Sega made a surprising announcement today that everyone's favorite fast-paced marsupial Sonic the Hedgehog is finally returning to where he belongs - in two-dimensions.
This summer "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1" will launch on Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony Playstation 3 consoles as well as one unnamed platform as a download-only game.
16 years after Sonic's last 2D appearance in "Sonic and Knuckles," the same gameplay full of spin dashes and rolling attacks will make its way into the all-new game returning to the Genesis-era.
Details will slowly be released at the game's official web site, but the mere title implies that this may be the first of many installments of the game.
As it was long anticipated, on-demand media service Netflix announced Wednesday that it will launch its streaming video service on the Nintendo Wii next spring.
Like the PS3, the Wii version of the service will require a disc to launch the service using the Nintendo Wii's built-in WiFi connection.
Netflix members will have access to the service with a $8.99 monthly subscription.
This gives the on-demand media giant access to the Wii's 3 million unit install base, however, the service is subdued compared to other home consoles because the limitations of the Wii itself.
No high-definition video output.
This means that Wii owners looking to enjoy Netflix's video streaming service on their HDTVs may be sadly disappointed that they cannot view content in HD because the Nintendo Wii only outputs up to 480p the highest quality standard-definition video output.
Nintendo had hinted at an HD-capable version of its home console, but has yet to release the Wii HD.
The recently announcement by Netflix is a clear demand for an HD-capable version of the console forerunner.
In all the gaming sphere there is and will never be any shortage on the number of nostalgic gamers longing for a chance to to re-kindle the glory days of everyone's favorite Italian plumber.
Finally, after nearly 20 years Super Mario has returned to a new two-dimensional adventure on a Nintendo home console in "New Super Mario Bros. Wii."
However, "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" feels less like an original title and more like 2006's "New Super Mario Bros." for the Nintendo DS on the Wii.
Certainly, Mario and Luigi return to their natural form in classic 2D side-scrolling action featuring levels reminiscent of "Super Mario Bros. 3" and "Super Mario World," but that same style was originally mimicked in the Nintendo DS version of the game.
The same visual palette, world map overview, and general feel of the DS is nearly identical to the new Wii iteration. Call this a bad thing? No way.
Fans of classic Super Mario festivities who do not own a Nintendo DS but have a Nintendo Wii in their household will delight in the nostalgic charm of the game.
Additionally, returning power-ups from the original series and DS installation are met with new surprises from a helicopter-propelled hat, ice "fire" balls, and a penguin suit each adding an new layer to gameplay - and a comical twist as well.
Most notably - however - is the multiplayer gameplay. Never in a 2D "Super Mario Bros." adventure have two (let alone four) players played at the same time creating chaos on the screen and adding a new level of cooperation and competitiveness to the series.
"New Super Mario Bros. Wii" may not win any awards for an amazing story, groundbreaking visuals, or revolutionary gameplay, but it does what it is supposed to do perfectly - revive exactly what made the "Super Mario Bros." series so successful classic, 2D gameplay.
Too bad the cruise down memory lane ends a little too abruptly. Here's hoping for future installations of the series and a revamp in other classic Nintendo series.
Eventually we want to be on all the game consoles, all the Blu-ray players, all the Internet TVs. So we are working in parallel with all of those efforts.
With today's PS3 announcement, it will only be a matter of time until we see Netflix on the Nintendo Wii as well.
However, it seems as though Microsoft's price edge with a $199 Xbox 360 Arcade will soon be met with a $199 Nintendo Wii effective September 27.
Nintendo could easily do without a price drop as consumers appear to still be enthralled with the motion controlled system which should now remain the cheapest console.
Alas, I still do not foresee any increase in sales for the Wii with the minor price reduction.
Today "The Beatles: Rock Band" was officially released to the world as well as digitally remastered versions of the full Beatles library.
However, before you run out and drop some serious cash out of "Beatlemania" you might want to reconsider your purchasing plan and figure out what is the best strategy for you.
