Metroid: Other M – Live Stream

Aug. 31st 2010

Starting at 11:00 EDT and going to around Midnight

EDIT: Previously recorded live. Below is a recording of my first 1.5 hours of Metroid: Other M. Note: Some of the pause in game play was so that I could chat… sorry.

Dive: The Medes Islands Secret (WiiWare) – Review

Aug. 30th 2010

A WiiNintendo game review by hattrick.

Game – Dive: The Medes Islands Secret
Version – WiiWare (only version available) for 1000 Points
Time Spent Playing – 3+ hours
Completion – First 2 areas completed
Obtained – Review Copy from Cosmonaut Games

Introduction and Story
Dive: The Medes Islands Secret takes place in a side-scrolling underwater world. You will play John Saunders, an experienced diver and treasure hunter. He is in search of the secrets hidden under the deep surrounding the Medes Islands. Your goal is to find all the secrets without running out of oxygen or dying from the harmful animals and plants. When you find the secret in one area, you will move onto the next location. Does this WiiWare title end up being a treasure or does it sink to the bottom?

Gameplay and Controls
Instead of a full-3D space, similar to Endless Ocean, Dive takes a 2D approach. Also simplified are the controls. You will move Saunders around the screen by simply pointing and holding the B button. To get a burst of speed, tap the B button again. You will also have a few tools to your disposal. The A button controls your speargun. Initially, you can hold up to five darts. To shoot the speargun, simply point and hold A until a shot fires. Use the darts to kill or stun harmful fish or plants. Left on the control pad turns your torch (flashlight) on and off. The battery does die over time, but it will re-charge by turning it off for a bit. The torch will also help, as it doubles as a treasure detector. To access your map, just press right on the control pad. To collect treasure, simply swim over them. Your torch, speargun, air tanks, wetsuit, and fins are all available for upgrades in the shop. Simply use your money you find treasure hunting to buy new equipment. You will need to do this in order to find all the collectibles.

Keeping the gameplay and controls as simple as possible makes Dive easily accessible. However, that does not mean it is only for the casual audience. If you are a collector, and desire to find all the hidden treasures in a game, Dive is definitely up your alley. A bit of action, shooting sharks and other dangerous creatures, also adds to the gameplay. It is not always safe, so do not expect extremely calm diving. There are three different levels (easy, normal, hard), so if one level is too easy for you, move up to the next difficulty. As I did play through easy on this review, just to get a good feel of the game, I will admit it was a bit too easy at times.

Atmosphere (Visuals and Sound)
Dive is easily one of the best looking games on the WiiWare service. It is tough to cram high quality graphics into the size restrictions for WiiWare, but Cosmonaut Games seems to know how to do it. While it obviously does not look like an HD dive, you do get the sense that you are underwater. The colors are vibrant, and it is definitely a game you will not get tired of watching.

The music is calming and inviting. In fact, I just kept the game running in the background as I wrote this review to enjoy the tunes. Orchestral sounds composed by El Topo Negro will play as you navigate the menus and dive underwater. When you start to run out of oxygen, a simple heartbeat sound will let you know. Similarly, when you begin to reach your maximum depth, an alarm will sound, warning you to not go deeper.

Concluding Overall Impressions
While this game might not be for everyone, I can definitely say that most people will enjoy it. The great music and detailed graphics invite you in, and the treasure-searching style will keep you coming back for more. Top that off with achievements, and you have a great title. The only thing that would probably make it better is cooperative play and some online components.

Final Score:
BUY IT – While it may not compare to actual deep sea treasure hunting, it may be the next best thing. Not to mention, it is much cheaper. For 1000 points, you will definitely enjoy several hours searching around the Medes Islands for the secrets of the deep.

WiiNintendo Made It Onto “Icons of the Web”

Aug. 29th 2010

Many of you have probably ran across this image already. It is a compilation of favicons of the world’s 288,945 most visited sites, according to Alexa data . What you probably did not see was that WiiNintendo made the cut! Check out the enlarged image below to see just where you can find us.

Thank you so much for helping us get there. If it was not for you, our readers, we would have never achieved something like this! So, next time they do something like this, let’s try to be as big as Google! Ha!

If you would like to search for yourself, or find out if another website was included, head over to Icons of the Web.

