Wii Think

Explanations of Delay

2009-07-23T18:33:00.004-06:00

Hey all you Wii Thinks readers and potential readers, I would like to apologize, again, for not posting for a while. My summer has been VERY busy so far, and I just recently broke my arm, so taking the time to type and think about new posts is out of the question. However, if any of you have any posts you would be willing to send me that I may place on this blog, please send it to the email on the lefthand bar. Thanks for your continued support, understanding and patience,

The Cystic Monk

Top 10 Red Steel 1 & 2 Differences

2009-06-11T21:17:00.007-06:00

You may have heard about the impending Red Steel 2, especially if you have read my blog recently, or any other E3 related Nintendo coverage. If you have heard about this, you probably know that it will be mighty different than the original game in the series. However, you may be wondering what the heck is different, since it carries the Red Steel franchise title and the main character wields both a gun and a katana. I am currently playing my way through Red Steel, so I will give you my Top 10 Red Steel 1 & 2 Differences.

Before I start, I would like to refute something I mentioned in my previous post.

"Although I've never played the original, I've seen it played and it looked pretty crappy."

I take that back. I love it. Now that we have that over with, let's get on with things...

Number 10: The Beginning And 2009

While the original Red Steel was created at the very beginning of the Wii's market and homelife, Red Steel 2 is being created after 3 years of mistakes, glitches, and lessons learned. Hopefully this makes the game all the more amazing - although the rise of the "casual gamer" over those three years may not be a benefit.

Number 9: Enemies
The enemies in the original and the new will be drastically different. While the first contained Japanese gangs shooting and occasionally slicing you, number 2 will still host gangs, but they will be samurai-esque Western gangs. One of them being the dirt bike samurai, the Jackals.

Number 8: Buy Things
No way! You can now buy things. By destroying objects, cracking safes, and presumably completing certain parts of your adventure you can obtain cash to buy upgrades to your weapons.

Number 7: Gameplay
Gameplay will be extremely different between the two games. I cannot say all of the major differences right now, but the way you attack is quite a bit different, and you have other options as the dash attack. The game is still shown in third person, however.

Number 6: Destroy Everything
I don't know how literal the developers meant when they said everything, but if it isn't, it is really close. In the video preview Steel 2 I saw the player blowing signs, rails, and various other pieces of the world. This, of course, will give you cash.

Number 5: The Protagonist
You may have guessed by now that you will not play as Scott in the next installment. This inevitably changes the storyline up quite a bit, and of course gives you a new character to play as. Your character is a gunslinging samurai wearing a trench coat and a mask, who is the last surviving member of a heroic clan sworn to protect the land from evildoers. After a long voyage, you find that the people of your hometown, Caldera, murdered. Revenge time.

Number 4: Weapon Usage
This is sweet. Red Steel is know for its sword and gun mix, but you were never able to co-mingle them. Well, now you can. Pistol or sword: it's your choice. Slice, then dice, then shoot them outta the air. Fun times.

Number 3: Setting
While Steel took place mostly in gang hubs of Japan while looking for Scott's fiancée, Steel 2 is in fictional Nevada, with a mix of Western cowboys and modern industrial. After a long voyage, you return to Caldera, the town you have lived in for many years, to find its people murdered. No dying in-laws, kidnapped fiancées, just good ol' revenge-filled gunslinging.

Number 2: Graphic Style
Scrap the standard graphics which strive to look realistic. Yes, they are amazing, but how about something different? How about some beautiful cell-shaded graphics that look real enough, but also keep you in a different universe. And all the while keeping zero lag. Amazing.

Number 1: WiiMotion Plus
Finally, number one. WiiMotion Plus will put Steel 2 head and shoulders above the rest, with precise movement controls and every motion will be what you make it. Yes, the last Steel was supposed to do that, but this one will do that.

That is the end of my Top 10 Red Steel 1 & 2 Differences, but not the end of Red Steel. Keep checking back to find out if I ever have anything else, and in the meantime check out IGN's E3 hand's on!

