director of the BBFC said:
"We recognise that the distributor has made changes to the game, but we do not consider that these go far enough to address our concerns about the original version. The impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient ... we did make suggestions for further changes to the game, but the distributor has chosen not to make them..."

Interestingly, it was not the sight of literal gore or even in game killing that appears to have got this notorious sequel banned for a UK release.  The BBFC are making an interesting and quite modern, robust stand about the overall theme and tone of a video game; about what it stands for and what overall sensation it brings to the player.  This is a modern take on censorship, a welcome step away from knee-jerk pigeonholing of games for the inclusion of blood or violence (remember SNES Mortal Kombat with the 'grey sweat' to replace blood?).

We welcome a much more mature and scientific take on game censorship.  If a game is so morbid in theme and aim that it cannot even attain an 18 certificate, one has to ask themselves if they would like such a title available on the shelves with an 18 brand, which we all know is very easy to come by for children as young as 5 (parents and siblings often openly admit purchasing 18 rated games for their children).

I would rather see games with themes this dark and inhumane banned, than continue down the pathway of 'remove anyone breaking necks or hitting with poles, and then your game full of violence will be ok'.  It seems far more realistic and consistent to judge the game's overall theme and tone than to cherry pick attacking moves out of a game, then release it rated 12 when it's still full of violence.  This way games designers will be forced to think about the sorts of games they are making, and if it's really worth designing a game with a tone so sick that it won't get past the ratings board.

 

'Digital lifestyle without limits!' promises X-OOM. And in November 2007, too! It's a big boy step forward for the Wii today as X-OOM announces further information on their exciting and liberating Media Centre, which promises to turn your Wii at home into a device that can play all your movies and music and look at all your digital pictures - all through the wonder of wi-fi, wireless technology. If you've got it stored on your computer at home, then the Wii can talk to it and access it. Interested? Well, one Xbox 360 owner described the 360's ability to deal with home entertainment files, and it's handling of WMV as 'a lame duck' in spreading your entertainment around the home.

Could the Wii have trumped even the box, which right now can do no wrong, brandishing the Halo 3 crown? X-OOM say this software will turn your Wii into your own multimedia centre allowing you to watch movies, listen to music and view digital photos by streaming files directly from your PC onto the Wii using Wi-Fi. Rather than watching your favourite movie clips & downloads on PC, we'll be able to use X-OOM Media Centre to direct all files straight into the living room and watch in comfort on the TV, using the Wii.

The Media Centre is an easy way to view the hundreds of multimedia files stored on your PC, meaning you can access and play your favourite music simply and easily through your TV, claims X-OOM. Showcase your latest photographs live on TV in your lounge. Use the Wii's wireless remote to browse and select your favourite files on PC to show friends & family at Christmas or family gatherings. Slides, begone? There's no need to rely on cumbersome memory cards, CDs or cables in order to transfer data from one system to another, they promise.

The software allows you to transfer all of your media files at the click of a button, giving you the option to store movies, music and photographs on your PC but access them in your living room. Getting the message yet? Store in the bigger box - watch on the cute, little white one. The software will be for sale on X-OOM.com and Amazon.co.uk, for around £29.99. We like it so far! X-OOM Media Centre also promises to provide access to 1000s of Web TV channels and radio stations, which will appeal to the MTV generation and to Mums, we think.

Tech heads who want to know what you'll be getting - Network connection is through WLAN or LAN supporting MP3, WMA, OGG, DivX, XviD, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, WMV, JPG & BMP. Keep watching this space and we'll let you know how the software works, as soon as we've tested it.

 

Eidos recentley unveiled video footage of the upcoming Wii version of Tomb Raider: Anniversary coupled with a talkthrough of the games control system. Check out todays posted video and see for yourself how the Tomb Raider experience is represented on the Wii.

You've probably seen the adverts on buses and roadside billboards by now.  Reviews are everywhere and many Xbox 360 owners haven't been seen for the last few days.  Sick notes pour into offices, country wide.  Yes, it's Halo 3 and it's out now.  But why mention this on a Wii blog?

Before the release of Halo 3, the Wii was well on course to top (in the space of one year) all Xbox 360 sales this Christmas, making it the official leading console in this current generation (at the moment it's in the lead, but Christmas enduces a lot more selling).  But now, some are saying that hardware sales of the Xbox 360 simply to get Halo 3 may outpace the Wii's awesome sales rates towards Christmas, and prevent the Wii keeping the crown.  The difference in world sales isn't massive - 360 has sold around 11.10 million whereas the Wii has sold 11.78 million, according to VGchartz.com.  We won't mention the piddling PS3 sales ... this is a two horse race at the moment.

So, how many Halo-enduced Xbox 360 hardware sales would Microsoft need to regain their title at Christmas?

Thought Manhunt 2 being banned in the UK was unfair? Now you can see how the BBFC rate games on a brand new web site, designed with parental choice in mind ... but we think its good news for every consumer.  After all, don't we deserve to know how the BBFC works so that in the event of an obvious faux pas, we can complain in an effective way?
 
Parents BBFC - www.pbbfc.co.uk - provides detailed information about the content of 'U', 'PG' and '12A' films and all video games classified by the BBFC, and why they got the classification they did.
 
David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:
"This is particularly relevant in the area of video games, where not all parents are as technology literate as their children. We have included all games, including '18' rated games ... because we know that parents come under a lot of pressure to buy the latest big selling title. So now when they are told by their offspring that 'it's only a game', particularly if it's rated '18', they can look at the new website and see what the game contains and why it got the rating it did."
 
So, if you're a parent and you don't mind little Johnny blowing zombie guts all up the wall, but vomit at the very thought that he might see a nipple or a mugging, this web site is for you.  Lovely.
 
However, we do welcome the introduction of a web site that details why each game got the rating it did.  This enables indy games designers to better understand exactly what milestones they must not cross if they want to avoid an 18 rating for example, as well as goes some way to showing a transparent attitude towards gamers, who buy these games and deserve to know why for example, if they're 15, they're being told they aren't old enough to buy an 18.
 
Whether you agree with their decisions or you don't, at least now you can know what those decisions are.  Would you use this site to see why your games got their ratings?  Let us know. Or perhaps you just want to have a fat go at the BBFC for banning Manhunt 2.