Some notes from hey_suburbia (copied from comment section):

Thanks so much to all the readers, commenters, forum members, and to past and current contributors! It’s been fun running the site for over 4 years and it’s great that we’re still relevant on the web!

Our ranking on the internet by visitor fluctuates from 40,000 – 80,000. That’s pretty rad.

Also, I’ll take this time to post some stats about WiiNintendo and it’s traffic.

Visitors this last month: http://i.imgur.com/UCsX7.png http://i.imgur.com/VQtcA.png
Visitors over the last two years (Doesn’t take into account the millions of visitors who came to this site during early 2007 from my Wii Sports Experiment): http://i.imgur.com/oz3GU.png
Posts, Comments (Not Forums): http://i.imgur.com/z9erB.png
WiiNintendo in the Media (Pre-Google Analytics): http://www.wiinintendo.net/2007/01/30/wii-sports-experiment-from-digg-to-book-deal/

Related Blogs

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3DS FAQ – Everything We Know About The 3DS So Far (Updated)

Aug. 28th 2010

NeoGaf member, BDGame, compiled an amazing list of all things 3DS. Pikimal, also added the list, so this is a combo of both those lists plus WiiNintendo’s own hands-on video/impressions info from E3.

WiiNintendo’s Exclusive Hands on with the 3DS (first video to hit the internet):

Click here to view the embedded video.

WiiNintendo Links:
– Full Coverage of all 3DS News
– Resident Evil: Revelations, 7 screens
– 3DS F.A.Q.
– 3DS dev costs could match Wii
– Hands-On First Impressions
– Nintendo 3DS Tidbits: Colors, Cartridges, Charging Cradle, and more
– Sega: 3DS can attract mature audience to handheld gaming
– Mario Kart 3DS – What We Know So Far
– 3D Video Chat Is a Possibility on the 3DS

– (E3 2010) Nintendo 3DS – Games Promo from Nintendo Booth
– How the 3DS Works [Video]

Are the graphics the same as the original DS?
No. The graphical quality will be improved over the original DS. Think of the difference between the N64 and the GameCube.

Is “3DS” the final name?
Nintendo hasn’t confirmed this, but it most likely is. Satoru Iwata, President of Nintendo, said he would announce the final name at E3 and it was announced there as “3DS”.

Is the current design final?
Essentially, yes. During E3, Nintendo said the design was not finalized, but in a recent interview, designer Hideki Konno said that this is the final design.

Read the recent interview here.

How big is the device?
Virtually the same size as the DS Lite:

Width: 5.3 inches wide
Height: 2.9 inches long
Depth: 0.8 inches tall

Will it have backwards comparability?
It will feature DS and DSi backwards compatibility, but because there is no GBA slot, there will be no GBA support. There are currently no official details about any GBA “Virtual Console” service for the 3DS.

Does it use the same game cards as the DS?
Yes and no. While DS game cards will fit into the 3DS game card slot, 3DS game cards are designed in a way to only fit into a 3DS console. 3DS cards can also reach up to 2 Gigabytes (16 Gigabits) of stored data, whereas the maximum DS card can only hit up to 0.5 Gigabytes (4 Gigabits).

How big are the 3DS screens?
Top Screen: 3.53-inch 16:9 wide-screen (same size as the iPhone)
Bottom Screen: 3.02-inch touchscreen (same size as the original DS)

What’s the resolution of each screen?
Top Screen: 800×240 pixels. Because of 3D effects, the naked eye will see 400×240. For comparison, the original iPhone was 480×320, and the iPhone 4 is 960×640.
Bottom Screen: 320 x 240. For comparison, the DS is 256×192.

