Latest Nintendo Wii news

Get your own Nintendo Wii console for FREE

2009-02-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

If you would like to get your hands on your very own Nintendo Wii console, simply click the Wii above and sign up. Follow the simple instructions and very soon the Wii will be with you, totally FREE.

For more information, visit www.freeipodsandconsoles.co.uk

Download Wii Games: Choosing The Best Download Site

2009-02-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to be going gaga over the amazing Wii console. Owning a Wii console is such a big thing that hundreds of sites are coming out offering Wii downloads. If you are one of those captivated by its charm, you must be looking for the best site to download from.

With so many sites to choose from, it can be quite confusing to know which site is actually the best site. It is only natural that you would be concerned about this since not every site on the World Wide Web can be considered reliable or of good quality. If you are not careful, you may end up downloading from an unsecured site and getting malware applications into your system.

When choosing the best download site to download Wii games, extra precautions must be taken. Variety and quantity of stock are among the important things that you need to keep in mind. Sometimes, a site may appear to look good enough, but you should not be fooled immediately. Make some verifications first if, indeed, such site is reliable, user-friendly and virus-free. You should also go for a site which offers both new and old games. Some sites do not have this feature, unfortunately, so you have to take some time going from one site to the next.

Assuming that you have already found the rite site for your Wii console, the next best thing to do now is to download the special software so you can download Wii games to your console.

Download sites for Wii games may offer you a couple of options — pay for every download that you make or get unlimited access by paying a one-time flat fee. If you intend to download many games to your console, then the first option may not work to your advantage at all.

Unlimited Wii Downloads is the number1 website for Wii downloads, it is considered the best site to get down. You can visit their website here.

Source... www.pressemeldungen.at

Sonic Unleashed (Wii) - Review

2009-02-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

SEGA couldn't keep him on the leash any longer...

Better late than never - this review - not Sonic Unleashed. Sonic Team offered us the latest Sonic adventure just before Christmas, we'd like to tell you we've been so busy playing it since then that we're only just getting round to the review, that's no true. So let's get on with it.

Sonic Unleashed starts off with a very impressive FMV prologue, around 5 minutes long it paints the scene, Eggman captures Sonic and uses the Chaos power for evil, striking down on the planet annihilating the gaia spirit and splitting it into 8 pieces and transforming Sonic into a Werehog.

So far so good, the production values of this intro are great, only a matter of time before a feature length Sonic CGI movie? perhaps.

Sonic finds himself back on the planet, dazed and confused and looking rather ugly. Cue annoying sidekick, Chip, after a brief conversation our team set off to figure out what's going on and put the planet back together.

As the sun rises in the sky Sonic transforms back into his usual self, suddenly things start to click into place. Sonic Unleashed revolves completely around the ol' day/night thing, by day Sonic is the Sonic we know and love, by night Sonic becomes the ugly Werehog - ironicly that almost sums up the entire game.

Finally you get thrown into your first few missions, learning the controls for normal Sonic, if you've played other 3D Sonic games you'll know pretty much how this works. Using the control stick moves Sonic, (A) will jump, (Shake) will perform a homing attack, you can drift by holding (Z) around corners, after collecting rings you can boost by (Shaking) whilst running, slide under things with (Z) whilst running and finally quick step from side to side (strafe) by holding (B) and moving left or right.

This is pretty much the usual selection of Sonic moves we already know, Unleashed offers similar high speed, high octane levels we're used to with the scenery flashing by and to be frank, that familiar feel of lack of control or purpose.

So what's new? Sonic the Werehog - that's what's new. As night falls your transformed back into the nasty Werehog and Sonic Unleashed changes dramatically.

Werehog levels are very different, gone is speed, gone is homing attack. Sonic's Werehog levels are more platform based and more beat 'em up based.

Sonic the Werehog can double jump, (A) and then (A) again whilst in mid air, he can also run (not that fast) by double tapping a direction (yes, annoying). Sonic can utilize a host of "sticky neon" ledges, poles and bars, when near (B) is used to attach himself using his stretch-armstrong style flexi-arms, he can then haul himself up a pole, swing on bars in order to get over big gaps and scale large buildings.