E3 Fever

2009-06-03T10:17:00.023-06:00

Hooooboy. This year's game roster for Wii at E3 is nothing to laugh at. In fact, it is something I am crying with utter joy about. Of course, The Conduit was presented at this conference, but also demoed was a walkthrough of Red Steel 2, Metroid: Other M was announced with a trailer, and others titles such as Super Mario Galaxy 2, a new Zelda, New Super Mario Bros Wii, Rabbids Go Home, Final Fantasy: The Crystal Bearers, Wii Fit Plus, and everything else you could possibly want to blow you out of the water. Except for Project H.A.M.M.E.R... I think that one died.

I am about to explode in a flaming ball of happiness. Where to start?!

Let's start with the easiest. The Conduit, of course.

The Conduit

I've referenced this game quite a bit in this blog, so I will keep it short. I haven't heard much on this game at E3 '09 so far, but the IGN and Gamespot crews are sure to play it on the exhibit floor, although they have played it previously already. Just expect something serious. And fun. Go buy it, June 23. Oh, and you may want to invest in the special edition, which would be my forte for sure.

Red Steel 2

OH. MY. GOODNESS. I am almost as excited for this game as for The Conduit. Although I've never played the original, I've seen it played and it looked pretty crappy. However, number 2 hardly deserves "Red Steel" in the title, since it is a 99% different game. The game takes place in a fictional Nevada, with a mix of Western and Samurai culture. For example, the hero is a gunslinging samurai who wears a trench coat and a face mask.

Your hero, the pistol-whipping samurai, is able to use a gun or katana at your command. Although some parts are more practical to use one weapon or another, you have full control as to which weapon you use when and where. And this game is chalk full of content, features, and absolutely beautiful cartoon cell-shaded graphics. Take it for a spin, and check out the E3 Developer Walkthrough with Commentary. It will rock your socks off, guaranteed. I just about peed my pants. Also check out the other videos while you are there.

Metroid: Other M

Let's face it: Beating Metroid Prime: Corruption was a wonderful moment in all of our lives, but it left us empty, because we knew a great trilogy was at its end. But the Metroid series is NOT! Rejoice, for Nintendo has teamed up with Team Ninja to create Project M, from which comes Metroid: Other M.

I have some more homework for you: go check out the E3 trailer, just so you can blow your socks off just a little bit more. First, before I mention anything else about the video, realize that most of the gameplay graphics are probably in a pre-render state, and should look oh so beautiful when finished. These guys made Ninja Gaiden, so its gotta be good.

The video starts out with a cutscene full of stunningly beautiful graphics. A female scientist is talking to possibly a Federation captain, and we see zero-suit Samus for a split second. We also see that in addition to 1st person view, a la Prime, we also get 3rd person view. This game is going to be absolutely stunning.

Oh, and by the way, you totally can clearly see Samus' face through her visor in the trailer. Nice.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Don't put down your reading glasses yet!! We're not even close to done. As we all know, Nintendo only ever has one benchmark Mario game per console. For example, Super Mario 64 and Sunshine. But this time around we have an exception: a number 2. Apparently, there were so many ideas floating around for Galaxy that they could only use so many of them. After its completion, Miyamoto decided that they should really use the remaining ideas, and so we have coming to use Galaxy 2, with 90% new content. Stoked much? Yes. Once again, view the E3 trailer at IGN.

Oh, and check out Yoshi. Gotta love that dino!

Zelda (Wii)

You seriously thought Nintendo would have a mash of games directed only toward the inexperienced gamer? Shame on you. Other than a couple like Wii Sports Resort, it all seems to be core! So I must bring up yet another game that I am DYING for. Another Zelda. Hooobaby. I don't have much on this yet, but it slated for a release date next year, and Link's concept art is based off his Twilight Princess version. However, this time around Nintendo is looking at the series and determining what they can do to sweeten it up a little. It is claimed that it will have a more mature Link and advanced gameplay. Also, make sure you own a spare Wii MotionPlus accessory, this one's gonna need it. And sorry, no footage on this baby.