What gaming features does it have?
– A wide top screen with ability to view 3D images cinema style, without the need of glasses
– 3D Depth Slider to adjust level of 3D effect, which can be scaled back or turned off completely in real-time
– A bottom screen with touch functionality and higher resolution than the DS
– An analog pad, called the “slider,” which is said to be smoother than the PSP nub, and has the same diameter as the Wii’s Nunchuk analog stick
– A d-pad, which is roughly the same size as the DS Lite d-pad
– Four face buttons and two side buttons, similar to the DS. A, B, X, Y, L and R
– SELECT, START buttons and a Home button, used for returning to the home firmware, located under the bottom screen
– Gyroscope and accelerometer to capture 3DS motion or tilting, like the Wii Remote with Motion+ or iPhone 4
– A single internal camera for functions such as filming the player during the game
– Two external cameras, with resolution of 640 x 480 (0.3 MP) each, capable of taking 3D pictures, or enabling augmented reality software
– Advanced audio processor superior to DSi, able to simulate audio in 5.1.x with headphones
– Wireless Communication (2.4 GHz band) for local LAN and Wireless Internet. Will support IEEE 802.11
– Microphone
– AC adapter connector
– Parental controls similar to the Nintendo DSi system
– “Tag Mode.” When not in use, it can automatically exchange data with other Nintendo 3DS systems or receive data via the Internet while in sleep mode
– The amount of internal storage memory has not yet been confirmed

Besides games, what other cool stuff can it do?
· Takes 3D pictures
· Watch 3D movies
· While no business model for movie distribution has been given, it is likely there will be Netflix and YouTube support

Has Nintendo updated their crappy online service?
Supposedly, Nintendo is making an effort to improve online features compared to the Wii and DS. While specifics have not been confirmed, Nintendo has announced that the 3DS will support leader-boards and ghost data in many games. Other information is not officially revealed yet. However, an interview posted by Nintendo with an EA developer suggests an achievement system, but it is unclear if he was referring to the OS having an achievement system or his game having one.

Will homebrew flash cards, like the M3 and R4, work on the 3DS?
No. Nintendo has emphasized strong new anti-piracy technologies and THQ representatives have been quoted as saying the device is “hacker-proof”.

What are the specific tech specs?
· Weight: 230g
· Dimensions: 130x74x20 mm
· 3.53 inch 16:9 wide-screen on top
· 3.02 inch 4:3 touchscreen on bottom
· Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, which Nintendo is aiming for 9-14 hours of use
· Brightness levels: details TBA — The DSi has 5 levels and DS Lite 4
· Stylus: Telescoping stylus which is 100mm when fully extended. This is larger than the DSi’s 92mm and a DS Lite’s 87mm.
· Controls: a, b, x, y, R, L, d-pad, analog stick, touch screen, the accelerometer, gyro, start, select, home, power, camera, volume control and 3D level
· Cartridges: Up to 2 Gigabytes at the beginning
· Storage: Internal memory value is still unknown
· RAM: TBA. The DSi had 16 megs of RAM, the Lite had 4 megs.
· CPU: No one knows yet. The DSi uses a 133 MHz ARM9 and an ARM7 RISC at 33 MHz.
· GPU: DMP Pica200 IP core
· Camera: 1 internal with resolution of 640 x 480 (0.3 Mega) and 2 external with 640 x 480 (0.3 Mega) for taking 3D pictures.

Is the touchscreen multi-touch, like the iPhone?
While it hasn’t been confirmed one way or another, the games demoed at E3 were only single-touch. Because of the use of a single stylus, it is likely it will stay this way.

Will it be region free?
While it hasn’t been confirmed, it is likely it will not be region free, based on the DSi.

True 3D without glasses… How does that work?
All 3D screens operate on the same principle: two images of the same scene at different angles are superimposed on top of one another, with half the images going to your left eye and half the images going to your right eye. By having a difference in the angle of the images, the brain is tricked into thinking that what it is seeing is 3D. The picture below shows how it’s done:

Early 3D was called “Anaglyph 3D,” and used red and blue glasses. However, the resulting images were tinted. Recent 3D movies (including Avatar) and 3DTVs from Sony use polarized 3D glasses. The 3DS uses the barrier polarizing manner (parallax barrier) that does not need glasses. It works as follows:

1. The 3D generates two slightly different images, each 400×240.
2. The two images are interpolated into a single image of 800×240 resolution
3. The barrier in the screen receives the interpolated image and separates the images to travel to each eye.

Here is this picture, made by Jarosh from NeoGAF, explaining it better:

Does processing 3D images take twice the hardware power?
No. In 3D gaming, there are things that are not processed twice and things that are. The machine doesn’t need to render the geometry twice, process the physics engine twice or run the movement image twice. These things are only processed once. After the scene is ready, two pictures are taken and the processor takes the generated image and a 3D map, which completes the 3D picture.

