“Some of the video game industry’s smartest minds thought that couch potatoes wanted richer graphics and more challenging virtual worlds. It turns out that a lot of potatoes simply wanted to get off the couch. That may be the best explanation for the growing popularity of the Nintendo Wii, the new video game system that has players jumping, punching and swinging, giving them an aerobic workout right in front of their television sets.
The Wii, which uses an innovative wireless controller to translate the players’ motions onto the screen, has upset the order of the video game world. In electronics stores and elsewhere, there are growing signs that the Wii has taken the lead in buzz and sales over another new console, the Sony PlayStation 3, which offers new superlatives in processing power and graphics.
The competitive picture became clearer on Tuesday, when Sony reported disappointing profits that industry analysts attributed largely to the expensive and shaky rollout of the PlayStation 3 and lukewarm demand for the complex machines. By contrast, Nintendo said last week that its own third-quarter sales were up 40 percent from a year earlier, buoyed by Wii sales.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 21, 2006 in Videogames
So I wanted to get the perfect gift for a tech junkie who already owns not one, not two, but three iPods! Then it hit me: Why not get a Nintendo DS Lite? It’s perfect for someone stuck on a subway, it’s the right price, and best of all it’s an interesting gadget with the cute two screen interface.
Well I’ve just returned from stopping at five stores, and I can tell you that the Nintendo DS Lite is sold out in Manhattan. In fact when I stopped by Circuit City I was told they’ve been sold out for two weeks now. When I stopped by a GamesStop store a sales clerk gave me his explanation:
“From what I’ve seen many parents ran in here to buy the Wii which is also sold out. But they somehow figure getting a Nintendo something will do the trick, so they buy the DS Lite!”
This sort of makes sense to me, but if it’s true something tells me that quite a few kids who asked Santa for a Wii will be a bit let down on Monday morning…
“Released last week, the Tamagotchi Music Fever is a music-based Tamagotchi game from Bandai, now celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Tamagotchi. Its flash memory can hold up to 120 minutes of music, and gameplay integrates the music as well with “Session” (character plays an instrument) and “dance” (umm…dancing?).”
“To show our love for the Wii, we developed exceptional Wii skins, with maximum coverage and a precision fit to avoid huge gaps between panels. Our premium thin materials cover both sides of the console, so it’s gorgeous in or out of the stand.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 9, 2006 in Videogames
This is a very cool online Flash version of the classic run-and-gun game Metal Slug, the only catch is that the instructions are in Chinese! press the middle tab to see the keyboard controls, followed by the second tab to continue, then choose a difficulty level (easy, medium, hard – in that order):
“Remember those super-cool space ships you doodled on graph paper in Middle School? Pen strokes furiously waging massive intergalactic battles in History class with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance? Well they have sprung to life in SketchFighter 4000 Alpha!”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 3, 2006 in Videogames
According to an article in Variety, the Japanese snaped up 400,000 Wii units, and stores across the country are reporting first-day sellouts of the new game console. Nintendo plans to release 4 million units worldwide by the end of the year, compared with an expected 2 million units shipped for the PS3.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 28, 2006 in Videogames
I have to admit I haven’t been excited about the game industry for quite some time, but this year Wii seems to be changing that. What’s odd is that when I first heard about Wii my thinking was “this machine can’t live up to the hype” and sure enough I was right, because the deserved hype isn’t so much about the hardware as good old fashioned game design which feels much more innovative and more interesting than the usual “Football 2007” and “Yet Another More Realistic Shooter Game”.
Elebits on Wii is an example of one of those games that’s going to make the Wii a sure winner. Even from a casual glance Elebits from Konami looks like a fun game to play. The game design works like this:
“Elebits are creatures that serve as an energy source for the world, which strangely, suddenly go on strike. The name is a portmanteau of “electricity”, for their power, and “bits”, for their tiny size. As the player hunts the Elebits, the game world will slowly evolve.”
Here is a promotional video explaining the back story and some character designs:
Posted by Michael Pinto on Oct 25, 2006 in Videogames
Straight from the second season of South Park, someone has lit a giant snake firework and now it’s wrecking havoc. It’s up to YOU to save the town… or, alternatively, to take out townspeople yourself… or both:
Posted by Michael Pinto on Oct 24, 2006 in Videogames
If you’ve always dreamed about getting into real game design, here’s your chance! Enterbrain has created a program that allow you to roll your own RPG game, and it’s pretty low cost (only $65 or so):
“Introducing RPG MAKER XP, the latest Windows entry in the RPG MAKER series that gives you the power to create your own original role-playing games. Its popular and highly user-friendly editor interface has been carried over from RPG MAKER 2000, and its graphic capabilities, battle screen layout, and data packaging features are better than ever. By popular demand, this latest installment also boasts a brand-new Scripting function. RPG MAKER XP is bound to satisfy beginners and experts alike.”
Posted by Michael Pinto on Oct 18, 2006 in Videogames
This is an old-school gamers dream come true! Some folks have created an online emulation of the Apple ][ and the Apple ][ GS. The only catch is that you have to have Windows and use Internet Explorer for your browser, but if you can get past that they have dozens of great old school games online:
![Virtual Apple ][](http://www.fanboy.com/archive-images/virtual-apple-2.jpg)