It’s day 2 of E3 which means its Nintendo’s turn to make a slew of product announcements for their Wii and DS gaming systems. Without actually rewriting everything, here’s a recap of all the new announcements courtesy of the Nintendo Press Release. Enjoy!

Nintendo Wii announcements:

• Wii MotionPlus: Nintendo’s Wii MotionPlus accessory offers motion-controlled precision when combined with specially designed games. When connected to the Wii Remote controller, it delivers on Nintendo’s promise to provide even more immersive physical reality in its games. The device senses subtle motion and can locate where and how players hold the Wii Remote controller in 3-D space. It pushes active gaming to new levels of immersion and a new standard of control. Wii MotionPlus will complement a host of third-party games launching in the next few weeks.

• Wii Sports Resort: Nintendo showcased the versatility of the Wii MotionPlus accessory in demos of some of the activities included in Wii Sports Resort, an immersive, expansive active-play game. Wii Sports Resort includes a dozen fun resort-themed activities that maintain the wide-ranging appeal that attracted millions to the original Wii Sports. Wii Sports Resort is easy to pick up and play, but comes coupled with deeper levels of play that are sure to challenge even the most experienced gamers with precise controls. The Wii MotionPlus accessory will help players come much closer to the physical reality of engaging in the actual sports. The Wii MotionPlus accessory launches June 8 at a suggested retail price of $19.99, and comes bundled with Wii Sports Resort on July 26 at a suggested retail price of $49.99.

• Wii Fit Plus: Wii Fit attracted millions of new players to the world of video games, and now Wii Fit Plus offers a range of new features and enhancements, along with exercises and balance games designed to keep workouts fun. Players will find an additional dimension to the Wii Fit experience as they easily set their own customized daily workout routines or choose 20-, 30- or 40-minute workouts based on how much time they have available. Users will also be able to choose from specialized workout routines that help players strive toward specific objectives, like toning tummies, tightening arms or even reducing stress. Workouts combine the original Wii Fit activities and selections from 15 new balance games and six new strength training and yoga activities. Wii Fit Plus will come packed with the Wii Balance Board accessory, and also will be sold separately as software for people who already have a Wii Balance Board at home. Both will be available in fall 2009.
• New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Developers at Nintendo have dreamed of creating a simultaneous multiplayer Super Mario Bros. game for decades. The Wii console finally makes that dream come true for everyone this holiday season. Now players can navigate the side-scrolling worlds alone as before or invite up to three others to join them at the same time on the same level at any point in the game for competitive and cooperative multiplayer fun in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. With the multiplayer mode, the newest installment of the most popular video game franchise is designed to bring yet another type of family entertainment into living rooms and engage groups of friends in fast-paced Super Mario Bros. fun.

• Super Mario Galaxy 2: This upcoming adventure for the Wii console marks the first time a second 3-D Mario game has arrived in the same console generation. In the game, Mario rides his trusty dinosaur companion, Yoshi, to new stars and the fantastic worlds found there. This 3-D platforming adventure provides longtime video game fans with a fresh round of out-of-this-world challenges in the style introduced in the critically acclaimed original. The game is planned for 2010.
• Metroid: Other M: Nintendo showcased a trailer for a new installment in its acclaimed Metroid franchise for the Wii console. Metroid: Other M marks an unprecedented collaboration with world-renowned developers Team Ninja, and provides fans with high-energy, action-packed game play as it delves deeper into the back story of famed deep-space bounty hunter Samus Aran. This game is scheduled for release in 2010.
• Wii Vitality Sensor: Nintendo’s newest groundbreaking product, the Wii Vitality Sensor, expands the appeal of video games. It will initially sense the user’s pulse and a number of other signals being transmitted by their bodies, and will then provide information to the users about the body’s inner world.

Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi:

• Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!: This game marks the third installment of this franchise and, more importantly, the first Nintendo DSiWare game to let players design levels from the ground up. Mario will need to dodge obstacles to confront his longtime nemesis Donkey Kong, but this time the players will have full control over where to set traps, enemies and a host of power-ups in the construction zone. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! will be available in the Nintendo DSi Shop beginning Monday, June 8, for 800 Nintendo DSi Points.
• Integrating Photos with Facebook: For its Nintendo DSi system, Nintendo announced the ability for users to upload pictures taken with the system’s built-in camera and interactive lenses directly to Facebook. Using Facebook Connect, the integration will be available this summer with a Nintendo DSi system update, making it even easier for people to personalize and share their photos with friends and family on Facebook.

• Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story: Nintendo revealed Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, a new chapter to the popular role-playing franchise that places players into the belly of the beast – literally. Players will get to enjoy trademark hilarious dialogue in the fall of 2009 as they juggle two concurrent storylines. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story is playable on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems.
• Golden Sun DS: After going dark six years ago, 2010 will see a new dawn. Golden Sun DS updates the popular portable Golden Sun role-playing series with an impressive graphical style. This installment follows the story of the previous heroes’ descendants and immerses players into the magic of its adventure by pushing the boundaries of intuitive touch-screen controls. Golden Sun DS is playable on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems.
• WarioWare D.I.Y.: This game, which puts the concept of user-generated content on center stage, allows players to design their own micro-games from scratch. Every element, such as the characters, the environment, the actions and even the purpose of the micro-game itself, is controlled entirely by the player. Players will then be able to share their completed micro-games with other WarioWare D.I.Y. owners. The latest game in the WarioWare series is playable on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems.

Technorati Tags: Nintendo E3 2009

Are you hoping for a Nintendo Wii price cut anytime soon? Forget it. According to this Wall Street Journal blog posting, Nintendo isn’t planning to cut the price of the Nintendo Wii ahead of E3 – even though there are signs that U.S. demand for the Wii might be cooling off. Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America is quoted as saying:

“We are not considering any type of price change at any point, at this time.”

The company is looking to content to help boost console sales but would not mention what games might be introduced at E3.

Finally, forget about Nintendo entering the handheld/phone biz too. Mr. Fils-Aime had this to say about that market:

“The phone industry is outside our expertise. And so I would never say never, but fundamentally, Nintendo is an entertainment company… Right now the way we define our company, getting into the phone business is a pretty radical departure.”

[Check it out]

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There’s absolutely no doubt that the Nintendo Wii has revolutionized the way we play with video games. With motion sensing controllers, innovative games like Wii Sports and Wii Fit, what else could possibly be in store for the Wii?

Well folks – might I introduce you to the new “Let’s Tap” video game by the folks at Prope. The game works by placing the Wiimote face down on a flat surface and then tapping on it to finish game. Yes.. if you thought your downstairs neighbors hated you for making a lot of noise, then they’ll really hate you for all that tapping noise.  No word on when this game will hit the states.

[Check it out via GearFuse, Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Technorati Tags: Let\'s Tap, Prope, Nintendo Wii

Yeah I know.. this is somewhat old news. I meant to post this yesterday but well.. work happens!

In any case, a blog called “What They Play” is claiming that Nintendo will be releasing a new Wii console by 2011. The author “heard from multiple sources in the game development and publishing community that Nintendo is currently showing early presentations of its next home console hardware.” Dubbed as supposedly a true “next generation” Nintendo console, the new Wii HD (unconfirmed name) will supposedly feature:

• High Definition support
• Local storage – hard drive or flash
• Emphasis on digitally distributed content as well as backward compatible content

It really should be no surprise that Nintendo would be scheduling their next generation console for 2011. This puts the new console approximately 5 years from the introduction of the current Wii. With the incredible success of the Wii, it only makes sense that Nintendo would want to continue leveraging the momentum for further enhancements. Why wait for the competition to catch up? Continue to put them on the defensive!

[Check it out via News.com]

Technorati Tags: Nintendo, Wii, next generation Wii

Energizer announced their new Power & Play charging systems designed specifically for the wireless controllers of the three major consoles – the Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360, and the Sony PlayStation 3.

The Energizer Power & Play charging system for the Wii will retail for $39.99 and come with rechargeable batteries, replacement battery doors, and a charging station. Replacement rechargeable batteries and covers will also be available for $10.99. A rechargeable battery pack for the Nintendo Wii Fit equipped with an audible and LED low-battery indicator will also be available for $29.99.

The Energizer Power & Play charging system for the Xbox 360 and the PS3 includes a charging cradle, and an AC cord, and will go for $29.99. Additional cords will go for $12.99 for the Xbox 360 and $9.99 for the PS3.

The new Power & Play charging systems will be available later this month.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Energizer, Power & Play, Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Don Reisinger published an interesting editorial today on News.com entitled “The Xbox 360 should win this console war”. Yes.. a sure fire way to start a flame war on a website! Without going too much into details of the article (which you should just read for yourself if you’re interested), Mr. Reisinger believes Microsoft should win the current next-generation console wars due to a few key things: price, third party support and of course content. Reading this article got my mind spinning a bit.. I started recapping where we came from in terms of the console wars and what the current state of reality really is like for the three major players. Ultimately, I found myself asking this simple question “does it really matter anymore who the real winner is?”. Each of these consoles might have started from a common background but the end results have been mixed and definitely not what anyone originally conceived of. 

A look back..

Let’s recap first. Three years ago the buzz in the gaming industry was all about the upcoming next-generation console wars. Which console was better spec wise? Which console had more titles coming out? Which console was going to kick the living daylights out of the other in terms of raw graphics performance. Yes.. these were fun times indeed.