What is “Pica200?
Pica200 is the GPU (graphics processing unit) for the 3DS.

How many polygons can be displayed at once?
It can display up to 40 million, more or less, but the exact specifications are unclear. This number can be either the total number of pure polygons, with no shader effects, or the total with shaders applied. Because we don’t know the exact specs of the Pica200 used in the 3DS, we can’t know for sure, but what we know right now is that the Pica200 can hit 40 million polygons.

How powerful is the 3DS compared to the PSP, PS2 and Xbox?
The 3DS is more powerful than the PSP, but the other comparisons are unknown because we do not have the complete specifications for the 3DS. Moreover, it takes time to master the hardware and find the perfect balance between resources and the ability to run smoothly. But when it comes to raw numbers, we have the following:

Resolution:
– PSP – 480 x 272 pixels
– 3DS – 800×240 pixels (400×240 with 3D connected)
– PS2 – 640×480 interlaced for most games, progressive scan in a few. Some games (GoW2, GT4) have limited high resolution capabilities
– NGC – 640×480 interlaced for most games, progressive scan in some
– XBOX – 640×480 progressive scan for most games, some games render in HD

Max Fillrate (Pixel per second-capacity hardware to show pixels on screen):
– PSP – 660 million textured pixels/sec
– 3DS – Between 800 million and 1 billion
– PS2 – 1.2 billion textured pixels/sec
– NGC – 648 million textured pixels/sec
– XBOX – 932 million with multitexturing (2 layers)

Instructions per second (important for things like A.I., physical, shaders, etc):
– PSP – 400 million
– 3DS – TBA
– PS2 – 360 million
– NGC – 925 million
– XBOX – 1.9 billion

CPU-central processor unit:
– PSP – 333 MHz-MIPS R4000
– 3DS – TBA
– PS2 – 294 MHz-Sony emotion Engine
– NGC – 485 MHz-IBM “Gekko”
– XBOX – 733 MHz-customized by Intel

GPU-graphics processing unit:
– PSP – 166 MHz-PSP owner
– 3DS – 200-400 MHz-Pica200 DPM
– PS2 – 147 hmz Intel CPUs-Sony Graphics Synthesizer
– NGC – 162 MHZ Flipper
– XBOX – 233 HMZ INTEL CPUS-customized by Nvidia

Polygons:

- PSP – 33 million pure-6 to 12 in game
– 3DS – ~40 million, but actual power unknown
– PS2 – 70 million pure-12 to 20 in game
– NGC – 60 million pure-12-30 at stake
– XBOX – 125 million pure-15 to 40 in game

RAM:

- PSP – 32 megs for games
– 3DS – Unknown
– PS2 – 32 megs
– NGC – 40 megs (being 24 1T-SRAM, faster than the normal memory)
– XBOX – 64 megs (free use)

Anti-aliasing and graphic filters:
– PSP – 2 x AA + 1 layers of texture + textures + Hardware compression clipping
– 3DS – 4 x AA + ? layers of texture + textures + Hardware compression clipping
– PS2 – 2 x AA + 4 texture layers
– NGC – 2 x AA + ETA 1 layers of texture compression TEVs + textures + Hardware clipping
– XBOX – 2 x AA + 4 layers of texture high resolution texture compression + Hardware clipping

Shaders:
– PSP – Smoke, morphing, light and shadow primitive, subdivision of polygons (never used in games)
– PS2 – All PSP + plenty more advanced light and does subdivision polygons
– NGC – All from PS2 + refraction + cel shaded native + programmable shaders that can be added or updated
– XBOX – All NGC + bump mapping + normal mapping + light correction per frame-fixed, non-programmable shaders
– 3DS – All Xbox + 4 x AA + self shadow + subdivision polygons + programmable shaders equal to NGC

Can I see some comparison screenshots?
Metal Gear Solid 3: PS2 – PSP – 3DS

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: PSP – 3DS – Xbox

Resident Evil 4: GCN vs. Resident Evil: 3DS

Street Fighter IV: iPhone – 3DS – Xbox 360

For more images and a full-on briefing of what the Pico200 can do, check out the original post over at NeoGAF.

