Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/JoystiqThe Joystiq Podcast combines insightful commentary on the week's video game news and culture with several disembodied, often spooky, voices. Voices may or may not belong to Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann, Joystiq.com editors, or their guests. Spookiness not guaranteed where prohibited, please check local laws. More information available at www.joystiq.comThe Conduit gameplay trailer releasedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/the-conduit-gameplay-trailer-released/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/the-conduit-gameplay-trailer-released/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/the-conduit-gameplay-trailer-released/#commentsFiled under: ,

Independent developer High Voltage Studios has released the first gameplay trailer for The Conduit, a first-person shooter for the Wii with an impressive game engine behind it. As for the new trailer, we don't see the water and shadow effects that initially piqued our interest. Instead, we see a science fiction shooter reminiscent of Perfect Dark, Starship Troopers or Halo with solid, but not spectacular, visuals.

The Conduit currently doesn't have a publisher. Compared to what does get published on the Wii, that's a shame someone hasn't jumped on this yet. Given the Wii landscape is a bit devoid of quality FPS, we're curious to see how the game progresses. We just don't want to get too caught up in hype, especially after Wii shooter Red Steel ended up drowning in it.

[Via NWF]
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]]>conduithigh-voltagehigh-voltage-studiosthe-conduit2008-05-17T12:45:00+00:00Remember that character? Smash Bros. Rejectshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/remember-that-character-smash-bros-rejects/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/remember-that-character-smash-bros-rejects/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/remember-that-character-smash-bros-rejects/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's quite surprising that a new Super Smash Bros. doesn't come out twice a year, considering how much money Nintendo could make off the franchise (not that the company needs the cash). However, as the video above shows, eventually Smash Bros. would start scraping the bottom of the nostalgia barrel for characters.

Some forgettable characters are mentioned like Bayou Billy and the Noid ... actually, the Noid was awesome! Anyway, we actually wouldn't mind seeing one of the Battletoads in a Super Smash Bros. game. Can you think of any characters who'd be perfect for Super Smash Bros. Rejects? Dig deep into the recesses of your memory and check the periphery for games you barely remember.
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]]>ssbbsuper-smash-bros-brawlsuper-smash-bros-rejects2008-05-17T09:22:00+00:00This Week in Review is overstuffedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/this-week-in-review-is-overstuffed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/this-week-in-review-is-overstuffed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/this-week-in-review-is-overstuffed/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We're way over-stuffed this week thanks to a plethora of Gamers Day shenanigans this week, not to mention the launch of WiiWare. Check out all of our hands-on impressions and reviews from the Joystiq Network this week:

PlayStation 3
Metal Gear Solid 4 (Finished Game Hands-on)

Xbox 360
Ninja Gaiden II (Impressions)
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (Impressions)
Penny Arcade Adventures (Impressions)
Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise (Impressions)
Too Human (Impressions)
Assault Heroes 2 (XBLA in Brief)
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Continue reading This Week in Review is overstuffed

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]]>this-week-in-review2008-05-17T07:00:00+00:00Wii could surpass US Xbox 360 install base this monthhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/wii-could-surpass-us-xbox-360-install-base-this-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/wii-could-surpass-us-xbox-360-install-base-this-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/wii-could-surpass-us-xbox-360-install-base-this-month/#commentsFiled under: ,


It's a good thing that Microsoft got its gloating in about selling 10 million units in the US, because the Wii will not only hit that number, but probably surpass it this month. Deutsche Bank analyst Jeetil Patel did the math and found that the Wii currently sits at about 9.5 million units in the US. If Nintendo's console sells another 700k units (like it has been) this month and the Xbox 360 sticks to its 200k level, the Wii will blow right past its competition's US install base.

