Archive for November, 2008

Friday Wrap Up

Competition, sale, limited editions and a milestone in this Thanksgiving weekend’s Nintendo News roundup.

Report: PSP game sales robust, DS sales amazing
This is a comparative study on the DS and PSP. The reports states that although DS games sold more than PSP games, most bestselling DS games are made by Nintendo. The opposite is with the PSP wherein third party developers enjoy success with their games.

Wal-Mart to sell $16 Wii, DS titles
Wal-Mart places several titles on sale this Friday. Games that will be having their price cut are Game Party, Cooking Mama: Cook Off, and Namco Museum Remix.

Nintendo to Ship Limited Edition DS on Friday
As a Thanksgiving gift, Nintendo will be releasing two special edition bundles. Mario Red Bundle would feature a DS with an M in its front. It would come with New Super Mario Bros. Then there’s the Ice Blue bundle that will come with Brain Age. I wish that they released DSi instead.

Wii Sales Hit 7 Million Milestone In Japan
It’s Thanksgiving time for Nintendo Japan. Japanese consumers have already bought 7 million Wiis in Japan alone. I guess the market is not saturated yet.

    Retro GameBoy iPod Case Mod

    While browsing around the net I stumbled upon this classic case mod for the iPod. Some prefer silicon protective case for their iPod while I want this one. Cavco made this GameBoy iPod Case out of, well you guessed it, an old GameBoy.

    Gameboy ipod casing 1

    What’s nice about it is that the buttons of the GameBoy controls the iPod that’s inside it. The B and A buttons are for volume control, Start to play or pause, Left for next song, and Right for last song. Good job cavco!

    Photos after the jump.
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      Let the Carnival Games DS Begin

      First there was Carnival Games for the Wii. It is a collection of games hat is usually found in carnival grounds. Although critics didn’t like the game, it still managed to sell a lot of copies that its makers thought of bringing it to the DS.

      Just like the Wii version, Carnival Games for the DS features games such as Skeeball, Whack-a-Mole, Dunking game, and Pop-a-Shot Basketball. With more than a dozen mini-games, Carnival Games for the DS would keep you occupied for long periods of time.

      Carnival Games doesn’t bring anything new to the table and the graphics is somewhat lacking. Then there’s no multiplayer mode so you’re left being a loner in your virtual carnival. Maybe the next version would feature a challenge mode. But for now it’s just you and your best scores.

      Overall, Carnival Games could give a player a lot of casual gaming fun but after a few hours of playing with it, you’ll be able to unlock everything the game has to offer. It offers a variety of mini-games but it’s replayable appeal is not enough for me to recommend it to my friends.

        Gamers Played Good Music This Year

        Games that tested the gamers’ rhythm were aplenty this year. It was not just between Rock Band and Guitar Hero. There were a lot to choose from. This coming holiday season what better gift to give your musically inclined kids but a music genre game.

        First thing that comes in mind when you hear the words music game would be Guitar Hero. This year Guitar Hero brought the whole band with their Guitar Hero Whole Tour. Then it became portable when it went to the DS with Guitar Hero on Tour.

        Not wanting to be outdone, Rock Band builds on its momentum with a sequel and featured a playlist that every member of the family can enjoy. Rock Band 2 for the Wii would be available this holiday season.

        Nintendo has also joined in the music bandwagon with its own Wii Music. But unlike Rock Band and Guitar Hero that comes with their own peripherals, Wii Music would use the Wii Remote and Nunchuks to play the game.

        Your family can have a musical holiday with these games. Which of the following do you prefer the most?

          A Look at Amazon’s Top Video Games

          Browsing through Amazon.com’s video game section I noticed that Wii games dominate its gaming charts. Wrath of the Lich King fever must already reached its saturation point and only placed 15th in the chart. Here are the top ten games as of today, November 24.

          1. Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel (Wii)
          2. Wii Fit (Wii)
          3. Wii Rock Band Special Edition (Wii)
          4. Wii Music (Wii)
          5. Wii Play with Wii Remote (Wii)
          6. Call of Duty: World at War (Xbox 360)
          7. Active Life Outdoor Challenge (Wii)
          8. Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)
          9. Disney Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force (DS)
          10. We Ski (Wii)

          As you can see, Amazon customers are Wii gamers. Mario Kart Wii is still selling a lot of units. This goes to show that Nintendo’s dominance of the gaming industry is very much strong to this day of the Lich King.

