Better butter up that rotater cuff for some Wii-Bowing.

(Gamespot) – Two years ago, Koei introduced its historical Japanese action series to the Wii with Samurai Warriors: Katana. However, the first-person on-rails action game deviated from formula, eschewing the third-person hack-and-slash gameplay for which the franchise and its many sibling series had become known.

That game flopped with critics, but now Koei (Tecmo Koei, to be precise) is attempting a more traditional adaptation of Samurai Warriors for the console. Nintendo yesterday announced “a unique partnership” with the publisher to bring the Wii-exclusive Samurai Warriors 3 to North America this fall. The game was released in Japan in December.

Samurai Warriors 3 will forgo the system’s motion controls entirely, instead allowing players to hack through battlefields full of fodder with a Wii Remote-and-Nunchuk combo, the Classic Controller (Pro or “amateur”), or a GameCube pad. Although it seeks to return to the form of previous games in the series, Samurai Warriors 3 will include a handful of new gameplay features, including “kaiden” special moves that go above and beyond the existing “musou” attacks.

BG Note: Nope, we don’t even know what that last sentence means either. Sounds like it could cause a ‘nasty protuberance’ though.

OnLive goes live in the lower 48 states on June 17.

(Gamespot) – One year after it was unveiled at the 2009 Game Developers Conference, OnLive finally has a launch date. Company CEO Steve Perlman announced yesterday at his keynote address at the GamesBeat mini-conference at GDC 2010 that OnLive will go live on June 17. The service will initially be available as an application for the Windows and Mac operating systems, with a micro-console that can be attached directly to HDTVs to arrive later on in the year.

OnLive’s launch will be limited to the contiguous lower 48 United States and will cost $14.95 per month. According to the OnLive Blog, the first 25,000 thousand people to sign up will have the service fee waived for three months. (To apply, sign up on the official OnLive site.) Multi-month pricing and other promotions will be announced prior to the service’s debut.

OnLive’s monthly fee does not include the purchase price of games themselves, which can be rented or bought from publishers directly at a lower-than-retail price. Publishers supporting the service with PC titles include Electronic Arts, Take-Two, THQ, Ubisoft, Epic, Atari, Codemasters, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. At the DICE Summit last month, Perlman demonstrated both Crysis and Unreal Tournament 3 running on the service with minimal lag.

The June launch will only be the start of the OnLive rollout. The service will offer 1080p high-definition gaming at 60 frames per second starting in 2011. An international launch is also planned for an undetermined date.

For those unfamiliar with OnLive, the service aims to offer lag-free PC gaming via the Web. The company claims that since the heavy lifting of graphics processing will be done on the service’s servers, it will offer high-definition gaming on any PC or Mac, regardless of graphics card or CPU speed.

The addition of the micro-console will also allow the service to be streamed directly onto televisions, without the need for a standard game console. Perlman sees this as a positive because OnLive games will not be tied to increasingly antiquated consoles. He promised that the OnLive servers would receive graphical upgrades every six months in order to provide the latest PC graphics.

Nintendo Wii Gun Controller

Three-year-old Cheyenne Alexis McKeehan fatally shot herself in the abdomen with the family’s handgun at their home in Wilson County, Tennessee.

The girl’s stepfather had taken out his gun to try to frighten off dogs that had been hanging around the home, and later ‘returned’ the gun to a table in the living room. The child had been playing a Nintendo Wii video game, in which the game’s controller was shaped like a gun that looked very ‘similar’ to the real handgun (hmm like bright white with a cord attached to another controller device?)

County Sheriff says the girl pulled the gun off the table and it went off.

With all condolences to the family, this being a very tragic event, maybe we shouldn’t leave our firearms or Wii controllers in reach of a 3 year old on any, or all occasions. Seems to be the more popular practice now days, understanding that a toddler may not be able to differentiate the two.

The girl’s parents were at home at the time of the shooting. No charges are currently being filed.

[Source]

This fella needs to loosen up abit..

(Rueters) – Japanese game maker Sega, which won the publishing rights for the official 2010 Winter Olympics video games, has two releases out aimed at extending the Winter Games beyond a few weeks.

Sega released “Vancouver 2010 – The Official Video Game of the Olympic Winter Games” on January 12 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, with 14 events like alpine skiing, speed skating and snowboard cross, giving fans a taste of the real experience.