These platforming elements work fairly well, but it's not very "Sonic", there is no need for speed here. As the Werehog you'll encounter a lot of twilight enemies, emerging from the ground in flashes of neon with slightly camp music, it reminded us almost exclusively of the dreadful Batman and Robin movie, eugh.

Luckily for us Sonic is up for a fight, swinging the Wiimote and Nunchuck will throw punches with either of Sonic's stretchy arms, it's pretty easy to rack up combos with a flurry of enemies around, swinging both arms at the same time will trigger the Werehammer smash attack. Each of the enemies has a small power gauge so you can keep track of your attacking prowess.

When enemies show themselves the game locks you into a small area (similar to how Twilight Princess worked, except not as good) of which you must defeat everyone before you can move to the next area.

Completing levels rewards you in either Sun (night mission) or Moon (day mission) medals, collecting these are required to unlock further levels.

The map area (level select) is quite curious in itself, the world map is firstly split into 8 continents, each continent contains a little village area which you visit, SEGA seem to have tried to add some extra RPG elements here, you have to talk to people around the village in order to discover where the Gaia template is located, most of the time this just feels like a way to stall or slow down your progress, the text is dry and doesn't even develop the story further.

Another problem is a confusing array of stages and missions and how your actually meant to progress. You have a list of missions on your map screen, missions are usually mini stages, "collect 100 rings in 30 secs", things like that. Then you have stages, they seem to be hidden in the Gaia Temples, behind doors which you have to open by collecting the different sun/moon medals - it's just not as straight forward as it should be.

So let's get down to business and answer the questions you probably still have, is this finally a 3D Sonic game SEGA can be proud of? Sadly not, the normal Sonic levels still have the same problems as previous games - it still hasn't translated to 3D successfully. SEGA have made a bold (or maybe strange) move to include a whole half of the game to this Werehog beat 'em up style of play, it's actually not TOO bad but completely distracts from our normal definition of what a Sonic game is all about.

It wouldn't be fair to be completely harsh on SEGA over Unleashed, it's biggest problem is the generally disjointed concept, a jigsaw with some missing pieces, it doesn't all fit together.

Conclusion

Sonic Unleashed offers pretty much what we've seen before in the speed/platformer department, fans of this should be content, however flipped on its head Unleashed adds a whole new half of "beat 'em up" action which sadly doesn't compliment the game as a whole, feeling rather sluggish and disjointed Sonic fans must wonder why their hero is so far behind the times when compared to his arch rival, Mario who only a year ago secured probably the best game of his career. Try again SEGA, we're not giving up on you yet.

Source... www.nintendolife.com

Big Bang Mini Demo available on the Nintendo Channel

2009-01-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

Some Big Banging

Just in case you couldn't wait another two weeks, SouthPeak games have throw up a demo of their latest game, Big Bang Mini, onto the Nintendo Channel.

SouthPeak Games is pleased to announce that a demo of Arkedo Studio’s Big Bang Mini for Nintendo DS™ is now available as a free download via the Nintendo Channel on Wii™. The explosive demo gives players a first taste of the unique shoot-‘em-up before it launches in Europe.
The demo of Big Bang Mini includes a selection of levels from three of the game’s worlds, including Hong Kong, Aurora and Luxor. These are just a handful of the full version’s nine uniquely themed locations, which see players travelling all over the globe blasting waves of enemies using spectacular firework displays. Featuring 90 challenging levels of play, tough boss battles and seven different modes, Big Bang Mini is the perfect game for Nintendo DS owners looking for their next action fix.

Take a look, you might like it.

Source... www.nintendolife.com

EA lift lid on Need for Speed: Shift

2009-01-30T14:12:00.000-08:00

New versions of racing series out this year.

EA's Need for Speed series suffered something of a crisis of confidence in its latest incarnation, prompting speculation that the series could be culled entirely. We can confirm that Need for Speed will be returning, in a new outing called Shift, the publisher promising to revamp the franchise.

