In the run up to the release of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned that Princess Peach wasn't playable in the game because it would have been too difficult to animate her dress.
The programmers behind New Super Mario Bros. Wii aren't the only ones who find skirts problematic, it seems. In a recent interview with Famitsu magazine, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks producer Eiji Aonuma said the following when asked about Zelda's appearance in the game:
"People on the staff have wanted to have Zelda in the game for ages, but if we did that, then her skirt becomes an issue. Having girls in dresses in an action game is kind of hard to deal with. That's how we got the idea of having her body stolen and her soul going inside Phantom Guardians."
I kind of feel like I'm the only person looking forward to this Wii game, but just in case I'm wrong I'm going to post this trailer--which is the first to display the title's English voice acting:
According to Amazon.com, the game will be released on March 16. I plan on picking it up day one--how about you?
Someone named Cory, who seems to be both a Nintendo and a GoNintendo.com fan, has created the coolest wallpapers I've seen in some time.
I think this one is my favorite, though they're all awesome:
Cory also created wallpapers inspired by such classics as Kirby's Adventure, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon and Super Mario Bros. 1, 2 and 3. You can find (and download) all of them here.
You also may want to check out GoNintendo's original post about the wallpapers, which includes a few comments from Cory himself.
According to GameInformer.com, the game we now know (and love) as Ms. Pac-Man began life as Crazy Otto.
Basically, Crazy Otto was a hack of the original Pac-Man--and was created by MIT students Kevin Curran and Doug Macrae.
Otto looked a bit like Pac-Man, but with legs. And he didn't chase Blinky, Pinky, Inky or Clyde--he chased monsters named Darwin, Freud, Newton and Plato.
Anyway, the story goes that Midway, Pac-Man’s North American distributor, somehow found out about the "expansion," bought it from Curran and Macrae and transformed it into Ms. Pac-Man.
Does this mean we can consider Ms. Pac-Man the first transgender character in video games?
(BTW, a few videos of the Crazy Otto prototype in action can be viewed here.)
Final Fantasy XIII was unleashed upon the citizens of Japan earlier today, and you know what that means: Thousands, maybe millions, of impressions, photos (of people standing in line to purchase the game--and the "limited" Lightening Edition PS3 system) and videos (of people playing the game) are popping up all over the Interwebs.
My favorite photo so far:
Yes, some fool picked up five of the "limited" Lightening Edition PS3 systems. Apparently he didn't see the rumor that suggested Sony shipped 200,000 of those suckers. (Typically, somewhere between 10,000 and 50,000 such bundles are shipped to retailers--though Sony bucked that trend when it shipped 77,777Final Fantasy VII Advent Children bundles earlier this year.)
Anyway, as far as videos of the title are concerned: I've spent a bit of time watching the videos posted on this gamer's YouTube channel (mainly because he translates as much of the Japanese text as he can) and I have to say I'm impressed with the game's production values. The question is: What, if anything, is beneath that sexy surface?
Some Japanese guy (you just know it's a guy...) recently (well, earlier this year) posted one of his Made in Ore (that's what WarioWare D.I.Y. is called in the Land of the Rising Sun) creations to YouTube, and in my humble opinion it knocks the proverbial socks off the Street Fighter II microgame I posted a few days ago:
Of course, how could a WarioWare microgame based on the original Metal Gear *not* be all kinds of awesome?
I have a feeling my creations will completely suck in comparison, but hopefully there will be a way for WarioWare D.I.Y. duds like me to download and play cool concoctions like the one above.
I know--I'm a jerk for using the words "hot" and "sweaty" to get you to click on this post. I refuse to apologize, though, because everyone needs to know about the upcoming PSN/XBLA/WiiWare game, Mega Man 10.
Anyway, the fabulous folks at Capcom just released a teaser trailer for the title, so I thought I'd force it down your throats share it with all of you:
I know this says something about me, but I'm ecstatic that the game will include an "Easy Mode." My gaming chops aren't what they used to be--as evidenced by my embarrassing inability to beat Mega Man 9. I'll get you this time, Dr. Wily!
I know two things about the game I'm referring to in the headline above: 1) It's called MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Airu Mura (it's a spin-off of Monster Hunter, for those of you who haven't heard/seen the "MonHun" moniker before) and 2) It's cute as hell.
(OK, I also know that it's being developed by Capcom for the PSP--but that's almost a given right?)
What I don't know is sure to drive me crazy for months--or at least a few weeks days: Is it coming to the States? The folks over at Siliconera.com sure seem to think so--thanks in no small part to the URL for this teaser page (notice how it says "Felyne Village" instead of "Airu Mura").