In fact, the three companies involved were coming from altogether different places in life. Sony was the clear leader in the console gaming market with the crazy success of the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 platform. Microsoft was playing catchup with the Xbox console and Nintendo.. well these good folks were just trying to stay relevant.

First out of the gate was Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console and yes.. the console got fairly positive reviews initially. Lines were long for the console and there were a decent number of solid titles for the Xbox 360. As time went by, the 360 grew stronger and stronger primarily due to the growing number of gaming titles and the ever increasing capabilities of the console. Every new Dashboard update brought with it many new features for the Xbox 360 console.

Sony, on the other hand, ran into problems with the PS3. It was late. It was hard to program against. It was expensive to manufacture. It had less than stellar launch titles.. and finally, it was a year behind the Xbox 360 and more expensive. Yet, when the PS3 came out in late 2006, things were not necessarily lost on Sony. It still had one thing that the other consoles did not have. It had Blu-ray built right into the console which would ultimately change the face of the console. However, along the way, Sony also changed the specs on the PS3 console. Originally, the system offered backwards PS2 compatibility. Then in cost cutting efforts, we saw the compatibility disappear. Then we saw delays in the online community for the PS3 (while we saw a growing and thriving Xbox LIVE community for Microsoft). Ultimately, Sony had to bite the bullet and offer cheaper PS3 consoles with smaller storage amounts which were still more expensive than the Xbox 360. Yet.. there was Blu-ray.

Then there was the little console that could. The Nintendo Wii. Who knew that this small non-descrip looking unit would capture the world’s attention thanks to the Wii Remote and the included WiiSports game? While the console was pitiful in terms of graphics performance, it won over hearts simply because it was fun to play with. Who knew that it would be fun to bowl at home with your friends? Who knew it would be fun for your girlfriend to strike you out in Baseball? Who knew??  Oh yes.. the Wii also was cheap.. and THAT my friends certainly helped the appeal of the device (not to mention that the inability to get one only drove up the hype for the console!).

So that brings up to today. The Nintendo Wii is clearly the numbers leader (in terms of number of units shipped) with the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 bringing up the rear. Yet, the Xbox 360 is PROBABLY climbing up faster thanks to recent price cuts.. and thus quite possibly will become the eventual winner in the consoles wars according to number of units shipped.  Thus yes, Microsoft will probably be able to say one day that they are the leader in terms of the console wars.

However, does this really matter today?

Reality Today

Let me explain why in many ways none of this matters.

When the Xbox 360 first came out, the talk was all about the graphics horsepower and the title breadth of the platform. When the PS3 came out, people instantly took snapshots between comparable games on the PS3 and the Xbox 360 to see which console was BETTER graphically. The argument continued as to which platform provided more horsepower. Yet when the Wii came out.. people realized that in many ways, graphics didn’t matter IF the game was utterly fun. Nintendo changed the gaming world to recognize that innovative thinking could out-trump raw horsepower. Nintendo also showed the world that you could be innovative AND cheap.. thus driving sales beyond what Microsoft and Sony could have imagined.

Yet, Microsoft quickly saw the opportunity to praise Nintendo – not necessarily compete against it. Executives from the company talked about how families would buy two consoles – the Xbox 360 and the Wii because they wanted two very different experiences. (oh yes.. the old joke was you could buy an Xbox 360 console and a Nintendo Wii console for the same price as a single PS3). The Xbox 360 would give a full reaching multimedia experience – everything from gaming to video on demand capabilities to Media Center Extender support while the Wii would be great for parties and fun simple games that didn’t require intensive graphics rendering capabilities.

Ironically enough, this segmentation is pretty much what happened. The three consoles are being purchased based on their strengths and weaknesses and thus, it’s not simple to declare a single winner in the gaming industry.. because in many ways, it’s not about gaming anymore. It’s about delivering some sort of entertainment experience.

Consider the PS3. Quality titles for the PS3 are somewhat woeful. Sure, there’s Metal Gear Solid but let’s face it PS3 fans – the Xbox 360 trounces your library. Yet there is one thing that the PS3 has that no one else has and that’s the built-in Blu-ray player. In fact, this ace in the hole is often how Sony markets the console player. Also, consider the following. If you’re thinking about getting into Blu-ray for the first time.. would you rather spend $400 dollars on a standalone Blu-ray player OR would you rather spend $400 dollars on the PS3 which delivers Blu-ray, gaming, and an online experience? I thought so.. the PS3 right? RIGHT.