New Super Mario Bros Wii

You've been wanting that sequel to the DS' New Super Mario Bros, and here it is! ...Except it is on Wii this time around. Expect everything you enjoyed in the DS version, as well as a well-developed four person multiplayer, and the ability to use other characters such and blue and yellow toads, as well as a new set of Mario powerups. Check out the E3 two-part demo here.

Rabbids Go Home

Okay, so I don't know what the heck this next entry into the Rabbid's series of Rayman is, but you can downright expect it to be full of rude and ridiculous bunnies. Perhaps this is the last installment in the series? Once again, go and check out the official E3 trailer.

Final Fantasy: The Crystal Bearers

It's the sequel we have all been waiting for, and it is looking amazing thus far. This game takes place far in the future of the previous game, and the cut-scene and in-game graphics are what we have all come to know, love, and expect from Final Fantasy games. Just watch out - it appears that not all people like Crystal Bearers in this game, and the Yukes died out. As always, check out the sweet E3 trailer, as well as some of the other jaw-dropping footage. This baby is exclusive for Wii, and it looks like it's going to be one radical ride.

Wii Fit Plus

Just when you thought the Wii Fit craze was finally dying down, Nintendo announces a new and improved version. It will replace the current, and will be available both by itself and bundled with the balance board. This version includes new exercises, yoga, and balance games, and allows you to que up exercises so that you don't have to go to the menu between each. Some nice additions, but seriously, just an update?? E3 trailer here.

That's it for my personal highlights of E3 '09 Wii games so far, and I'm pretty sure nothing else is going to come out of it this year. Well...I guess there is the Wii Vitality Meter. Reads your pulse, yeah. Have some fun with that. Other than the Vitality Meter, I am absolutely overjoyed at the lineup for Wii that has come forth from E3 this year. If I don't get all of these games, I'm going to die. Just hope I just don't do that, so you can get more of my posts.

Oh, and by the way, most of the videos mentioned above are availible on the Nintendo Channel for a limited time. If you don't have it, go to the channels section of the Wii Shop Channel.

-Absolutely Cystic

My Top 10 Upcoming Wii Games (Now until Q3)

2009-05-15T09:53:00.013-06:00

A gamer has got to make himself a list of upcoming games that he is highly anticipating, even if it is subconscious. A hardcore gamer has got to write it out and research these games. Believing myself to be that, I give you, in order of release, My Top 10 Upcoming Wii Games (Now until Q3)!

Title: Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Publisher: Atari
Genre: Action

I haven't looked into this title too much, but it looks like it is going to be one heck of a game. I really want to zap me some ghosts!! This game is long overdue, yet I am glad it is made for current-gen consoles in 3D, not a 2D version.

Title: Guitar Hero Smash Hits
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Music Compilation

Exactly what the title says: This game includes all the hits from Guitar Hero I, II, and III, and well as a few from Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, and one from Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. If that wasn't sick enough for you, they have totally updated the note charts and added full band capability. Yes, you can scream shout, and rock out.

Title: The Conduit
Release Date: June 23, 2009
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Shooter

Dude!! I shouldn't even need to tell you about this one! My guess, as well as many other critic's and reviewer's, is that this game is going to top the charts as not only a bestseller, but as the best Wii shooter to date. I have no doubt about that. High Voltage knows what they are doing.

Title: Overlord: Dark Legend
Release Date: June 23, 2009
Publisher: Codemasters
Genre: Adventure

Ever wanted to command crazed goblins, fight Little Red Riding-Hood, or rampage villages? Now is your chance!! I played part of the previous game on Xbox 360, and it is full action, humor, and everything in-between. Slay them gingerbread men!!

Title: Wii Sports Resort
Release Date: June 26, 2009
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Sports

I'm not so as much stoked about the game, but more about the Wii Motion+ attachment which comes in every box, similar to how a remote came with Wii Play. This will "fix" what was originally meant to be, and provide greater control and precision to your Wii Remote. Plus, you get to play fetch with your dog, fence with your friends, water skii, and so much more!!