Core, casual and 'Play 4 Free' versions of the game will be created, with Shift heading to the PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and PSP, while Need for Speed: Nitro makes for the Wii and DS.

Both new titles will be released in the autumn, we hear, while Need for Speed: World Online is also on the way, and will be released via the net in the far-east this summer, before reaching the West in the winter.

"The urban underground was a manifestation of style in some past Need for Speed games for sure, but Shift focuses less on these style cues and more on mirroring the driver experience, that athleticism of being in a wickedly-intense race, and what it really feels like to be behind the wheel," beams EA's Keith Munro on Shift.

Nitro, meanwhile, promises to be an entirely new experience from past iterations of the series, complete with unique visuals and a different take on gameplay. We'll be taking a look at all this on Monday, so watch this space.

Source... http://play.tm/news

Don King Boxing dated for Wii, DS

2009-01-30T14:10:00.000-08:00

2K Games will release Don King Boxing for Wii and DS here on 27th March, a few days before the US.

The Wii version uses balance board to duck and weave, and the Wiimote and nunchuk to throw punches, for a very sweaty experience.

It's so energetic that Boxercise - a strange aerobic fitness class - routines have been introduced to the training section. This gets players fit as their character improves their skill statistics.

"It wouldn't surprise me if a future world champion was introduced to the sport through this game," said motor-mouth boxing promoter Don King. (It would surprise us, Don.) "This is where you can get the skills that make for thrills."

There's a story mode to punch through, where you'll encounter around 20 big-name brawlers in glitzy locations such as Madison Square Gardens. Multiplayer will feature, too.

2K doesn't mention handheld specifics. Maybe you can take the DS version to the gym and hit people with it.

Source... www.eurogamer.net

SimAnimals for the Wii and Nintendo DS Ships

2009-01-29T13:41:00.000-08:00

Electronic Arts shipped SimAnimals for the Wii and Nintendo DS to store shelves. SimAnimals challenges you to engage, touch, move and try to control a wide range of wild animals as you journey deeper and deeper into the forest. You control an on-screen animated hand that allows you to reach out and touch, pick up and move everything in the game from foxes and bears to trees and flowers. Cohabitate with these animals in their natural surroundings, and based on how you treat them, the animals will come to know and love – or dislike you! Have fun developing relationships with wild animals and their families, and experience the humor and drama of surviving in the wilderness.

Wild animals abound! You will meet a host of friendly wild animals including deer, squirrels, rabbits, hedgehogs and owls. And also some mischievous characters like foxes, raccoons, badgers, crows and bears who love to stir up trouble. Get in the middle of the action as they all come together in your very own forest setting for a wild time!

Solve challenges and achieve goals throughout the game, because the animals need you to help them thrive. Discover secrets, unlock forest areas and uncover one-of-a-kind objects and wild animals, some with special abilities, by successfully completing tasks. It’s survival of the fittest, as you find out who the troublemakers are and who the good guys are to make sure everyone gets along – or not! In SimAnimals on the Wii, take up to three of your friends with you on a forest adventure in cooperative play mode! The forest, filled with exciting wildlife, is big enough for you and your pals.

And, SimAnimals is tailored for the Nintendo DS. Interact directly with the animals in their environment using your stylus, while your Nintendo DS microphone lets you become the wind. Blow into the mic to gather fruit from trees, spread blossoms, and see what else happens!

SimAnimals was developed by The Sims Studio exclusive for the Wii and Nintendo DS systems.

Source... www.gamingexcellence.com

Overlord Wii 'blows away everything' on the console

2009-01-29T13:36:00.000-08:00

Producer says it "looks like the 360 version".

It's become acceptable for Wii games to look less than spectacular visually, and certainly well below the bar set by Xbox 360 and PS3 games, but it seems all developers aren't cut from the same rock.

Speaking to VideoGamer.com, Overlord: Dark Legend associate producer Dean Scott confidently stated that the upcoming Wii game "blows away just about everything else" he's seen on the console. A bold claim, but he's prepared to be held up to "internet ridicule if that's not the case".