Which games were playable at E3?
· Nintendogs + Cats
· Animal Crossing
· Steel Diver
· 3D Star Fox 64
· Pilotwings Resort
· 3D-Samurai Warriors
· Ridge Racer
· Chocobo Racing 3D
· Battle of Giants: Dinosaur Strike
· 3D-DJ Hero
· CrossPass – Shooting in augmented reality

What do game developers think about the device?
Atsushi Inaba (Bayonetta, MadWorld):

“I’m being struck with the intense desire to make something on it. It’s the same sort of excitement I had when I first saw the Wii and DS in Nintendo’s office, but now it’s at a whole new level. This may the first time in the industry where the terms ‘next generation’ and ‘personal dream’ were so appropriate. I’d gladly throw away everything else for a shot at touching the 3DS.”

Keiji Inafune (Mega-Man, Dead Rising):

“Video games need three things to be successful: a concept, a technology platform, and good marketing. The Nintendo 3DS is a perfect example of those three things bundled into one.”

Hideki Kamiya (Okami, Bayonetta):

“3D on a large screen has an impact on you and gets you that much closer to the game or movie you’re watching, but 3D on the 3DS’s smaller screen is interesting in its own right. Instead of feeling like you’re ‘really there,’ you feel like it’s ‘really in the palm of your hand,’ so to speak. Having these dynamic home 3D titles is great and all, but personally, I want to take a different approach and make games that take advantage of what a 3D portable has to offer.”

Hiroyuki Kobayashi (Resident Evil 5, Devil May Cry):

“Our own Resident Evil was shown on the show floor and was well received, but when I saw Metal Gear, I felt the new potential of the 3DS. I’d like to make something.”

Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear, Metal Gear Solid):

“I wear glasses, so I’m happy that 3D glasses are not needed. I directed the E3 demo. It was based off Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater, but the backgrounds and character modeling were all redone in high polygon. It’s not finalized, but we’re thinking about CO-OPs and other things — elements fitting of a 3D and portable game machine.”

Toshihiro Nagoshi (Super Monkey Ball, Yakuza):

“Nintendo has been re-examining the concept of game consoles as ‘toys’ ever since the Wii, and I think the 3DS is the final result of those efforts. If you believe that gamers will demand more social features and impressiveness in their portable single-player or multiplayer experiences, then Nintendo certainly has that covered with the 3DS’s Wi-Fi and 3D features. There’s a lot of ideas I’d like to work with.”

Yoshinori Ono (Street Fighter IV, Super Street Fighter IV):

“We’d like to put in some ideas that make effective use of the portability.”

Goichi Suda (No More Heroes, Killer 7):

“It really makes me feel the speed at which the history of video games is unfolding — like, ‘We’ve really made it this far, huh?’ You have a living, breathing world you can touch right in your hands. I think we’ve finally gone from an era of constructing virtual worlds from pixels to one where the world is truly, honestly there. If I had to sum up the sort of game I’d like to make, I would simply call it ‘the next game,’ because the 3DS marks the arrival of the ‘next platform.’”

Shu Takami (Phoenix Wright, Ghost Trick):

“As a creator, I feel that a new challenge has started…I’d like to show a mystery in a 3D space.”

What games have already been announced?
Nintendo
– Animal Crossing
– Kid Icarus: Uprising
– Mario Kart
– Nintendogs + Cats
– Paper Mario
– Pilotwings Resort
– Star Fox 64 3D
– Steel Diver
– The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Release not confirmed.

Activision
– DJ Hero 3D

AQ Interactive
– Cubic Ninja

Atlus
– Etrian Odyssey
– Shin Megami Tensei:
– Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
– Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

Bplus
– Vektor Tank 3D

Capcom
– Resident Evil: Revelations
– Super Street Fighter IV 3D

EA
– FIFA Soccer
– Madden NFL
– The Sims 3

Gameloft
– Asphalt GT

Harmonix
– (Untitled Music Game)

Hudson
– Bomberman
– Deca Sports
– Kororinpa

Konami
– (Untitled Baseball Game)
– Contra
– Frogger
– Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D “The Naked Sample”
– Pro Evo

Level 5
– Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle

Majesco
– BloodRayne: the Shroud
– A Boy and His Blob
– Face Racers: Photo Finish
– Lion’s Pride: Adventures on the Serengeti
– Martha Stewart
– WonderWorld Amusement Park