It'll also be interesting to see the impact Wii Fit has on the numbers when it launches next week. Microsoft can take solace in knowing that it can always fall back on saying the Xbox 360 still has the "largest global install base of any current gen, high definition gaming console" ... right?
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]]>deutche-bankinstall-basenintendonpdpatelsalesuswiixbox-3602008-05-16T16:00:00+00:00Ken and Morrigan shown hitting the links in We Love Golfhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/ken-and-morrigan-shown-hitting-the-links-in-we-love-golf/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/ken-and-morrigan-shown-hitting-the-links-in-we-love-golf/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/ken-and-morrigan-shown-hitting-the-links-in-we-love-golf/#commentsFiled under: ,


If there's one thing to keep us interested in video game golf it's alternate costumes, followed closely by karate masters and top-heavy succubi. Thankfully, however, Capcom is giving us all three in its upcoming Wii exclusive We Love Golf, which will let players dress their golfers as either Street Fighter blondie Ken or Darkstalkers femme fatale Morrigan, among other familiar faces.

While the pair's North American-exclusive inclusion in the game was revealed last March following the results of a reader poll, Capcom took time today to send over some screens showing what we can expect when the duo hits the links on July 15. Check out the shots below, including what Capcom calls its "first African-American incarnation of Ken Masters." Shoryuken!
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]]>capcomdarkstalkerskenken-masterskenmastersmorriganstreet-fighterstreetfighterwe-love-golfwelovegolf2008-05-16T14:12:00+00:00Rumor: Shenmue I and II Wii-makes cominghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/rumor-shenmue-i-and-ii-wii-makes-coming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/rumor-shenmue-i-and-ii-wii-makes-coming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/rumor-shenmue-i-and-ii-wii-makes-coming/#commentsFiled under: ,

Normally we'd take a rumor like this gently by the hand, walk it outside of the house, and then run back in while locking the door behind us. However, there is some historic rational for this piece of gossip. In their Rykten (i.e. Rumor) section, Swedish magazine Game Reactor said Sega is looking to remake Shenmue I and II on the Nintendo Wii with - surprise! - extra Wiimote-related minigames. (You can view the scan here.)

Sega has been reviving quite a few franchises on the Wii lately, including NiGHTS, Sega Bass Fishing, Samba de Amigo and House of the Dead. Still, there isn't much traction for this rumor, so for now it's just a lead pipe dream.

[Via NWF]
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]]>remakessegashenmue2008-05-16T12:45:00+00:00EA announces Hasbro Family Game Night for Wii, PS2http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/ea-announces-hasbro-family-game-night-for-wii-ps2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/ea-announces-hasbro-family-game-night-for-wii-ps2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/ea-announces-hasbro-family-game-night-for-wii-ps2/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Electronic Arts has finally revealed the fruits of its recent partnership with board game evangelist Hasbro, announcing Hasbro Family Game Night, a collection of classic board games for the Wii and PlayStation 2. Shipping this fall, the game will include a wide assortment of Hasbro properties -- six in all -- from Battleship, Yahtzee, Boggle, and Connect Four to Sorry! and its more recent incarnation in Sorry! Sliders.

Purists will be happy to know that they'll be able to play the classic games as they remember, though EA notes that new versions will also be included as well for those looking for a different way to play. In addition, the collection will let players build and decorate a virtual game room, earn trophies, and play various mini-games once they tire of sinking each other's battleships. However, even with support for between two and four players, we doubt the compilation will have us tossing out our boxed favorites just yet, though at least with this game we know we'll never have to go searching though couch cushions for missing pieces before we can play.
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]]>battleshipboard-gamesboardgamesboggleconnect-fourconnectfoureaelectronic-artselectronicartshasbrosorryyahtzee2008-05-16T09:50:00+00:00Konami's Rock Revolution drums revealedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/konamis-rock-revolution-drums-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/konamis-rock-revolution-drums-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/konamis-rock-revolution-drums-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Harmonix must be beside itself with this last week finding not one but two companies hopping on the developer's coat tails and revealing a pair of drum kits that bear more than a passing resemblance to those used in Rock Band. However, while Guitar Hero IV's kit still carries some basis in reality, the kit revealed by Konami for the company's newly announced Rock Revolution looks to be designed for players with extra appendages or other rhythm enthusiasts who are not quite human.