Yes, the Xbox 360 and the Sony PlayStation 3 certainly overlap one another quite a bit when it comes to features and capabilities. Both platforms deliver video on demand; Both consoles play back a variety of multimedia files; Both consoles deliver an online community for gamers. Yet.. the purchasing audience is at times rather different between the two consoles. The Xbox 360 attracts more gamers simply because of the title breadth and the wonderful online experience that is Xbox LIVE. On the PS3 front, there are more families coming on board simply because the console has Blu-ray built right in.

Oh but wait.. if you have a little money left over after buying a PS3 or an Xbox 360, you could even get yourself a fun Nintendo Wii because well.. it’s fun!

So who’s the winner here folks? It ultimately depends on how you look at the big picture! Sony wins when it comes to Blu-ray (unless of course Microsoft releases a Blu-ray external drive which seems doubtful at this time). Microsoft wins when it comes to delivering an extensive multimedia experience. Nintendo wins because it’s affordable and some of the games are just fun to play with.

Thus perhaps… the real winner in the console wars is actually us the consumer. We’ve received platforms that are rich in capabilities yet diverse enough for us to possibly want them all. In the end, it really doesn’t matter anymore who will win the console wars. Publishers are delivering most of their gaming content across all the consoles so it’s a matter of which console meets most of your needs. Thus, it’s about matching the consoles capabilities with the needs of the individual and that my friends is different person to person.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii

Logitech is looking to make the driving experience a tad bit more realistic on the Nintendo Wii with the introduction of the new Logitech Speed Force Wireless racing wheel. This is the first force feedback wheel for the Wii and will work with the upcoming EA title – Need for Speed Undercover (with Maggie Q!!).

The Logitech Speed Force Wireless wheel features a single piece design which is usable whether you’re sitting on your couch, arm chair, or floor. The design comes with a expandable lap rest which means you won’t need to clamp the wheel onto a desk or table. There’s also built-in gas and brake controls right on the wheel itself.

Connectivity wise, the wheel wirelessly transmits information over the 2.4GHz wireless spectrum. All you’ll need to do is plug the included USB wireless receiver into the Wii console and start driving away in your favorite game. The wheel is not entirely free of cables as you’ll need to plug in a power cord to power the device.  (what no battery powered wheel here?!?!)

The Logitech Speed Force Wireless wheel will be available in the U.S. and Europe starting in November (just in time for the holiday shopping season) for a price of $99.99.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Logitech, Speed Force Wireless driving wheel, Nintendo Wii

EA’s given me a reason to consider picking up the upcoming “Need for Speed Undercover” action racing game -  the title will be featuring Maggie Q as the lead character in several live-action sequences for the story line. Don’t remember Maggie Q? She starred in Mission Impossible III and Live Free or Die Hard and well yeah.. just do a Google image search on her.

Need for Speed Undercover will hit the U.S. stores on Nov. 18th and European stores on Nov. 21st and will be available for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP, PC, and mobile platforms.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: EA, Need for Speed Undercover, Maggie Q

The revenue generating machine known as the Nintendo Wii keeps on chugging along as Nintendo announced fiscal first quarter profits surged 34 percent from the year-ago quarter. The company reported a profit of 107.27 billion yen (or $996 million U.S. dollars) during the quarter from April till June which was up from 80.25 billion yen last year.

The driving force behind the profits? The Nintendo Wii and associated game titles such as the new “Wii Fit” game.  Nintendo sold 5.2 million Wii consoles worldwide during the quarter which was 1.7 million than a year ago. 3.4 million “Wii Fit” games and 6.4 million “Mario Kart Wii” games were sold. Overall, sales grew 24 percent to 423.38 billion yen (or $3.9 billion) for the quarter. Yes.. that is a revenue generating machine.. actually a profit generating machine!

Overall, Nintendo has now sold more than 29.6 million Wii consoles around the world. Compare that statistic to Sony which has sold around 14.4 million PS3s and Microsoft which has sold around 19 million Xbox 360 consoles and it’s clear that the Wii is the reigning next-gen console champ. (though Next Generation is loosely applied here in our opinion)

Going forward, Nintendo announced that they are planning to sell 25 million Wii consoles and 28 million Nintendo DS devices for the fiscal year ending next March (2009). Since we’re on the topic of the DS, Nintendo DS sales dipped somewhat for the quarter – dropping 40,000 to 6.94 million units sold. Total DS sales now total 77.54 million devices around the world.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Nintendo Wii, Profits surge

Tired of using the Wii-mote to type characters out on the Wii? Then you’ll want to check out the newly announced  Logitech Cordless Keyboard for the Wii. This compact keyboard utilizes full sized keys and comes with several special system keys (Zoom In/Out, Forward/Back, Quit and OK) designed to make life easier with the Wi. The keyboard has a polished white finish which matches the design of the Nintendo Wii and it communicates with the game console using 2.4GHz wireless technology. Expect the keyboard out in August for an MSRP of $49.99.

[Check it out]

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