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Earlier today, the Wii received a firmware update that closed the Wii Shop for several hours. Now that’s it’s back up, it’s readily apparent that the Shop was the main beneficiary. It now sports a search feature and lists the most popular games, among other things. There was a variety of other, smaller changes that have been documented on NeoGAF.
Channels:
- Digital Clock added to the Wii Menu right under the channel bar
- Forecast Channel now displays the current condition (cloudy, raining, etc.) directly in the Wii Menu in the Forecast Channel box
- News Channel can now show 2 scrolling headlines at a time in the Wii Menu, 3 when you click on the button (supposedly this requires occasional downloading of the headlines to keep the ticker updated)
- Message Board now has the “Today’s Accomplishments” message as a white message which allows it to stand out from other messages
- Address Book entries can now be shifted around using A+B (supposed to be a launch feature) but only to empty spaces. Not too convenient.
- Calendar in Message Board no longer shows “Today’s Accomplishment” only days as having messages
- Scrolling messages in the Message Board now uses a different sound
- Today’s Accomplishments in Message Boards now includes the names of people to whom messages were sent out
Wii Shop Channel Overhauled: (Visual aesthetic is the same, changes made to organization and browsing methods mostly)
- New Welcome screen detailing 4 Recommended Titles and the points they cost (gone is the title screen bar that had linkable games). The title bar can be clicked on to bring up a list of 20 recommended games.
- Titles You’ve Downloaded was moved to the main shop menu
- New ways to browse
- Popular Titles (2 pages of 10 and includes launch games so not only based on recent info)
- Newest Additions remains the same
- Search for a title which can use partial names
- Search by Category
- System shows the different systems and how many titles have been released under each
- Publisher showing different publishers and amount of titles released (Nice logos!)
- Genre (different genres listed and amount of titles under each)
Accessibility
- Load times in interchannel loading has supposedly decreased
- Password fields filled in using the keyboard (like on the Internet Channel) now display
Settings
- Warning added pre-system update detailing that technically modified consoles may cease to function upon being updated. Also the only way to not accept an update is to power down the console by holding the button for 4 seconds (the user can’t back out of hitting I Accept w/o powering down)
- Ability to quickly scroll the different options pages using the +,- keys
- Blue disc light lights up when inserting or removing a game
- Light also comes on when starting the Forecast or News Channels
Read More 
| NeoGAF
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Virtual Console 8/6: Wave Race 64, Galaga ’90, And Adventures of Lolo
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Action, Driving, Nintendo, Puzzle, Retro, Virtual Console, Wii,
Okay, this week’s crop of games on the Virtual Console is pretty simple: one game you might care about, and two you shouldn’t. Galaga ’90 (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, 600 points) is an updated version of the arcade Galaga, so unless you’re infatuated with Galaga, chances are it isn’t worth your Wii Points. Adventures of Lolo (NES, 1 player, 500 points) is a strange puzzle game that’s only going to get in your way of Wave Race 64 (Nintendo 64, 1-2 players, 1000 points). It’s two players and was pretty fun in the day, and just happens to be the type of game that still holds up today. If you enjoyed the GameCube sequel, are looking for some VC fun or are a fan of jet-skiing, give Wave Race 64 a look.
Click to continue reading Virtual Console 8/6: Wave Race 64, Galaga ’90, And Adventures of Lolo
Viva Piñata Headed To The Nintendo DS
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Casual, Microsoft, Nintendo, Nintendo DS, Strategy,
During Comic-Con last week, Microsoft announced that a Viva Piñata title was in development for the Nintendo DS. Apparently, this isn’t going to be a Party Animals port (the Mario Party-style Viva Piñata title announced during this year’s Microsoft E3 press conference) – instead, it’ll be a full on remake of the Xbox 360 game. It’ll contain all of the piñata found in the Xbox 360 version, as well as some new ones, as well.
“You’ll also be given free rein with an expanded selection of tools and tool actions, upgraded forms of the Journal and Encyclopaedia, and brand new game modes such as Sandbox (for full and easy access to your favourite Piñatas) and Episodes (tying in more closely to the TV series and allowing fans of the show to spend quality time with familiar faces).”
The game will be designed with the unique features of the DS in mind; most specifically, the DS’ touch panel.
“Design, nurture, instruct, protect and care for your garden and animals through direct touch. The DS WiFi service also lets you send prime Piñata specimens to your friends, making the act of parading your Doenut around in a humiliating pirate outfit easier than ever.”
It’ll be interesting to see exactly who gets the publishing rights to the game. Following Microsoft’s acquisition, Rare did still release several games on the Game Boy Advance, all of which were published by THQ. And the recently released Diddy Kong Racing DS, developed by Rare, was published by Nintendo.
Read More | CVG
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Virtual Console 7/30: Star Soldier, Dynamite Headdy, And Drop Off
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Action, Adventure, Nintendo, Puzzle, Retro, Virtual Console, Wii,
While the Xbox Live Arcade is set to get the classic Marathon, Virtual Console’s additions this week include Star Soldier (vertical shooter; NES, 500 Wii points), Dynamite Headdy (platformer; Genesis, 800 points) and Drop Off (puzzle; TurboGrafx16, 600 points) – all pretty old titles. This is really a hardcore retro week, apparently.
All three are now available. Check after the break for more details.
Click to continue reading Virtual Console 7/30: Star Soldier, Dynamite Headdy, And Drop Off
GameVideos Interview With Shigeru Miyamoto
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Nintendo, Nintendo DS, Wii,
Electronic Gaming Monthly executive editor Shane Bettenhausen had a chance to sit down with Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto during E3 to ask him some questions – ranging from the new Wii accessories to people’s perception of Wii Fit to Animal Crossing Wii. There’s nothing groundbreaking, but it’s nice to hear SOMETHING about Animal Crossing Wii. And from what Miyamoto said, it sounds as if we’ll certainly be seeing New Super Mario Bros. 2. (Like we didn’t already know that.)