With six face pads of three different sizes, as well as a kick pedal, Konami's kit is certainly the most complex of the three. However, according to MTV Multiplayer blogger Patrick Klepek, the drums carry what sounds like a much more forgiving difficulty curve than those in Rock Band, which while great are almost unapproachable by rhythm game newcomers even on the easiest setting. By contrast, and according to his admittedly brief time with Konami's offering, the game doesn't penalize players for improvising during a song, and also features five difficulty settings with the lower two removing the foot pedal entirely. Still, the question remains as to if there is room enough for another peripheral-heavy rhythm game, not so much in the genre but in our own living rooms.
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]]>drumsguitar-hero-ivguitarfreakskonamirhythmrock-bandrock-revolutionzoe-mode2008-05-16T08:40:00+00:00April NPD: GTA IV, Mario Kart Wii race to the tophttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/april-npd-gta-iv-mario-kart-wii-race-to-the-top/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/april-npd-gta-iv-mario-kart-wii-race-to-the-top/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/april-npd-gta-iv-mario-kart-wii-race-to-the-top/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Things that won't surprise you

April proved to be yet another lucrative month for the ol' gaming biz, with total industry sales reaching $1.23 billion, reports GameDaily. Software sales in particular grew to $654.7 million, an increase of 68% carried on the fine leather seats of Grand Theft Auto IV's recently stolen convertible. Rockstar's urban riffraff romp sold 2.85 million copies -- that's 1.85 million on Xbox 360 and 1 million on PS3 -- while Nintendo's Wii took the top spot in hardware sales. Mario Kart Wii, however, had to settle for second place.

Things that will surprise you

It was a photo finish for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but the photographers had likely packed up and left for the day by the time the steeds reached the finish line. Selling 188K and 187.1K units respectively, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were thoroughly bested by the systems that didn't have GTA IV. We'd feel a bit silly if we were them.

- Wii: 714.2K 6.8K (0.94%)
- DS: 414.8K 283.2K (40.6%)
- PSP: 192.7K 104.3K (35.1%)
- Xbox 360: 188K 74K (28.2%)
- PS3: 187.1K 69.9K (27.2%)
- PS2: 124.4K 91.6K (42.4%)

You'll find the top ten in software sales after the break.

Continue reading April NPD: GTA IV, Mario Kart Wii race to the top

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]]>BreakingNewsGTAIVMario-Kart-WiiMicrosoftNintendoNPDRockstarSony2008-05-15T19:45:00+00:00Telltale details first Strong Bad episode, 'Homestar Ruiner'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/telltale-details-first-strong-bad-episode-homestar-ruiner/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/telltale-details-first-strong-bad-episode-homestar-ruiner/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/telltale-details-first-strong-bad-episode-homestar-ruiner/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If our recent interview and the latest screenshots from Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People weren't enough to a satiate your interest in harassing the residents of Strongbadia, publisher Telltale has released some additional details for the forthcoming adventure game's first episode, titled "Homestar Ruiner," which will be released over WiiWare and the PC in June.

According to Telltale, the plot, for people who care about such things, will see the bobble-headed Strong Bad scheming to win the tri-annual 'Race to the End of the Race' while also working to get a disgraced Homestar Runner from loafing around his domicile. As mentioned in the past, the game will include a variety of mini-games and other diversions, two of which Telltale has now revealed to be Snake Boxer 5 from Homestar's fictional game development studio, Videlectrix, as well as the ability for players to create their own Teen Girl Squad comics. SO GOOD!
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]]>episodichomestar-runnerhomestarrunnerstrong-badstrongbadtelltalewiiware2008-05-15T18:00:00+00:00Konami jumps on the 'band' wagon with Rock Revolutionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/konami-jumps-on-the-band-wagon-with-rock-revolution/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/konami-jumps-on-the-band-wagon-with-rock-revolution/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/konami-jumps-on-the-band-wagon-with-rock-revolution/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


click to enlarge

When Guitar Hero first hit PS2, we thought: "Wow, this is like Konami's GuitarFreaks ... and that's been around since the original PlayStation. Why don't they release it here?" Well, our question was answered at yesterday's Konami Gamer's Night 2008 with the unveiling of Rock Revolution. Taking the "Revolution" suffix naming scheme of its other music genre (bemani) cousins, the game, from SingStar developer Zoë Mode, is set for a fall release on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS. We have the first screens of the HD offerings, along with some salient details:

