Wario, Nintendo's greedy, uncouth and rude anti-hero, returns to his roots. The Wario Land series is where Wario first appeared, and it's back in all its side-scrolling, platform-jumping glory.
With the Wii Remote controller turned sideways, veterans and newcomers alike can run, jump and smash their way through hectic side-scrolling stages. By shaking the Wii Remote, you can shake down your enemies, free coins from treasure bags and even cause earthquakes.
Each stage is a masterfully crafted side-scrolling obstacle course of puzzles, enemies and assorted hazards. Every stage holds numerous secrets and treasures to discover (and steal). And each stage has multiple "missions" to keep you coming back again and again to unlock everything, collect more coins or just improve your best time.
Wario returns to form, with all the jumping, power-dashing and butt-stomping we've come to expect. This is surly Wario at his finest.
Game storyline: Wario receives an antique globe and telescope that allow him to travel to the once-idyllic Shake Dimension, now conquered by the tyrannical pirate, the Shake King. With the assistance of his longtime rival, Captain Syrup, he must rescue the Merfles, denizens of the Shake Dimension imprisoned by the Shake King. Only by defeating the bosses of all five continents of this strange world can Wario find and confront the Shake King, rescue Queen Merelda, queen of the Merfles, and, most importantly, claim the Bottomless Coin Sack, a never-ending supply of gold.
How to progress through the game: Each stage has Wario navigating an obstacle course of dangers and traps to find an imprisoned Merfle. Once he frees the little fellow, the countdown begins and he must find his way back to the starting gate before time runs out. Wario must also defeat a boss in each continent, and then buy a map of the next continent from Captain Syrup. Once all five continents' bosses have been defeated, Wario takes on the Shake King himself.
Characters: Wario, our "hero." Captain Syrup, a female pirate (and rival from previous games) who aids Wario on his quest. The Merfles, helpless natives of the Shake Dimension, and their queen, Queen Merelda. The Shake King, leader of a ruthless pirate band who has conquered the Shake Dimension.
Special powers/weapons/moves/features: Wario can jump and dash, as per previous Wario Land games. New to this game is the ability to shake the Wii Remote for various effects. By default, a shake of the Wii Remote makes Wario punch the ground, causing a small earthquake and dazing enemies. Wario can then pick up dazed enemies and, with another shake of the Wii Remote, shake them for rejuvenating garlic and occasionally gold. Enemies can also be thrown, and you aim by tilting the Wii Remote.
Wario also takes control of three different vehicles during the course of the game, all of which are piloted in part by tilting the Wii Remote. The controls are standard for a Wii Remote held sideways (D-pad, buttons), but with an important twist: most of Wario's special moves are accomplished by shaking or tilting the Wii Remote. This allows great versatility but without forcing the player to remember complicated button combinations.
Format: Wii Launch Date: November 16th, 2008 ESRB: RP (Rating Pending) Game Type: Community Simulation Accessories: WiiSpeak microphone (sold separately) Players: 1-4 alternating, 2-4 simultaneous via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection Developer: Nintendo
KEY INFORMATION
If life were an endless vacation, what would you do? Go fishing, collect shells or watch fireworks with friends? Build a snowman, exchange presents with family or decorate your house for the holidays? Take a trip to the city, go on a shopping spree or visit friends from all over the globe? In Animal Crossing: City Folk, life moves at a relaxed pace, but the world brims with endless possibilities.
There's always something new to do. In the living, breathing world of Animal Crossing: City Folk, days and seasons pass in real time, so there's always something to discover. Catch fireflies in the summer, go trick-or-treating on Halloween or hunt for eggs on Bunny Day. If you're in the mood for something a little faster paced, take a bus to a new urban city area that's unique to Animal Crossing: City Folk. There you can catch a show at the theater or check out the sales at Gracie's boutique. But if you don't show your face back home for too long, your neighbors will miss you.
Up to four people from your household can live and work together to build the perfect town. Design clothes and patterns, write letters and post messages on the bulletin board for each other, or invite up to three friends to visit your town using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. With the new WiiSpeak microphone, it's like you're all in the same room. The microphone sits atop the sensor bar and picks up the conversation of everyone in the room to encourage a more inclusive experience.
Get to know your neighbors. The heart of Animal Crossing: City Folk is building relationships with the animals in your town as well as with other players. Befriend your animal neighbors by exchanging letters, gifts and favors. Animals can also move from town to town, bringing their memories and stories from their old towns with them. And since animals are notoriously loose-lipped, they spill all the juicy details.
Express your personal style. Customize your town, your house and yourself by collecting bugs, fish, fossils, art, furniture, clothes and accessories. You can also go to the salon in the city to change your hairstyle and get a Mii? makeover. Plus, if you design clothes in the tailor's shop, animals will wear them and maybe even bring them to other towns.