Title: Band Hero
Release Date: Q3 2009
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Music

What is Band Hero? That is a very good question! No, it isn't some lame rip-off og Guitar Hero, since it is published by Activision. So what is Band Hero? It is Guitar Hero, except "family friendly". Details are sparse, but I'm guessing it will chop down on the language, and maybe less metal. Beyond that, I really don't know. Other than it is rated E10+ instead of T.

Title: DJ Hero
Release Date: Q3 2009
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Music

Holy DJ Batman!! Another Hero game?! What's up with these dudes?? Yeah, Activision is really broadening their scopes, and are coming out with DJ Hero, for all those Hip Hop, R&B, Motown and electronica fans out there. So if you have ever looked at Guitar Hero, liked the concept, but just couldn't stand the music style, this one is probably for you. Scratch me some discs, homie!

Title: Guitar Hero 5
Release Date: Q3 2009
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Music

Of course, no Guitar Hero lineup is complete without the main release. Guitar Hero 5 is on its way, and the true sequel to World Tour. Except added features, such as the abilities to drop in and out of songs, change members in your band, instruments, and even difficulties "on the fly"!! This is probably only the tip of the iceberg.

Title: Guitar Hero: Van Halen
Release Date: Q3 2009
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Music

Hopefully you're not tired of the Hero yet, 'cause I got a final one (I should have called list 'Upcoming Heroes' or something). This is the same kind of game as Aerosmith and Metallica were. Except the classic Van Halen songs, along with a few from Queen and Weezer.

Title: Need For Speed Nitro
Release Date: Q3 2009
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Racing

Finally, something NOT by Activision. I'm really stoked for this one. All I can really say is that it is exclusive for Wii, and looks as though it could be something awesome.

I can honestly not wait for these to all come out, especially The Conduit, Overlord, and pretty much all the Heroes. Keep your eyes peeled, and I would recommend at least renting these, if you don't intend to buy them.

The Absentee of Wii Think

2009-04-14T13:28:00.004-06:00

Sorry to anyone who has been coming to my blog hoping for new posts, only to find that the last post was two months ago. I dropped the ball a bit, partly because of laziness, but mostly because I partnered with another site called WiiTHINK (deju vu?) back in February, and I am mostly in charge of blog/news posting there. The site currently doesn't have many active members, but it is relatively new. I hope to start posting regularly again on this blog soon, even if some of the posts are the same on both sites. Preferably, I would have one topic for this blog and a different one for the other.

In the meantime, I would recommend checking out WiiTHINK, where you can find four more posts from me, and a couple others from my partner. My username there is "The Lamma".

A Bit More About WiiTHINK

WiiTHINK is a social networking site, all about Wii. You can meet people who share your passion for Nintendo, discuss your favorite video games, and learn about upcoming and current updates. Its all about what you think.

Jungle Speed :: Additional Comments for "Updated Guitar Hero Guitar??"

2009-02-13T11:10:00.016-07:00

Jungle Speed (WiiWare) Review

Last night my family was trying to play Wii Sports' version of bowling, but six people just don't work with that, and so we took turns with one Mii per two people. As you might have guessed, that doesn't work out very well. But then I remembered seeing a game advertised somewhere, saying that you could have up to eight players. This game was Jungle Speed, based on a crazy concentration-scratch-your-face-off card game. And to my luck, it was located on WiiWare!! After buying the 1,000 points to buy the game with my dad's credit card, and waiting 15 - 20 minutes for it to download (and of course, cleaning out the fridge, if you know what I mean), the 280+ block game was ready for some multiplayer mayhem. For those who have never played the Jungle Speed card game, it is a game where each player has a stack of cards and a totem pole sits in the middle of the table. Players take turns flipping a card upright, and if your card's symbol matches anyone else's on the table, you want to be the first to grab the totem. There are special cards, but I'll leave it up to the repetitive, but helpful in-game tutorial. Now for the game itself.