The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions will feature:
  • 40 songs on the disc, with DLC tracks planned
  • Record your own songs in a "Jam Session" (8 separate tracks)
  • Online co-op, versus, and battle of the bands modes
  • Crazy big drum set with six pads, plus pedal
The Wii version adds the ability to play "air guitar" using the Wiimote and nunchuck; and the DS version includes a "Vocalist" mode using the built-in microphone. Check back for our hands-on impressions of Rock Revolution for Xbox 360 -- and be sure to peep the debut trailer after the break!
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Continue reading Konami jumps on the 'band' wagon with Rock Revolution

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]]>breakingnewsguitarfreakskonamikonami-gamers-night-2008rock-revolutionzoe-mode2008-05-15T15:00:00+00:00Survey hints at Rock Band 2 with online world tour, drum trainerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/survey-hints-at-rock-band-2-with-online-world-tour-drum-trainer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/survey-hints-at-rock-band-2-with-online-world-tour-drum-trainer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/survey-hints-at-rock-band-2-with-online-world-tour-drum-trainer/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We've received a handful of anonymous tips indicating that Electronic Arts is conducting surveys (surprise!) for Rock Band 2. From what we've seen, the survey is being conducted by Listen Research for EA. The survey breaks down as follows:
  • The sequel will be full featured and will represent a jump similar to that from Guitar Hero I to GHII, or GHII to GHIII.
  • Separate questions ask the likelihood of purchasing Rock Band 2 Special Edition (i.e. the full instrument package) for $199, $169 and $149, respectively. All current Rock Band consoles (PS3, PS2, Xbox 360 and Wii) are mentioned.
  • There are questions concerning Rock Band Track Pack: Volume 1 and how many expansion packs you are expecting to purchase in the next six months.
  • The survey asks likelihood of purchasing Rock Band over a multi-instrument version of Guitar Hero.
EA reportedly provided details on the new features for Rock Band 2 in some of the surveys, but we haven't been able to confirm this. New additions to World Tour mode are said to include online play, the recording of music videos and hiring of staff members. Other new features include Battle of the Bands, competing against other bands in daily and weekly battles, setting challenges to progress through your band's discography in increasingly harder setlists, as well as a drum trainer mode.

We've requested comment from MTV, Electronic Arts and Harmonix.

[Thanks to Andre and everyone else who sent this in!]
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]]>breakingnewsdrum-tranereaelectronic-artsguitar-heroharmonixmtvmtv-gamesrock-bandrock-band-22008-05-15T14:00:00+00:00Platinum Games: MadWorld eyes-on, first screens & trailerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/platinum-games-madworld-eyes-on-first-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/platinum-games-madworld-eyes-on-first-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/platinum-games-madworld-eyes-on-first-screens/#commentsFiled under:

madworld
click to enlarge

MadWorld currently has the distinction of being the only Platinum Games game that we've actually seen -- you can peep the debut trailer after the break and first-time director Shigenori Nishikawa (adorned with an incredible MadWorld shirt) demoed the game for us live at last night's Platinum Games event. First, he prefaced the gameplay with the following sentiment: "We didn't want to create a game that was depraved or perverse but rather featured comical, over-the-top violence so that anyone can enjoy it." So think less Manhunt 2 and more No More Heroes.