It is no secret to anyone that the 45-track rhythm-based game is a special treat to Beatles fans and music lovers alike and it is no secret that the "limited edition premium bundle" costs $250. This bundle includes Paul McCartney's signature Hofner Bass replica wireless guitar, a "Beatles brand" drum set, microphone, microphone stand, and the game software itself.
The less expensive "special value edition" still comes with a whopping $140 price tag and includes the game software as well as standard "Rock Band" drums, guitar, and microphone.
That's right, the $110 difference is purely for instruments that look like Paul's bass and Ringo's drums. To make things worse is that the price is consistent across consoles. Normally, the Nintendo Wii version of any "Rock Band" or "Guitar Hero" title is at least $10 cheaper due to the consoles lower graphically complexity - but not this time.
Fork out the cash Wii owners.
It is clear that this is going to be an expensive purchase if you don't already own either "Rock Band" or "Guitar Hero" bundles - remember, the instruments are inner changeable by law.
So what's the best plan of attack?
The Completest Bundle (all Beatles instruments, 3 microphones) = $510
Sadly, in order receive the full "The Beatles: Rock Band" experience you have to spend enough money to buy a couple of consoles.
The newest feature in the "Rock Band" franchise is the ability to harmonize with fellow players in the saw way the "fab four" used it. "Rock Band" microphones cost about $30 each and up to three players can harmonize at once so that's an added $60.
Finally, you can have your full "The Beatles: Rock Band" experience at a low price of $510.
That's about the price of either an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii combined.
The Starter Band (microphone, drums, standard guitar, Beatles guitar) = $240
If you're not into dropping $510 or even $250 to play as the Beatles then you may want to consider the "special value edition" even though you don't get any shinny Beatles instruments.
However, you could couple that purchase with one of the special edition guitars and create your own bundle with a microphone, drums, and two guitars at only $240.
Right now you can get the exact peripherals as the "special value edition" plus "Rock Band 2" for only $20 more through GameStop.
Throw in a Beatles guitar for $100 and you sitting at $10 more than the "limited edition" with two guitars and "Rock Band 2."
Thankfully, I'm not the only one who sees how overpriced this game can be. The hefty price tag and short lived story mode was the highlight of 1up.com's review.
Nevertheless, the game looks great and hopefully you can find a purchasing method that fits your budget.
Nintendo originally expanded the video game audience with the Nintendo Wii, but now the motion-controlled console may have provoked significant changes for the entire industry.
At the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, Calif, both Microsoft and Sony unveiled new motion control technology for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles. Now Xbox 360 and PS3 owners will enjoy gaming in the same way Nintendo Wii owners have since the console’s launch in 2006.
However, are these the right moves for Microsoft’s and Sony’s core audience?
Microsoft’s “Project Natal” is a camera attachment to existing Xbox 360 consoles which senses three-dimensional movement. This allows players to control the movement of characters and manipulate various gameplay mechanics by tracking body movements.
Despite rumors that “Natal” may rebrand the Xbox franchise, director of product management for Xbox Aaron Greenberg reiterated that “Natal” will be functional with all Xbox 360 consoles and no new console investments will be needed: except for the potentially costly price tag of the peripheral itself.
On the Sony front, its bout into the motion control area was unveiled at its E3 press conference as well.
Sony’s “motion controller” may lack creatively in its name, but was extensively demonstrated on stage.
In what appears to be a cross between Nintendo’s motion controller and Microsoft’s camera technology, the Sony motion control scheme utilizes a Playstation 3 update of the “Eye Toy” in conjunction with an awkward looking controller/wand which includes a color changing sphere at the top.
What’s most upsetting is that we haven’t heard anything more from what looks to be a less polished venture into the motion controller market.
It is now clear that Nintendo’s success with motion control has attracted the attention of the other two console giants. However it is not simply motion control which marks Nintendo’s success it is its marketing and nonabrasive approach to expanding video game player demographics which has attracted so much attention.
Microsoft and Sony are both powerhouses in maintaining the “hardcore” gamer demographic with high-profile video game releases that Nintendo cannot match due to not only the philosophy of porting games which attract a wide consumer base, but due to the Wii’s graphical limitations.