Like I explained above, it is all based on the totem. The first person to run out of cards, wins. To make it more challenging, you can add two expansion packs: Extra symbols and extra "arrow" cards. Now you might be wondering how the hey this game supports 8 players. Well, its simple. Since the both the remote and nunhuck have motion sensors, players 5-8 utilize the nunchuck. To flip a card when its your turn, press 'A' or flick the control stick. To grab the totem when your card matches with someone else's, either swing your remote while pressing 'B', or your nunchuck while pressing 'Z'. You just have to make sure your swings are large and are side-swiped. Best way to do this is to honestly pretend you're grabbing the totem. I think that is sweet, because most games you can get away with small wrist-flicking movements, but Jungle Speed won't react to those.

The graphics aren't stunning, but are better than necessary, especially considering that it only costs you $10 (1,000 Wii Points). There are eight different characters you can pick, all being animals often related to the jungle. This includes a monkey, a lemur, a lion, a crocodile, a hippo, a tiger, and a couple others. Along with that, animations for contemplation, making the wrong move, or winning will pop up at various times. You can also choose different totems, which don't change the game, but change the table you are playing on and the jungle area around you. High score tables are also included, you can assign a Mii to each high score someone sets, and difficulties for AI are available.

Overall, Jungle Speed is a simple yet entertaining game for the whole family, fun with friends, enemies, and acquaintances. While you can set AI to play with you, the game is best enjoyed with 3 or 4+ people.

4.25 out of 5 stars.

For more info, visit Nintendo's website.

Additional Comments for "Updated Guitar Hero Guitar??"

After writing my last post about the seemingly updated Guitar Hero: World Tour (Wii) guitar, I noticed something else: My sticker pack. In the pack I believe are some different stickers, including thin, colored ones. I believe these are for the touch pad.

Notice the thin, colored strips

The stickers may be the same, and if they are, forgive me. I also have some pictures of the touch pad without the colors and with the third-fret marker.

Notice that there are no colors along the touch pad, as well as the additional ridge

Like always, if you have any opinions, please leave it in the comments section!

~Absolutely Cystic

Customer Service/Warranty Review: Red Octane/Activision :: Updated Guitar Hero Guitar??

2009-02-04T15:57:00.008-07:00

Red Octane Warranty Review

A couple weeks back I was playing Guitar Hero: World Tour, and then the rhythm gamer's worst nightmare occurred: The strum bar on my guitar went whack. It would barely register any down strums, making fast-paced songs near impossible. I could still scroll through the menus, but I had to press very hard and not very often. I only had two options left: murder the guitar and bury it in a dumpster; or try to activate the warranty, heaven forbid! But I did it anyway. Kudos to Red Octane and Activision! I went to their website, found the warranty section easily enough, where I only had to type in a couple details like my guitar's serial number, my address, name and such, and before long I had all the necessary documents in my hand. Here was the only hiccup: Since I am located in Canada, I was given a 10-page customs document, which I assumed I had to fill out. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I messaged Red Octane via their online support center. In a couple days time, I finally figured out, with Red Octane's help, that I just had to sign it. Expecting it to be harder? Yes, I sure was. All I had to do from there was package it in the original box and send it off with FedEx and free shipping. You heard me right. Shipping was completely paid for, and I simply had to paste a barcode/shipping label onto the package. Next thing I knew, I had a shiny new guitar in my hands, within a couple weeks of starting the whole process. Good job Activision and Red Octane! I present 4.7 out of 5 stars!

New Guitar Model?

Another interesting bit of information came with my warranty claim: Red Octane seemed to update their Wii model guitars. Either that, or the warranty replacement models are different. My reason for stating this is that the coloring on the neck slider has been totally removed, so there is no color next to the little sections.