In fact, Nishikawa repeated this mantra throughout his demo, after every scene of grisly violence, he'd remark about how "lighthearted" the game was. And every single time, the skeptical audience laughed at (with?) his enthusiasm. We begin the demo by meeting Jack, the protagonist, set in a black-and-white world accentuated with flourishes of red blood. He begins tangling with enemies, throwing them into the spiked walls (sometimes over and over and over), tossing them into dumpsters only to have the lids sever their bodies at the torso, or shoving a street sign through their face, then dragging them around. Most notably perhaps is the chainsaw attached to Jack's arm ("everyone loves chainsaws," Nishikawa reminds us). With one swift flick of the Wiimote, you split enemies in half, right down the middle. After that: Man Darts. What?
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Continue reading Platinum Games: MadWorld eyes-on, first screens & trailer

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]]>madworldplatinum-gamessega2008-05-15T13:00:00+00:00Nintendo ordered to pay $21 million for patent infringementhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/nintendo-ordered-to-pay-21-million-for-patent-infringment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/nintendo-ordered-to-pay-21-million-for-patent-infringment/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/nintendo-ordered-to-pay-21-million-for-patent-infringment/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Nintendo has been ordered to pay $21 million to Anascape Ltd. for infringing on a patent with its Gamecube and Wii Classic controllers. The AP reports Anascape Ltd., a "small East Texas gaming company," also sued Microsoft, but that was settled out of court. Nintendo says it will appeal the decision.

A representative for Nintendo stated that no infringement was found in any of the Wii's motion-sensing technology and it expects that on appeal the award to Anascape will be reduced "significantly." Remember kids, if you want to stick it to some big corporation in the future and cash in, just make patents for everything imaginable.
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]]>anascapeinfringementnintendopatent2008-05-15T11:35:00+00:00Sega announces Platinum Games partnership, first three gameshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/sega-announces-platinum-games-partnership-first-three-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/sega-announces-platinum-games-partnership-first-three-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/sega-announces-platinum-games-partnership-first-three-games/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


At a private event last night, a very excited (and cautious) Sega told us about their new partnership with Platinum Games, the creative team comprised of former members of Capcom's Clover studio. Sega of America pres Simon Jeffrey introduced them like this: "These guys are some of the most talented, some of the most respected guys in the entire gaming business. Their portfolio is incredible, they're revered, they're almost worshiped in some parts of the gaming community and we're very truly honored to be working with them."

The first three games should come as little surprise to anyone reading Joystiq the last couple days: Bayonetta, by Hideki Kamiya, creator of Devil May Cry, Okami, and Viewtiful Joe; Infinite Line, by Hifumi Kouno at Nudemaker, creator of Steel Battalion and, before that, the Clock Tower series; and MadWorld, a mad-cap feast of ultraviolence for -- you guessed it! -- the Wii by first time director Shigenori Nishikawa.
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Continue reading Sega announces Platinum Games partnership, first three games

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]]>BayonettaBreakingNewsInfinite-LineMadWorldPlatinum-GamesSega2008-05-15T11:09:00+00:00Wii Fanboy Weekly: May 8 - May 14http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-8-may-14/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-8-may-14/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/wii-fanboy-weekly-may-8-may-14/#commentsFiled under:


With WiiWare launching this week, we've been pretty darn busy. And, we're not just reviewing WiiWare games, either. Nope, we're also giving away a copy of LostWinds to one lucky reader. Interested in getting a free WiiWare title? Hit up the original contest post for all the details on how to enter.

Features:
 Video:
 Other Items of Interest:
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]]>weekly-recap2008-05-15T02:00:00+00:00'Family Trainer' is more Power Pad than Balance Boardhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/family-trainer-is-more-power-pad-than-balance-board/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/family-trainer-is-more-power-pad-than-balance-board/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/family-trainer-is-more-power-pad-than-balance-board/#commentsFiled under: ,

family trainer
Little known fact: Bandai's NES "Power Pad" was known as "Family Trainer" in Japan. And so old is new again, as Atari has announced the European release of Namco Bandai's thoughtfully named Family Trainer for September (it's called Active Life in the US and hasn't been dated). These days, names like Family Trainer and Active Life certainly conjure a connection to Wii Fit, a "knockoff" if you will, though the new Family Trainer is more a resurrection of that mat from the 80s than another way to get weighed on your Wii.

This "new" Power Pad is bundled with zany feats, forgoing the track and field games that were packaged with the original peripheral for things like log jumping and mine karting in jungles and haunted mansions. Missing the mark? We think so. Price this pad at half the cost of Wii Fit, toss in a Pilates program, and Family Trainer will go platinum, like day one.