Marvelous
– BOKUJYOUMONOGATARI 3D

Namco Bandai
– Dragon Ball
– Gundam
– Pac-Man & Galaga
– Ridge Racer
– Super Robot Wars

Rocket
– Crash City GP
– Super Robo

SEGA
– Sonic the Hedgehog
– Super Monkey Ball

Square Enix
– Codename: Chocobo Rcing 3D
– Dragon Quest
– Final Fantasy
– Kingdom Hearts

Take-Two
– Carnival Games

Tecmo Koei
– Dead or Alive 3D
– Dynasty Warriors
– Ninja Gaiden
– Samurai Warriors 3D

Tomy
– Lovely Lisa 3D
– Naruto Shippuden Action

THQ
– de Blob 2
– Kung Fu Panda: Kaboom of Doom
– Marvel Super Hero Squad Infinity Gauntlet
– The Penguins of Madagascar
– Puss N Boots
– Saints Row: Drive By

Ubisoft
– Assassin’s Creed: Lost Legacy
– Battle of Giants: Dinosaur Strike
– Driver Renegade
– Hollywood 61
– Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon
– Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
– Rayman Origins (not confirmed yet)

Warner Bros.
– Batman
– LEGO

When will the next batch of info be revealed?
On September 29^th, price and launch date will be confirmed by Nintendo.

How much is this thing going to cost me?
While it hasn’t been confirmed, the speculated pricing is between 190.00 USD and 300.00 USD.

So, when does this thing come out?
All territories are supposed to launch before the end of March 2011, although no date has been given. In the USA, the President of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aime, said on an interview on the “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” show that the 3DS will launch in 2011.

[Source]

WiiNintendo T-Shirts – We Need You!

Aug. 28th 2010

Hey everyone. After a recent comment in a forum thread, I got to thinking. Actually, I have thought about this several times in the past, but I never really moved forward with it. How cool would it be to have WiiNintendo t-shirts? Then, when we go to events like PAX or E3, we could represent and advertise!

We think it would be great if we our own readers/members made up some designs! Feel free to use the existing WiiNintendo logo/design as much as possible, so that things can look similar, but also be creative. We cannot wait to see what you all come up with.

The designs will be placed in a forum thread, and we will vote on a winner. The winner will receive a free game, and their winning design will go up for sale on a tshirt on our Zazzle store. We may even choose more than one!

So, let your creative juices flow! The deadline for designs is midnight (Eastern time) on September 6, 2010. As for where to post those designs, head to our forum thread.

Pong Toss Pro (WiiWare) – Live Video Review

Aug. 25th 2010

A WiiNintendo game review by hattrick.

Game: Pong Toss Pro
Version: WiiWare
Time Played: Approx. 2 Hours
Obtained: Reverb Communications (Review Copy)

This time around, I decided to try something new. Instead of writing out my thoughts, I spoke my mind as I played the game. While this might be longer than reading a review, hopefully it gives you a better idea of what I am talking about. Not only do you hear my thoughts, you can actually see what I am reviewing. Also, this is done live, so there was no editing or script. I will also include a quick written review at the end of this post.

UPDATE: For some reason, YouTube did not process my original video review. Due to attempting the live webcam record feature, I did not have a backup. So, instead of re-recording everything, I have posted the only other video I have, which is my live gameplay video via UStream. It is quite long, but hopefully it gives you a descent idea of the gameplay and my thoughts.

Introduction
The basic idea of Pong Toss Pro is to throw a pingpong ball into a set of cups at the end of a table. If you do it faster than your opponent, you win. Each cup is worth points, and your multiplier goes up each consecutive shot that goes in. If you miss, the multiplier goes down. There are two modes included: Pong Toss and Speed Pong. Pong Toss has you taking turns, while Speed Pong allows you to throw at the same time.

Visuals, Audio, & Controls
There is not much to this WiiWare title. The visuals are lackluster. The music has only three choices that all sound the same. The controls are simple but spotty. It is very little fun playing alone, so it demands multiplayer. However, they decided to leave online out of it.