The color shown here on the slider has been removed

Now take a look at the yellow portion of the neck slider. In the middle of that section is now a little ridge, just like the one on the yellow fret, only at a 90 degree angle. A great addition, I must say.
Finally, it also appears that Red Octane has swapped the strum bar style. What I mean is that the 360 and PS3 versions of the guitar apparently "emit a rather irritating metallic sound when hit", according to IGN. The Wii model was known for having less of a metallic sound, and for being much quieter. The new model I received back today seems to have the same version of strum bar as the 360 and PS3 models. I'm assuming, and hoping, that this version is more durable.

All in all, everything turned out for good here, I even got an updated model out of the deal. So don't be afraid to let your inner rocker let loose - Red Octane is ready to fix up your worn-down axe!!

Absolutely Cystic

Making It Happen

2009-02-02T20:24:00.006-07:00

Some very good articles have once again shown themselves on IGN. Two interesting looks are Players Wanted: Characters We Want on the Wii where IGN gives a list of characters most needed to show their faces on the Wii. The one I most agree with is Pit. Man, that we be one awesome game if done right. If you haven't yet, you may want to check my article about Pit needing a come-back, here. Don't forget to vote for your favorite character!
The second interesting look is the Lit trailer, scheduled for release on WiiWare February 9 for 800 Wii points. Give it a look, it may be worth a buy.

Now for my two favorites from IGN for a while. Making The Conduit and Is Casual Gaming Destroying the Industry?

Making The Conduit is a very cool article, bringing forth to the gamer the phases and such development of a game goes through, and what trials and difficulties have shown themselves to the High-Voltage Software team through making The Conduit completely independently. Don't forget to send them your opinion about cheats!!
As many of you may know, especially if you have been reading my posts since the beginning, that I am very very passionate about core games and gamers being pushed out by the casual scene. That's why I liked the article Is Casual Gaming Destroying The Industry? It has some quotes from developers, how the future may look, and more. Its a great read for anyone concerned about this.

By now you may be asking if I'm going to start basing my posts completely and totally off IGN articles. No. For now I am probably going to do a few posts that way, but soon I hope to bring you something fabricated by my own brain. Look forward to it and remind me like crazy!

Finally, would you please consider voting in my poll on the left hand side of the page? I'm currently trying to evaluate things. Thanks!

Absolutely Cystic

Winter: May it Rest in Peace...Or not? Sign the Petition

2009-01-23T13:39:00.011-07:00

Interesting concept, great look. N-Space, the company who has been creating a game called Winter, decided to go back to the roots of survival horror games. Survival. They noted that survival games as of late have been all about fighting, but they wanted the true form back. And so, they created the concept of Winter. The game utilizes the remote and nunchuck in ways that only make sense, and bring in new concepts around every corner. The only problem? No publisher is willing to pick it up, fearing it to be a big risk. So head over to IGN and check out their interview with n-Space, and then hobble on over to a petition to get it back in the works, here. Maybe publishers will realize that the Wii isn't only a kiddie toy, and that it could some day beat up its tough big brother, Xbox?

10 Games for Obama; 10 Gaming Character Harmful to the Economy, 10 Trends Saving It; and IGN's 2009 Preview

2009-01-22T16:55:00.009-07:00

IGN has released a few very interesting articles, both good reads and maybe some minor chuckles. My favorite, Top 10 Games for President Obama, is list compiled by the IGN staff. Some suggested games for the President are well known games like Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Tom Clancy's Endwar.

Two others are The Wednesday 10: Gaming Characters Harmful to the Economy, and Ten Trends That Are Saving Videogames. Again, an entertaining read.

On a more serious note, however, IGN also has some good articles about the upcoming 2009 gaming year, where they have included both speculation and known fact. Boy am I stoked. The long anticipated and overdue update for the console will be coming around this spring: you will soon be able to download and play Virtual Console games right of your SD memory card. Thank goodness!! I have already run out of fridge space several times, so this will make me very very happy. Along with that, Red Steel 2 and a "mature franchises" from EA are expected to be officially announced, so this coming Wii year seems to be very prelevant with mature games. For once. Sporting games seem to be up in numbers again, so you sporting fans be sure to check the article out. The Conduit, Sin and Punishment 2, Pikmin, Final Fantasy, Klonoa, Overlord...Dude am I stoked. No thats an understatement. I'm DYING.