According To Reggie, No Wii Fit In US In 2007
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Casual, Nintendo, Release Dates, Wii,
Chris Kohler of Wired’s Game | Life had a chat with Reggie Fils-Aime about Wii Fit during E3, and two details came out of it – one of which was particularly noteworthy. As we all expect, the game will cost more than the traditional $50 price point for Wii titles. Research is still being done on the cost of the Wii Balance Board, so that will be what helps dictate the final price. Nintendo knows how well Guitar Hero II on Xbox 360 did at $89.99, so don’t be too surprised if Wii Fitness fell into that ballpark.
The other tidbit was that Wii Fit won’t be seeing a release in the United States this year. Japan will be seeing it by year’s end, but not in the states. Understandable, considering that Super Smash Bros. Brawl is coming in December and Super Mario Galaxy in November. But isn’t Nintendo missing out on a tremendous amount of sales during the holiday shopping season by releasing it in ’08?
Read More | Game | Life
Virtual Console 7/23: Kirby, Devil’s Crush, And Shining Force
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Casual, Nintendo, Role Playing Games, Sports, Virtual Console, Wii,
Before you get excited, it’s not the good Kirby. (Well, not what I’d consider good, at least.) The SNES’ Kirby’s Dream Course is the big name title this week, and a week where a Kirby-themed golf game is headliner isn’t really a good week for the Virtual Console. Nevertheless, you’ll also be able to pick up Devil’s Crush, a pinball game and the RPG Shining Force, which may sound familiar because it received a remake on the Game Boy Advance in 2004.
Details after the break.
Click to continue reading Virtual Console 7/23: Kirby, Devil’s Crush, And Shining Force
GamerAndy Live! Episode 86: Chocolate Rain
Posted by Edie Sellers Categories: Activision, Announcements, Corporate News, Culture, E3, Electronic Arts, First Person Shooters, Microsoft, MMORPG, Music, Nintendo, Nintendo DS, PC, PlayStation 3, Politics, Portable/Mobile, PSP, Release Dates, Reviews, Role Playing Games, Rumors, Sony, Sports, Third Person Shooters, Wii, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace, GamerAndy,
Finally, now that the dust has settled from E3, we have finally found the time to get our thoughts in order and give you an extra-long episode of GamerAndy Live!
This week, Edie and Hawkes chat up all that happened before E3, during E3, and after E3, including:
OUR E3 COVERAGE
- How Edie spotted Slash, missed Ron Jeremy and got groped by China Doll;
- Edie defends why she thinks Nintendo “won” E3 this year;
- Why Hawkes wasn’t as impressed at Killzone 2 as many others;
- Burnout Paradise;
- John Woo’s Stranglehold;
- Fallout 3;
- Hellgate: London;
- Katamari Damarcy;
- PGR4;
- Assassin’s Creed;
- Why Activision will get sued over Guitar Hero III;
- The big scoop we
had;
- Rumor that E for All may not happen
NEWS
- Peter Moore chucks MS job for EA Sports;
- EA Sports: Hockey-less in ‘08;
- Chocolate Rain;
- Bully revamped for release on 360 and Wii;
- Wii Fit
- MGS4 coming to 360?
- Shoutouts and Shoutats;
- Problems for Unreal Engine?
- X07 gone;
- Xbox extended warantees;
- PS3 price drop…er, clearance sale;
- The Jaime Kennedy Embarassment;
- South Park’s WoW episode nominated for Emmy
Enjoy!
Virtual Console 7/16: Finally, We Get Paper Mario In The US
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Action, First Person Shooters, Nintendo, Role Playing Games, Virtual Console, Wii,
The original Paper Mario – which was a straight-up RPG, unlike the recent Wii title – has finally made its way to the Virtual Console in the US. The timing of the release seems a bit odd – you would have thought it should have come out at the same time, if not prior to, Super Paper Mario did. Nevertheless, this was one of the best games on the N64 bar none, so make sure to pick it up for 1,000 Wii Points ($10).
The other two releases are both forgettable, however. Balloon Fight (500 points, NES) and Silent Debuggers (600 points, TurboGrafx16) aren’t worth their price tags, and by today’s standards, aren’t particularly good. Do the sensible thing; buy Paper Mario, and don’t waste any points on these two duds.
Click to continue reading Virtual Console 7/16: Finally, We Get Paper Mario In The US
E3 2007: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Still Not Confirmed To Have Online
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Action, E3, Fighting, Internet, Nintendo, Rumors, Wii,
1UP is reporting on the omission of any mention of online gameplay when the subject of Smash Bros. Brawl came up at Nintendo’s press conference earlier this week. Of course, online is a feature that’s probably probably the number one item on every gamer’s wish list when it comes to Super Smash Bros. So it really raises an eyebrow when Nintendo discusses its dedication to online gaming but fails to mention anything about Brawl being online.
It’s suggested in the 1UP story that Nintendo may simply want gamers to focus on the concept of Mario Kart Wii’s online play. And, of course, there is the Tokyo Game Show where Nintendo could make the announcement. Given that this press conference seemed heavily focused on Nintendo’s mentality of expanding the market with casual games, an announcement of Smash Bros. Brawl being online would have drastically diverted attention from that focus.
We’ll keep you up to date on this situation; in the meantime, let’s keep our fingers crossed and all hope that Nintendo knows what it’s doing.
Read More | 1UP
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