Pong Toss vs. Speed Pong
The best mode is Speed Pong. It is fast paced, and it allows you to mess with your opponent (a la Tetris Party or Mario Kart). If you get a cup with an item, it either helps you or hinders your opponent. With this mode being quicker, more people can play and enjoy the game. Pong Toss, instead, is slower paced, and there is no way to interact with your opponent.

Final Score: IGNORE IT
While this is a popular game for many in real life, JV Games was not able to capture that same spirit and fun in their WiiWare title. The visuals, sound, and controls are not all that impressive. Unless you are a hardcore fan of this game, my recommendation is to pass on Pong Toss Pro.

I am Going to the Wii Games 2010 Championship!

Aug. 20th 2010

wii games summer 2010 I am Going to the Wii Games 2010 Championship!

On August 7, 2010, my wife and I competed at our local Six Flags for the Wii Games Summer 2010 competition. Of course, as you all know, I am obviously a big Nintendo fan. I could not pass up an opportunity to compete. Before we signed up, we told ourselves that we were going to win. We had no idea we actually would do just that!

We competed in five grueling games of Wii Sports Resort Basketball (3-pt shoot), Mario Kart Wii, Wii Sports Resort Bowling, Wii Fit Plus Hulu Hoop, and a co-op New Super Mario Bros coin challenge. I say grueling, not because the games were tough, but because I am very competitive. In the end, we felt like we did our best, and we had fun. Then, after a look at the scoreboards, we were in the number one spot for the adult category!

So, in September, my wife and I are heading to Los Angeles (second time this year, with E3 being the first) for the national championships. We are not sure what to expect just yet. We are just excited to have the opportunity! So, cheer us on, and be sure to follow me on twitter (@hattrick_wii) for loads of photos, videos, and updates during our time in LA for the championships.

Below are some [crappy] photos of the Six Flags competition that I took with my cell phone.

Related Blogs

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(DS) Intellivision Lives! – New Screens (Updated Weekly)

Aug. 15th 2010

For the first time Intellivision Lives! on the Nintendo DS gives fans the chance to experience over 60 classic Intellivision games anywhere, anytime! What makes this Intellivision Lives! different from other compilations is that we outfitted the touch screen with original Intellivision keypad overlays. The DS version also includes Single Card play and six unreleased games.

This Week’s New Screens (More Below)
Thunder Castle:

Game Lineup
Space: Astro Smash, Space Armada, Space Battle, Space Hawk, Space Spartans, Star Strike
Arcade: Brickout, Buzz Bombers, Blow Out, Frog Bog, Hard Hat, Hover Force, Night Stalker, Pin Ball, Sharp Shot, Shark! Shark!, Snafu, Space Cadet, Thin Ice, Thunder Castle, Triple Action, Vectron
Battle: Armor Battle, B-17 Bomber, Bomb Squad, Crown of Kings, Minotaur, Sea battle, Sub Hunt, Tower of Doom
Sports: Auto Racing, Boxing, Bowling, Chip Shot Golf, Classic Baseball, Classic Basketball, Classic Football, Classic Hockey, Decathlon, Deep Pockets, Moto Cross, Mountain Madness, Skiing, Slam Dunk Basketball, Slap Shot Hockey, Spiker! Volleyball, Super Pro Football, Stadium Mud Buggies, World Champ Baseball, Wrestling
Gaming: Checkers, Learning Fun 1, Learning Fun 2, Poker & Blackjack, Reversi, Roulette, Royal Dealer, Takeover, Utopia

Tetris Party Deluxe (DS) – Review

Aug. 10th 2010

A WiiNintendo game review by hattrick.

Game – Tetris Party Deluxe
Version – Nintendo DS
Time Spent Playing – Approx. 15+ hours
Completion Status – N/A
Obtained – Tetris Online (review copy)

Introduction
As a follow-up to the popular Tetris Party game for WiiWare, Hudson and Tetris Online have teamed up once again. This time, they have brought the classic Russian puzzle game to the Nintendo DS. While the DS already had one Tetris title, it has since been discontinued. Does Tetris Party Deluxe have what it takes to fill the large gap left by the quick departure of Tetris DS?