[Via Engadget]
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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>active-lifeatarifamily-trainernamco-bandaipower-pad2008-05-14T22:15:00+00:00EA details MySims Kingdom for Wii, DShttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/ea-details-mysims-kingdom-for-wii-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/ea-details-mysims-kingdom-for-wii-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/ea-details-mysims-kingdom-for-wii-ds/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While we'll admit that The Sims was never more than a stone's throw away from being an all-out casual series anyway, EA will continue to dress the franchise in casual attire in MySims Kingdom, the sequel to last year's 3 million unit selling MySims. Shipping this fall worldwide for the Wii and DS, the game was first announced earlier this year as one of a handful of new dumbed down casual-themed takes on The Sims. However, EA today released the first details about the game, calling MySims Kingdom "a story of adventure, discovery and exploration to help King Roland and his subjects revitalize the Kingdom."

The gameplay, which once again sounds more than a little like Animal Crossing, will center on exploring and developing a kingdom through The Sims-style customization, with the DS version adding emphasis on mini-games as players try to turn aside a rival evil king. Adds The Sims studio head Rod Humble, MySims Kingdom will include "rewarding quests, building houses, bridges or even making contraptions powered by electricity or water." The game eschews much of the larger franchise's sandbox appeal for backstory, leaving us waiting for until next year's The Sims 3 before we can know the joy of deleting the ladder from the neighborhood pool.
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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>eaelectronic-artselectronicartsmysimsmysims-kingdommysimskingdomsimsthesims2008-05-14T09:45:00+00:00Nintendo sells 6 million Wii units in Japanhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/nintendo-sells-6-million-wii-units-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/nintendo-sells-6-million-wii-units-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/nintendo-sells-6-million-wii-units-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're getting pretty sick of the money-printing jokes so we're just going to avoid it. Famitsu owner (and trusted sales data tracker) Enterbrain reports (via IGN) that Nintendo has sold six million Wii units in Japan, bringing the worldwide total to 25 million. Other fun statistics (assume exactly 6 million as of the start of May 13):
  • With a population of 127.4 million, that's approximately 4.71 percent of all the people in Japan.
  • The Wii launched midnight on December 2, 2006, exactly 527 days ago. That amounts to 11,385 per day, 474 per hour, and 7.9 per minute (in Japan).
  • Nintendo passed the 5 million mark as of January 20, or 113 days ago. So specifically, the 5 million went at an average of 503 per hour, with the latest million going at about 369 per hour (again, in Japan). That doesn't mean the Wii is slowing down, given the higher rate includes a launch and two holiday seasons.
In terms of software, Mario Kart Wii has become the sixth game to pass the one million mark, while Wii Fit has passed the two million mark as of May 13. Only two other games have gone double platinum: Wii Sports (not bundled with console in Japan) and Wii Play.
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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>businesshardwarenintendosaleswii2008-05-13T22:30:00+00:00Wii Fanboy reviews the WiiWare launch lineuphttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/wii-fanboy-reviews-the-wiiware-launch-lineup/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/wii-fanboy-reviews-the-wiiware-launch-lineup/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/wii-fanboy-reviews-the-wiiware-launch-lineup/#commentsFiled under:

Sure, Microsoft may be living it up with the Xbox 360 Spring Showcase, but let's not forget about Nintendo's WiiWare launch this past Monday. Our friends at Nintendo Wii Fanboy have been churning out reviews and impressions to give you an idea of what to expect.
Lost Winds (review)
"Without a doubt, LostWinds is like finding a diamond-encrusted Hummer in your box of corn flakes." (Gallery)
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (impressions)
"Several hours later, since I was still playing ... Without my even realizing it, My Life as a King had gone from boring to fun." (Gallery)

Continue reading Wii Fanboy reviews the WiiWare launch lineup

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>crystal-chroniclesdefend-your-castlefinal-fantasyhands-onimpressionslost-windsmy-life-as-kingpopreviewstv-show-kingwiiware2008-05-13T22:00:00+00:00