2009-01-12T14:28:00.007-07:00

The Conduit

Another year has come and gone, and despite the increase of profit that Nintendo has gained, I have found 2008 to be a very disappointing year for games. Sure, Call of Duty: World at War, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii, Guitar Hero: World Tour, and Rock Band 2 turned some of the tables, but that is really all that was good in my opinion. Mario Kart Wii wasn't even the best it could have been, with multiplayer tracks that weren't right for four player battle, and no way to be eliminated in balloon battle. Even though it had many new and cool features, a few classic ones were trampled on. Super Smash Bros Brawl was simply an update to Melee. Factors like that made the best games of the year even less impressive. Don't get me wrong - I loved those games. My point, really, is that consoles like the Xbox have gotten numerous amounts of big games, such as Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Rock Band 2, COD5, and such. I can't wait for a time when Wii gets years like that.

Overlord: Dark Legends

Turn the spotlight to 2009. The Conduit, Sin and Punishment 2, the next Zelda, Mario and new rumoured Kid Icarus, and even a version of Overlord for Wii! I'm really stoked for the latter. If you have never heard of Overlord for the 360, it is a comedic, adventure, commander game. In it, you are a dark lord controlling your minions to do your will, with laughs around every bend. A Wii version will make my day. Not to mention that The Conduit will give Halo a run for its money. This is going to be one heck of a good year for Wii!

And no. I did not change my mind about my original post, I just looked at it from a different angle.

So let me know what you think about 2009. Will it be the best year to date, or is it going to be pure crap? Let me know in the comments section, or vote in the poll.

Nintendo WiFi: Hit or miss? / Commander Video :: Only a Man

2008-12-29T14:15:00.009-07:00

IGN: Why Nintendo DS Sucks Online

On my regular search through IGN's daily articles, I ran across one referencing Nintendo's wifi connection, and I quite agreed with it. In short: It sucks. Go and take a look at Xbox live, and you will see a true piece of online connectivity art. Look at the Nintendo WiFi Connection, and you have crap. The 360 has one account for everything, and Nintendo has a separate account for each game ever made. With annoying and long codes. So go ahead and check out the above said article.

Commander: Only a Man
IGN: Who is the Commander?

This is also something else I stumbled across on IGN. Its something about "Commander" and "I'm Only a Man." IGN claims that "amidst the shuffling reel is a frame from the Wii title itself." I myself didn't notice anything like that, but then again the frames flew by quickly. I saw an image from a game like Pong, and others that I couldn't make out. I am wondering if this Wii exclusive title (or so claims IGN) has to do with Nazi warfare, or maybe its all hogwash. Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure that IGN is hiding something huge here. The question is, what? They promise to spill the beans as soon as they get more info, so I hope that is soon. It better be an amazing piece of work, like The Conduit or something similar to that level of awesome. Check out the above links, and let me know what you think of all this in the comments section.

Club Nintendo - Now Softly Launched

2008-12-17T14:59:00.004-07:00

The much anticipated American chapter of Club Nintendo is finally up and running! However, no official release has been announced. The most likely reason is that Nintendo decided to "soft launch" it so as to store away from the hordes of gamers wanting to get into it on day one, so that they can fix glitches. The only really glitch I have discovered is that of logging in, as well as staying logged in. Often when I enter in my username and password, it will ignore it and refresh the page. The other glitch is that I will attempt to do something when I am logged in, but it will log me out randomly. For a motivated gamer, however, this can be overlooked, especially if you know that it is still being worked on.

Members will register products and do surveys to earn "coins". Wii Fit earns you 80, Wii games 50, DS games 30, and VC, WiiWare, and Channels will earn you 10. Registering a product is a matter of entering in your game's unique pin number, and then completing a short survey about the product. The surveys took me less than a minute each. Another example of earning points is telling Nintendo about your intent to buy a certain game. When you finally buy the game and register it, you will earn a bonus of 10 coins. Once you have your coins logged in your account, you can save them up to buy some awesome, limited edition products. For example, you can shed out 800 coins for a very limited edition Game & Watch Collection, or 600 for a Club Nintendo DS shelf rack.