Format: Wii Launch Date: Holiday 2008 ESRB: RP (Rating Pending) Game Type: Music Accessories: Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Wii Balance Board Players: 1-4 Developer: Nintendo
KEY INFORMATION
Create a musical masterpiece with up to four players. Anyone can play the huge selection of instruments in Wii Music with simple motions-like strumming and drumming.
It's easy to play improv jams. Musicians in your band jam by simply playing their instruments to the beat of a song or by improvising to their heart's content. Play faster. Play slower. Skip a beat, or throw in 10 more. No matter what you do, Wii Music automatically transforms your improv stylings into great music. There are no mistakes-just playing for the pure joy of playing.
Wii controls immerse you in the music. You can play most of the 60-plus instruments in Wii Music using simple motions with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers. Strum to play guitar, banjo and sitar. Drum to play jazz drums, congas and marching drums. Hammer away to play piano, vibraphone and marimba. Unlike most music games, Wii Music doesn't make you use complex buttons. You only need to imitate playing the instrument.
Wii Music offers virtually endless ways to make music. You choose the song and instruments and decide whether to blaze through a rock take on classical songs, put a jazzy spin on folk tunes or transform Nintendo classics like the Super Mario Bros. theme into Latin-flavored numbers. The song list is only a takeoff point-it's how you improvise with the songs that matters.
Send your band-jam recordings to Wii Friends who have Wii Music. They'll see your Mii? band members, your players' improv styles and your instrument selections. They can watch your recordings, or play over parts of your song, then send their modified recording back to you. Improv jams can be sent back and forth over WiiConnect24 and changed again and again.
Beyond the Jam:
Wii Music includes many other modes besides the main band jams, including several musical games and an enhanced video playback mode for recorded jams.
Play it again: Use the playback mode to see your jam recordings brought to life with dramatic camera angles.
Pick up the baton: Command an orchestra in the conducting game where you'll wave the Wii Remote controller like a conductor's baton to lead a Mii orchestra through orchestrated music. Make them play quickly, slowly, strongly or gently.
Ring a bell? Play a handbells game where you'll swing your Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to play your two handbells as part of a larger ensemble. Everyone on the team has a job to do: Play one of your notes only when the tune demands it.
An ear for music: Take a tone quiz that tests your musical ear by giving you challenges, like putting note-playing Miis in order from lowest to highest pitch.
Bang the drum: Play a virtual drum set in the drumming mode, the one mode in Wii Music that also uses the Wii Balance Board accessory (sold with Wii Fit). You'll use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers as drumsticks, and place both feet on the Wii Balance Board-which work as virtual pedals for the bass drum and hi-hat cymbal.
Format: Wii Launch Date: 08/25/08 ESRB: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief Game Type: Sports Players: 1-4 Developer: Namco Bandai
KEY INFORMATION
Let the Wii Remote controller be your bat as you join Mario, Luigi, Peach and the rest of the gang in a rocking, socking baseball extravaganza.
Newcomers to gaming or sports titles will be up and running on Mario Super Sluggers in no time. Simply swing the Wii Remote to smack a home run, or use a pitching motion to toss the ball over the plate.
Two, three or four players can pick up Wii Remote controllers and challenge one another to a full baseball game or compete in a host of baseball-themed mini-games. There's even a home run hitting contest.
Mario Super Sluggers boasts more than 40 playable characters, all Nintendo favorites. The single-player adventure mode allows the player to explore Baseball Kingdom, tackle dozens of fun baseball challenges and unlock new characters that can be used in any mode. You can also play with your Mii characters in Exhibition, Toy Field and Minigame modes.
Modes: Whether by yourself or surrounded by friends, there's a Mario Super Sluggers game for every occasion.
Challenge: Trek across Baseball Kingdom in this single-player mode. Defeat characters in a variety of baseball-related challenges to persuade them to join your team. Once you've assembled an all-star team for the ages, throw down with the baddest baseballer in town: Bowser?! The single-player Challenge Mode is a sports fan's dream.
Explore the rich and varied landscape of Baseball Kingdom as you gather teammates for your fight against Bowser. From lush tropical jungles to modern urban landscapes, each area of the kingdom is a new experience.
Like high-powered free agents, the characters in Mario Super Sluggers won't join just any old team they want to play for a winner. When you find a new character, he or she will test your skills on the field. Only by besting them in hitting, pitching and fielding contests can you get them to join your side.
In Challenge Mode, you can control one of five captains, each with personal special powers. Yoshi can jump through manholes, Wario has the power of magnetism and Donkey Kong can climb vines and shatter barrels.
Exhibition: Hit the field and try your luck with a team of your choice. You can play against either the computer or up to three other players.
Minigame: Challenge yourself or take on up to three other players in nine mini-games. From home run contests to pitching duels, you'll have more fun than a rookie at his first spring training.
Toy Field: Battle against three other players in a hitting and fielding extravaganza. You can set your turn limit and the skill level of your computer opponents, or just play against friends.
Training: Learn the ropes in an extensive tutorial mode.
Characters: More than 40 characters from the Mario universe come together in Mario Super Sluggers.