Until we find out whether they're right or wrong, you'll find me scouring the Web for more info on this title. (You'll also find me staring at the recent Famitsu scans of the game that have been posted to the Wii@Everyday blog.)
A few months ago, I posted my Christmas list for all to see--or at least the games and gadgets that appeared on that list.
Well, today I'd like to see what gaming-related stuff appears on your Christmas lists. Do you want a DSi or a PS3? Or are you a bit more reserved--maybe a copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii will suffice?
Don't worry if there's little or no chance of you receiving the things you've jotted down (or typed up)--I can assure you I won't be receiving any of the things on my list either. (Thankfully I got New Super Mario Bros. Wii for my birthday.)
Speaking of ignored and overlooked games, where the hell is Sega's retro-rific (I've trademarked that word, by the way) RPG, 7th Dragon?
That's what I was thinking the other day as I read Jeremy Parish's wonderful write-up of the game. (It was his ninth favorite title of 2009.)
Sadly, Jeremy seems to think the DS title may not make it to our shores. "Sega doesn't want anything to do with it," he mentions at one point, "and I've talked to PR and business development folks at several likely third-party publisher candidates who have all told me the same thing: 'It's too hard.'"
I don't know about you, but I'm already sick of reading "Best of 2009" lists. That said, a select few have been able to pique my interest.
Two in particular deal with the year's most ignored titles. Gamasutra.com's list looks at the most overlooked games in general, while GamesRadar.com's list looks at the best Wii games (that died at retail).
One title ties the two lists together: Little King's Story. I can't say I'm surprised Marvelous Entertainment's cute-and-cuddly RTS failed to light up sales charts in the States, but it still makes me sad.
The crew over at VGChartz.com posted an article about the top ten "game titles that sound like porn titles" yesterday, and I couldn't help but chuckle at a few of them.
Case in point: Hudson Soft's platformer-slash-puzzler, Nuts & Milk.
I've been waiting for this DS game to be released in the States since the Japanese version (Made in Ore) was announced on Oct. 2, 2008.
During this year's E3, Nintendo announced it would be bringing the title to Wario-starved Americans but failed to reveal an actual release date.
That finally happened this morning when Nintendo of America's PR folks sent out a press release detailing the company's lineup for the early part of 2010. Included on said release: A March 28 release date for WarioWare D.I.Y.
Also included on said release: A vague "Q1" release date for WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase, which most assume is the WiiWare title that allows people to upload the microgames they created in the DS version of D.I.Y. to the Wii so they can play them on a TV.
Anyway, here's an example of the crazy microgames one can create in WarioWare D.I.Y.:
Nintendo of America also revealed release dates for a number of cool-sounding DSiWare titles (including Link 'n' Launch, Number Battle, Starship Defense and Trajectile) and for the blue and pink Wii remotes that were released in Japan a week or so ago. (Put me down for one of each, will you?)
Although the title has been shrouded in mystery since it was announced in 2006, most of that shroud was yanked away earlier today when a slew of previews hit the Internet.
Heavy Rain is due to hit store shelves in Japan on Feb. 18 and in North American and Europe on Feb. 28. I doubt I'll own a PS3 by then, but when I do get one I'll probably pick up a copy of this game along with it.
The company that employs my husband had its holiday party this past weekend. It's a small company, but it seems to be doing well despite the economy--as evidenced by the party's venue, menu, open bar and "gift exchange."
The latter was the most impressive part of the evening, in my opinion. Every employee (there are about 30) picked a name out of a hat and then chose a (wrapped) gift in order. If said employee didn't like his/her gift--or, more likely, liked someone else's gift better than the one he/she just opened--he/she could trade for something else. So, it was like one of those white elephant gift exchanges we've all experienced--only in this case the employer bought all of the gifts.
Anyway, the reason it was so impressive: Every damn gift was worth $150 or more. And there were a lot of gaming systems. There was a DSi, a PSP, a PS3, an Xbox 360 and a Wii. I pleaded with my husband to do whatever he could to get the PS3, but it was just too popular and someone else ended up with it (and the DSi, and the PSP and the 360).
I've been meaning to ask this for a while, but for one reason or another I haven't done so until now. Which systems do all of you own?
I'll get things started. On the console side, I own a Dreamcast, a GameCube, a PS2 (along with quite a few PS1 games) and a Wii, while on the handheld side I own a DS and a GameBoy Advance.
I imagine my next purchase will be a PS3. After that, I'll probably get a DSi or a PSP. I'd love to get an Xbox 360, too, but I don't think that's going to happen for some time.
Anyway, enough about me--which systems do you own and play?