“The fact that so many kids are playing video games these days, this game allows them to discover these sports in a different way,” said Kristina Groves, a Canadian speedskater.

Groves shares the cover of “Vancouver 2010″ with Lindsey Vonn (U.S. alpine skier), Seth Wescott (U.S. snowboarder) and Matthew Morison (Canadaian snowboarder).

“Growing up it was watching the Olympics on TV that inspired me to try speed skating, but if video games can entertain kids and hopefully inspire them to try these sports, I’m all for it,” said Groves.

Last fall, Sega also released “Mario & Sonic at the Vancouver Winter Games” for Wii and Nintendo DS.

The first partnership between once-rivals Sega and Nintendo, “Mario & Sonic at the Beijing Summer Games” sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

The new “Winter Games,” which has already sold over 800,000 copies in the United States, introduces events like ice hockey, curling and skiing to the mix.

“We wanted the entire family, including the mom and dad who don’t play games and even grandpa and grandma, to enjoy this experience with their kids,” said Osamu Ohashi, the producer who oversaw both the Wii and Nintendo DS versions of the game at Sega’s Team Sonic development studio.

(more…)

Iwata

(IGN) Released in 1983, the Nintendo Entertainment System was the king of all-consoles with sales. Today, history has been made and the NES has been knocked down to number two by one of its own: the Nintendo Wii. Though the system has the weakest software sales for a Nintendo console, the Wii itself has sold more than any other console ever. Iwata simply said in words that don’t really seem to be put together as I would say them:

It has replaced NES to become the best-selling Nintendo home videogame console of all time.

While it is the best-selling Nintendo console, it most definitely is not the best that the company has put out for entertainment value. Even the previous console, the Gamecube, had more games to offer to the American and Japanese markets. Now that Nintendo has hit this milestone, will it begin to focus on the software part of their business? They have a new Zelda and Metroid coming out within the next year and a half, but what about first-party series that haven’t been seen on a Nintendo console within the last few years? Castlevania?

Nintendo Entertainment has been keeping it hush hush about their Vitality Sensor games, but they now have something called WiiRelax in development.

Nintendo currently has registered the rights to WiiRelax in the PAL territories. Since the Vitality Sensor is a pulse detecting accessory, it sounds like WiiRelax would work with the upcoming device.

As to what kind of relaxing you’ll be required to do, unless it’s some sort of sports / health related games we can’t seem to dig up. I’m trying to conceive of a game that the object would be for someone to not get excited and not want to maybe shoot thier enemies or teammates.

Maybe some type of meditation exercise or sitting in the middle of my living room saying, “Ohmmmmmmm” over and over till I reduce my beats to under 65 per minute? Perhaps, I could actually see it being more useful in the hentai, erotic gaming lines but I’m sure there would be deaths and lawsuits to follow.

Prior to this trademark, Pub Company, an video developer in Italy, also mentioned a game called Wii Relax (note the space). The title was officially announced on April 1 and hasn’t been mentioned since. Their website for Wii Relax is gone too so Pub Company’s “zen experience??? project may have been canceled, blocked, or perhaps purchased by Nintendo.

[Source]

Them Crooked Vultures tune available 11.17

THEM CROOKED VULTURES’ “NEW FANG??? PREMIERES ON ROCK BAND IN TIME FOR DEBUT ALBUM

(Press Release) – Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that Them Crooked Vultures are premiering on Rock Band beginning next week with “New Fang,??? the single from the band’s self-titled debut album. The song will be added to the Rock Band Music Store and LEGO Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system and Wii™.

“Them Crooked Vultures are keenly aware of the different ways in which modern music fans digest new music and are therefore especially happy to be able to offer the first single from their self-titled debut up as a downloadable Rock Band game track on the same day the album goes on sale,??? stated Them Crooked Vultures.

The debut self-titled album from Them Crooked Vultures, comprised of Dave Grohl, Joshua Homme and John Paul Jones, will be released Nov. 17 in the United States, the same day and date that “New Fang??? will be available for Rock Band download on the Xbox 360. The band released the single as a free download for fans Nov. 3 and has been streaming their full album on their website, www.themcrookedvultures.com, since Nov. 9. The band is touring the United States in November, and their December tour of the United Kingdom sold out in just 12 minutes.

Them Crooked Vultures’ “New Fang??? will be available Nov. 17 for the Xbox 360, Nov. 24 for the Wii and Dec. 3 for the PlayStation 3 in both the Rock Band Music Store and LEGO Rock Band Music Store.