Gameplay & Controls
If you are familiar with Tetris, you should have no problem with this version. The basic game is still here – different shaped blocks fall from the top. Use the A and B buttons to turn them and the control pad to position them before they reach the bottom. Get an entire row filled without gaps, and it will disappear, increasing your overall score. Add some extra features like holding a piece with the L or R button and instantly dropping a piece by pushing up, and you have yourself the newest version of Tetris on the Nintendo DS.

The basic game is called Marathon, and there is honestly nothing wrong with it. Included in this game are several other modes, though. Some are reappearing from the Tetris Party for WiiWare, while others are brand new for Deluxe. For the sake of the review, each mode will briefly be described and evaluated below.

Computer Battle – Take on the computer in a battle to see who will lose first. Your cleared lines add to their screen. This is similar to multiplayer, but you are able to do it even when you do not have a friend around.
Field Climber – Stack blocks to guide your climber to the top goal. Collect flags along the way, and make sure not to squish him. This mode is fun and challenging, especially in the higher levels.
Shadow – One of the modes I did not like was Shadow. You are given a shape, and you must stack your blocks to match that shape. You have a time limit, so you must also go quickly.
Stage Racer – Guide your block through a stage by turning and sliding. This mode is fun, but I did not spend much time with it, as I did not find it as engaging as some of the others.
Spring – Complete 40 lines as fast as you can. That is basically it, and this can be very addicting, as you try to get a faster and faster time.
Master Mode – The blocks drop at ultimate speed, and you must complete as many lines as possible. This is difficult, but if you remember to move each block, you will gain some extra time before it settles in place.
Bombliss – Complete lines using bombs to destroy all the blocks on the screen. This mode is fairly easy (at least the first 10 levels), but it was quite fun for a change of pace.

Also included is Beginner’s Marathon and All Clear Sprint, where the blocks are extremely large. This is essentially for those just starting with Tetris. Other than that, you can also play various multiplayer with up to seven others. Because I only have one copy of the game, I was not able to review the following local wireless play modes: VS Hot Lines, VS Stage Racer, VS Field Climber, VS Shadow, Duel Spaces, and VS Spring. I was, however, able to play VS Battle and Co-op Tetris via DS Download Play. Each were very fun, and I highly recommend them both. Taking Tetris Party Deluxe online is quite easy, and when you do, you will be able to compete in several contests: World Battle, Friend Battle, Duel Spaces World Battle, and Duel Spaces Friend Battle. I did not have a friend with the game, so I was only able to try random matches. It was difficult to find people sometimes, but when I did, the gameplay was very smooth and had no problems. The only complaint I had was the wait-time to find someone. The game also utilizes the DS microphone and speakers for voice chat, but I was unable to use them due to having an empty friend list.

tetrispartydeluxe ds Tetris Party Deluxe (DS) Review

Visuals & Sound
The menu system is very simple and straightforward. You will only use the buttons in Tetris Party Deluxe, so there is no need to take that stylus out of its home. The gameplay screens are also uncomplicated. You can change the background images, which is a nice feature, and most of them look great. For the most part, the score will be displayed on the top screen, and the bottom screen will house your gameplay. While it would have been nice to have the option of switching that, it is not a deal-breaker. The sound is a mixture of synthesized tunes. Included is the classic Tetris theme with a twist, in addition to many other songs. While the classic Nintendo songs and characters do not make their way into Tetris Party Deluxe, as they did in Tetris DS, this was not a problem for the game. In spite of the missing Mario and company, Deluxe still looks and sounds great.

Concluding Overall Impressions
If you are a fan of Tetris, and you are not among the ones who own Tetris DS, then Tetris Party Deluxe is for you. With many great modes, including several new ones, this game will keep you busy for hours. It is great on trips, playing with friends, and going online. Honestly, the only reason you should not own Tetris Party Deluxe is if you do not like Tetris or you already own the original Tetris DS.

Final Score – BUY IT

Raving Rabbids Travel in Time – Your Artwork in the Game Contest

Aug. 10th 2010

Fans can compete to have their artwork added to an important and reoccurring in-game environment. The contest is open only until August 17th to ensure the dev team has enough time to integrate the UGC into the game. Kids are also welcome to participate.

- The winner will be picked by the Artistic Director of the game.
– Winning artwork will be chosen on August, 17th and displayed as a painting in the game!

Submit Your Artwork

Click here to view the embedded video.