If you noticed at Nintendo’s E3 press conference you saw announcements about games which are supposed to attract “hardcore” audiences such as “Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles” and “Dead Space Extraction.” These are not true games within the series, but watered-down ports of popular franchises in an attempt to appease the “hardcore” demographic.
You will not see “Resident Evil 5” or “Dead Space 2” on the Wii.
Microsoft and Sony need to be careful as to not fall into the trap of trying to attract a wider demographic – which Nintendo now has a stranglehold on – and disappoint hardcore gamers in the process.
For example, my question is how will a first-person shooter going to work on “Natal?”
Will you have to make a gun with your index finger and thumb and pretend like your shooting something?
FPS is likely the most popular video game genre and Microsoft may likely leave fans of the genre feeling jilted if the focus of the “Natal” does not accommodate FPS gameplay.
Nevertheless, Microsoft seems eager to introduce their view on the “future of gaming” and even showcased “Natal’s” potential on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” a week after its announcement at E3. Jimmy Fallon asked an interesting question during the demonstration when he asked “could you put this in your dorm room?” Xbox creative director Kudo Tsunosa carefully dodged the question by saying that it will fit into all types of living spaces.
This is another potentially troubling point since Xbox 360’s core audience is college-aged males with limited living space and is a common complaint with the Wii.
Sony’s motion controller features a must needed controller for such games, but feels slightly tacked-on and looks to be falling too closely in-step with Microsoft and Nintendo. The combination of purchasing an “Eye Toy” and new controller is likely to be pricey as well.
Also, these differences in mechanics may discourage developers who may choose to create games for traditional controllers anyway.
Market research firm the NPD Group announced in their "Gamer Segmentation 2009" report that female gamers are on the rise once again in 2009.
According to NPD Group's latest press release, 28 percent of the console gamers are female.
This is a 5 percent increase from 23 percent in 2008 according to the report.
The NPD Group is attributing this increase to the growing popularity of the Nintendo Wii which saw a 19 percent increase in usage as compared to last year:
This underscores the finding that more females are using console systems, especially the Wii.
NPD Group analyst Anita Frazier noted perseverance of console gaming in the competitive era of web 2.0:
Last year was one of the most transformative in history in terms of defining the audience for gaming. Even with the increased competition from mobile and social network gaming, the console gamer segment added the most new participants to its ranks in the last year.
The report also noted that 16 percent of video game purchases occurred digitally. This is no doubt representative of purchases made in online stores such as the Xbox Live Marketplace, Playstation Network, and Wii Shop Channel.
However, a decreasing number of gamers are willing to pay for these transactions according to NPD.
Why would gamers want to pay for some of these transactions?
A majority of the content that can be purchased on these online store are add-on content for disc-based games in which the consumer has already paid upwards to $60.
Many gamers, myself included, feel it is ridiculous to pay an additional $10 to $15 for maps, levels, costumes, and other extras which should be free for download as a supplement to the initial $60 investment.
Why would someone pay $60 for 10 levels or missions and another $15 for only one downloadable level/mission?
Mickey Mouse may not be living in such a pleasant wonderland after all.
The gaming news circuit is abuzz with leaked concept art for a Disney title unlike any other.
Codenamed "Epic Mickey" appears to be a new dramatic title for the Nintendo Wii from "Deus Ex" developer Warren Spector which displays a beautifully warped and twisted world of Disney.
Once again these images have been leaked with no official word from Disney or Spector's "Junction Point" studios.
No word if these images could be somehow linked to an addition to the Kingdom Hearts series which would be befitting of the dramatic artistic structure. Take a look at more amazingly beautiful concept art below:
Sega made a surprising announcement today that everyone's favorite fast-paced marsupial Sonic the Hedgehog is finally returning to where he belongs - in two-dimensions.
Finally, after nearly 20 years Super Mario has returned to a new two-dimensional adventure on a Nintendo home console in "New Super Mario Bros. Wii."
Fans of classic Super Mario festivities who do not own a Nintendo DS but have a Nintendo Wii in their household will delight in the nostalgic charm of the game.