Special powers/items/moves/features: This isn't your typical baseball game. From special moves to obstacle-filled stadiums, there's always something new around the corner.
Special Moves: All of the captains have unique Star Skills that allow them to perform special moves while pitching or batting. Mario can turn his fastball into a fireball, Daisy can create a flower garden in the outfield and Luigi can turn infield hits into a raging tornado. Non-captains can also use Star Skills to put a little extra mustard on hits or pitches.
Chemistry: Just as in real sports, certain characters in Mario Super Sluggers have a special connection on the field. Known as chemistry, this connection allows players to make spectacular leaping catches, gun down speedy base runners and use items to interfere with fielders.
Stadiums: There are nine unique stadiums in the game, everything from an ice-filled castle to an urban cityscape. Many stadiums can be accessed at both day and night, allowing you to play a doubleheader under the lights.
Nunchuk: Experienced gamers can also attach the Nunchuk controller for a more advanced gaming experience.
Format: Wii Launch Date: Spring 2009 ESRB: RP (Rating Pending) Game Type: Sports Accessories: Wii MotionPlus (included) Players: 1-4 Developer: Nintendo
KEY INFORMATION
Wii Sports Resort is a new collection of fun sports games that anyone can pick up and play.
This sequel to the popular Wii Sports makes use of the Wii MotionPlus accessory, which gives players the most responsive and realistic experience possible. The Wii MotionPlus accessory, which is included with Wii Sports Resort, plugs into the base of the Wii Remote controller and, combined with the accelerometer and sensor bar, provides an experience that gives players an even greater sense of immersion.
Just as with Wii Sports, people will love competing against friends and family. As the competition heats up, Wii Sports Resort is as much fun to watch as it is to play. First-time players will find it easy to pick up a Wii Remote and jump into the action.
Wii Sports Resort takes place on a tropical island. A wide range of activities will keep players coming back for one more round. Some sample activities include Sword Play, Power Cruising (racing a water scooter) and Disc Dog, which involves accurately tossing a disc to a cute, Mii-like dog.
The Nintendo press conference has just wrapped up, and a few big announcements were made. If you want a more in depth analysis, you can check the forum thread here,
Nintendo announced Animal Crossing: City Folk, that will feature 2 areas that the player can explore, from the town where your house resides and you can talk with other citizens, fish, and plant trees, as well as a city that features, among other things, a store run by fashion designer/giraffe Gracie, Harriet's barber shop, an auction house where you can buy and sell items, as well as a "Happy Room Academy", where you can view other players houses. Animal Crossing: City Folk will be released this year, and looks to feature four player online play.
The game will also utilize a new peripheral, the Wii Speak. Instead of a standard headset, the Wii Speak plugs into the USB port in the back of the Wii and acts as a microphone for everyone in the room, enabling "room-to-room communication". Only Animal Crossing: City Folk was confirmed to make use of it, but considering that Nintendo finally announced something to do with voice chat I'm happy.
Next up, Nintendo announced a few new DS games. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will hit the DS and feature the standard free-roaming, hooker killing gameplay you would expect from the series. Of course, there was no word if this was going to be a toned down game, but one would hope not. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars takes place in Liberty City. Next up, Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades was announced, and the game will work with the recently released Guitar Hero: On Tour through a feature called "song sharing", where someone who only has Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades can play songs from Guitar Hero On Tour if they have a friend with the game. Nintendo talked about Spore Creatures, which will focus more on the creature gameplay from the Spore game and will feature the Creature Creator and Creature sharing that are included in the PC game.
Nintendo also talked about the WiiMotionPlus, and announced the first game that will make use
of it, the sequel to Wii Sports "Wii Sports Resort". The game will feature disc throwing, Jet Ski's, as well as sword fighting, all in 1-to-1 goodness. Wii Sports Resort will be bundled with the WiiMotionPlus and an extended jacket for the Wiimote and WiiMotionPlus. Wii Sports Resort is coming out Spring 09.
Wii Music was also confirmed to be released at the end of this year. Unlike other rhythm games, you don't play along with notes, instead of playing when you want. The game will record your performances and allow you to make your own music video. It looks like the game will include Nintendo songs, as well as the orchestra mode demoed two years ago Finally, the game also features a very interesting drum mode where the player uses the Wiimote and nunchuck to hit the cymbals and pads and use the Wii Balance Board for bass pedals. Oh, and there is Cowbell.
For core gamers, they will be happy to hear that the Mario and Zelda Nintendo teams are hard at work at new games.
Alright, lets kick off this shindig! While Nintendo's press conference doesn't start for another 24 hours that hasn't stopped them from sending out press releases. First up is the Wii MotionPlus, an attachment for the standard wiimote that increases the accuracy and increases the sensitivity of the controller to the point in which "every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time."
Evidently they noted one of my complaint points about the Wii. We'll know more at tomorrow's briefing.
Nintendo have released the UK launch trailer for the upcoming Wii exclusive Pandora's Tower. 