            Nintendo News Wrap Up

            Skateboarding, list and another list in this week’s Nintendo news roundup.

            The Top 10 Things the IGN Nintendo Team is Thankful For
            IGN Nintendo team lists the things they’re thankful for this year. Number one on their list is the coming to the Wii of hardcore games such as House of the Dead: Overkill, Punch-Out!, and Sin and Punishment 2. I’m waiting for those as well. 2009 looks like a good year for Nintendo hardcore gamers.

            Skate It for Nintendo Wii and DS
            Skate It is already out in the market. Although I’m waiting for EA’s Skate 2, Skate It will do for the time being.

            What I Want from Nintendo DSi for North America

            Mobilemag lists their wishes for the Nintendo DSi. Basically they want points sharing of the Wii and DSi, games that integrate the camera feature, online applications, and the release of classics.

              Wii Fit Not Fit for Christmas

              Nintendo is expecting a shortage on Wii Fit this coming holiday season. Demand for the exercise “game” is too high that the company couldn’t cope up with the demand. Nintendo is reported to have increased their manufacturing capabilities but they still project a scarcity on certain projects such as the Wii Fit.

              Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime is quoted of saying that there would not be any shortage on Wii consoles but the Wii Fit demand would more or less not be catered to. Because of this the price for the Wii Fit has dramatically risen from its retail price of $90, some sellers have put the price tag of $140 on it.

              Some people buy the Wii gaming console because of Wii Fit. If they can’t get the Wii Fit then they would look for another present for their loved ones this Christmas. Parents love the Wii Fit because it gives them comfort into seeing their kids spend some time exercising via the game. Let’s say you’re a first time Wii buyer, would you still but the Wii if you can’t buy Wii Fit?

                Complete Ultimate Band Song List

                Ultimate Band, Nintendo’s entry to the music rhythm genre will be released next week, November 25. It’s like Air Guitar Hero with the player using the Wii remote and nunchuk to play the game. What they lack in peripherals, they made up in substance.

                What are important in a music title are the songs and Ultimate Band features songs, new and old. Air guitarists of all age would find a song of their liking. From B52’s to Paramore, Ultimate Band has it. The Wii features 35 songs while the DS version contains 15. Read more »

                  Girl Gamers Should Thank Nintendo

                  Visit random homes today and you’ll find out that more girls are spending their time playing gamers. Girls now want to be guitar heroes and would carry their DS where ever they go. Ask young girls what they want for Christmas and chances are there’s a game related item on their list.

                  During my time, boys play video games while girls play with their Barbie. Times have changed. Now girls would be exercising with Wii Fit. Look at the best selling games today and you’ll see it dominated by casual games. Puzzles games, virtual pets, sing along, and fashion games would be mixing it up with the action and FPS games.

                  On the frontrunner of this development is Nintendo’s Wii. Ever since it’s launched, it has changed the perspective of the majority on gaming. Parents want their kids to play the games instead of limiting their play time. Girls bought Wii Fit to stay fit at the comforts of their own home.
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                    My Mom’s Review on Animal Crossing: City Folk for the Wii

                    I didn’t play Animal Crossing on the GameCube but my mother did. Yes, my mom was addicted to it. She was obsessed with it that she practically hogged the GameCube all the time. Not that I complained, I didn’t play enjoyed GameCube games at all. Animal Crossing built a solid casual gaming base.

                    Nintendo released it for the DS with Animal Crossing: Wild World. The once flat world of Animal Crossing became 3D and you could swap items using the console’s Wi-Fi connectivity. It also features new music and a lot of exploration.

                    When it was announced that Animal Crossing will be going to the Wii, a lot of them were happy including my mom. I gave my mom a copy of the game and she was excited at first. But after a couple of hours playing it, I asked her about it and she said that she stopped playing it. I was surprised. Coming from a fan of the game I thought she’ll be thrilled by it and would not stopped playing it for months to come. Read more »

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