The more hardcore can enter in their codes and earn Gold or Platinum statuses, 300 and 600 coins respectively, and earn special rewards at the end of the year. For Club Nintendo, a year is July 1 to June 30. Once you hit June 30, your Gold or Platinum status resets, and you must work towards the status once again.

Another bonus - If you have previously had a My Nintendo account, you can quite easily transfer your information over, including your registered products. The only catch is that you still have to fill out the surveys.

As for me, I think this is well worth it. You spend all that money on games, and get free stuff on top of that! Sweet deal. However, I would recommend waiting a week or two before joining, so as to let Nintendo work out the glitches. Your game codes shouldn't be going anywhere, after all.

So what do you think about the new American Club Nintendo? Does it meet your expectations? Are you at all disappointed? Surprised? Wanting to go on an all out Nintendo Shopping spree? Or maybe you just want to register your Wii or DS and gain an additional 90 days on your warranty? Let me know what you think by dropping comment in the comments box.

~Cystic

Kid Icarus: Will Pit finally make his return?

2008-12-04T15:45:00.005-07:00

"IGN Reboot: Kid Icarus Wii"

After reading this article on IGN, I can only image what a reiteration of Kid Icarus could bring to the gaming world. A first person angel fighter? A Zelda-esque adventure game? Or simply a well designed platformer? What ever the case, I'm hoping its good. Pit will make his return some day soon, and Shigeru Miyamoto almost confirmed the release. Factor 5, the company who developed the Rogue Squadron games for N64 and GameCube, as well as Lair for the PS3, has been rumoured to be the company to take it on. The amount of ingenuity that they put into the Rogue games surely bodes well for a new Pit game. I can just imagine controlling the angel in a 3rd person view, encountering Zeus on Mount Olympus, or fighting the dark goddess Medusa in the depths of the earth. Nintendo, you make it, I'll buy it!

What do you all think about this? Am I scratching the air, am I being a bit too wild in my thinking, or do you agree with me in how awesome it would be? And lastly, would you want it as first person, third person, or stick with its 2D platformer roots? Go ahead and leave a comment!

Say What? "Softcore"

2008-11-26T14:21:00.002-07:00

Nintendo seems to be treading in very deep water lately when it comes to core games. The only partly true hardcore game in the past year was Super Smash Bros: Brawl, which was nothing compared to recent 360 releases such as Gears 2 and Fable II. This in itself is enough to get me worried, but what the Big N says about itself makes me ready to pawn off my Wii for a more core-savvy 360. Denise Kaigler, vice president of Nintendo's corporate affairs, says this:

"Nintendo and our publishing partners have already released many Wii games specifically designed to appeal to core gamers. In the past twelve months we've published Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy, Wario Land: Shake It!, and Animal Crossing: City Folk. And before this year we've published versions of our classic core-gamer focused franchises like Zelda and Metroid."

Whoa whoa whoa!! Pardon me? Mario Kart and Animal Crossing CORE? They may be to some extent, but if this is Nintendo's definition of what core gamers want, they're grasping at the thin air. Zelda and Metroid were amazing, and held my love for a good while each. However, Zelda was an entire two years ago! Nintendo had better live up to their claims for next year. They have games in the works such as Sin & Punishment 2, a new Zelda, Mario, and Pikmen, and one or two others. You have no idea how much I can't wait for these, but I also am highly disappointed at the fact that this it it. I want hardcore, not semicore. High Voltage's The Conduit is slated for an early 2009 release, and that is going to blow my brains. Literally. Hopefully Nintendo notices just what core gamers are looking for.

These are simply my thoughts, and I would like to know how you stand on this. Do you agree that it is simply "softcore" material, or am I overreacting? Go ahead and shoot up comment.