Guaranteed to leave black marks on your wall...

(Gamespot) – North American gamers who have grown weary of the Wii’s white-hued hardware will soon have another option, at least as far as the console’s controllers are concerned.

Starting on November 16, Nintendo of America will begin selling a black Wii Remote bundled with a Wii MotionPlus attachment. The $49.99 package will also include a matte-black silicone sleeve for the unit, unlike the translucent clear sleeves currently packed in with the Wii, Wii Remote, Wii MotionPlus, and the best-selling Wii Play, which includes a Wii Remote.

To match the Wii Remote, Nintendo is also releasing a $19.99 black Nunchuk attachment. It is not, however, releasing a black version of the Wii itself, which was reduced to $199 last month in the US. On August 1, the Japanese market got a black Wii model, although Nintendo has announced no plans to release it in Europe or North America.

Ironically, it was a black-finish Wii, then called the “Revolution”, that Nintendo first unveiled at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo. At the same time, the company released concept art of red, silver, black, white, and lime-green consoles, although only the white and black have seen production.

When asked for comment, all a Nintendo rep would say is, “We have nothing to announce about the availability of the black Wii console outside of Japan at this time.”

We don't see any flowers in this brick, do you?

(Gamespot) – This generation of consoles has seen firmware updates become become frequent and routine. Nearly as commonplace have been the post-patch gamer complaints that the latest update has rendered their systems inoperable.

The latest system to repeat the cycle is Nintendo’s Wii. On Monday, Wii owners received a message from Nintendo informing them that the system’s 4.2 firmware was available for download. The notice of the firmware explained that the update would not affect any existing features “but will improve the overall system performance.” It also contained a cautionary note for users of homebrew applications and other unsanctioned programs.

“Because unauthorized modifications to save data or program files may impair gameplay or the Wii console, updating to Wii Menu version 4.2 will also check for and automatically remove such save data or program files,” the notice said.

The effects of the update have apparently cause an upswing in activity for Nintendo’s customer service team, as the company’s official forums include a stickied announcement for anyone whose system has been rendered inactive after installing version 4.2.

“The symptoms most people are describing usually occur when the Wii has been modified. However, some of you also mention your system has never been modified,” an administrator on the forums wrote. “We’d like to help get your system working properly again. If you’re experiencing problems with your Wii console after downloading Wii System Menu 4.2, and you believe your system has not been modified, please give us a call. If we find that you have a normal system and the update caused your system to not work, we’ll repair it at no charge.”

Those who choose not to update the Wii firmware are unable to access the Wii Shop Channel, making it impossible to purchase Virtual Console or WiiWare titles, or download additional utilities like the News Channel or Forecast Channel. Nintendo of America’s customer service line is 1-800-255-3700, and is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific time every day.

K, well maybe we saw this coming..

(Gamespot) – With the eyes of the gaming world turned to Sony’s Tokyo Game Show kick-off keynote address tonight, Nintendo of America stole some of its competitor’s thunder by announcing the long-awaited first price cut for the Nintendo Wii. After weeks of leaks and price cuts that brought both the Xbox 360 Elite and PlayStation 3 to $299, Nintendo has finally confirmed the suspicions of gamers and analysts alike, announcing a $50 price cut to the Wii, effective this Sunday, September 27.

The system and its motion-sensing controller debuted in North America on November 19, 2006, with a $249 sticker price. It sold out almost immediately and remained a tough find on store shelves throughout the holiday season of 2008. While the price tag on the system has finally changed, the contents of the box have not. The $199.99 Wii will come with a Wii Remote, Nunchuk, and the original Wii Sports. The pack-in’s follow-up, Wii Sports Resort, and its accompanying Wii MotionPlus attachment will still need to be purchased separately from the console.

In a note to investors, Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich said the cut is a response to disappointing hardware sales that have been slipping industry-wide since February. While Nintendo isn’t the only company feeling that pinch, Divnich said the sales slip of the Wii has been steeper than its competitors. He believes this cut will help the Wii reverse that trend and keep it selling well throughout the holidays.

“EEDAR believes Nintendo is making a preemptive strike to capture as much of the mainstream and casual market as possible before Microsoft and Sony can release their mainstream-targeted motion capture devices (expected to launch in late 2010),” Divnich said.