"Overlord Dark Legend looks amazing," said Scott. "When people see this game in motion, they are going to be seriously impressed. It sounds like such a lame cliché to say 'it looks like the 360 version', but that's true. Not exactly, but it's closer than we ever imagined possible on the platform.

"Of course we've made some changes to get that level of fidelity on the Wii, but the guys at Climax have been very clever with it. In terms of looks, it blows away just about everything else I've seen on Wii," he concluded.

Overlord: Dark Legend is a brand new entry in the Overlord series made exclusively for the Wii. As the Overlord you'll be in control of teams of multi-skilled minions, hell-bent on causing mayhem as you work through a fairytale inspired story.

You'll have to wait until the summer to see if Overlord: Dark Legend looks as good as Scott claims, but for more on the game, and the companion DS game. Hit this link for the full interview.

Source... www.videogamer.com

Nintendo cuts profit forecast by 33 per cent

2009-01-29T13:30:00.000-08:00

Nintendo, the maker of the Wii games console and the favourite safe-haven share on the Tokyo stock exchange, has stunned the market with a 33 per cent cut to its full-year profit forecasts.

Analysts described Nintendo’s guidance as a “baffling and potentially very worrying” sign for worldwide sales of the Wii as recession curtails household spending around the world.

The company itself said that it expected to sell one million fewer Wii units by the end of 2008 than it had previously expected.

Although the company will, in contrast with other Japanese consumer electronics makers, finish the year substantially in the black, the company said that it likely would close the current financial year ending March 31 with net income of about Y230 billion (£1.8 billion), not the Y345 billion that it had been predicting when it spoke to the market in October.

Nintendo’s results in the third-quarter — the period covering the run-up to Christmas in the United States and Europe — were strong: operating profits were 21 per cent higher than during the same period the previous year.

“Today’s revision suggests that the roaring pace of Wii growth that we’ve seen until now may be over,” Hiroshi Kamide, a KBC Financial Products analyst, said.

“The numbers also imply that we are going to see a sudden collapse in the fourth quarter from record margins to some of the thinnest margins Nintendo has experienced for three years.”

Mr Kamide, who had been the only major analyst with a “sell” recommendation on Nintendo, said that, given how much the company speaks to retailers around the world, the downgrade could imply that “they know something big has gone wrong, and that people are not buying the machines”.

Part of the problem, according to games industry insiders in Japan and the UK, is that the pipeline of “must-have” Nintendo Wii software is less strong now than it was six months ago.

On the most widely read gaming websites, there are few forthcoming Wii titles generating the sort of excitement that preceded the release of Mario Galaxy or Smash Brothers.

One big source of margin destruction has been the soaring yen, which rose 24 per cent against the dollar and 30 per cent against the euro in 2008.

Source... business.timesonline.co.uk

Wii Sports stands on top as best selling video game of all time

2009-01-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

The new Kingpin of Video games

No, that was not a typo. I didn't forget to put Super Mario Bros. or Pokemon or Grand Theft Auto. Earlier this year, VGCharts has reported that Wii Sports has sold 40.24 million units by December 27, 2008 overtaking former kingpin, Super Mario Bros. All of this in 110 weeks.

Is this so hard not to believe? Many people were thinking Nintendo were on the fences. Even with their grip on the handheld world, people were suspecting Sony and Microsoft to take over the console wars. Nintendo Wii has revived their companies stock far more than imagined.

One complaint I have kept hearing is that the game was sold with the console(except in South Korea and Japan). Super Mario Bros was also sold with the Nintendo. So what? Most people wanted Wii Sports and were excited that it would be included. Xbox and Playstation have bundles. Couldn't they have achieved this feat just as easily?

Another complaint is that this is not a "game" because it "lacks a story". This might be the craziest argument I have ever heard. While having a great story enhances the game, not all great games have stories. Games like Pong, Tetris, and Pac-Man are very simple and do not have any type of story, but are true classics. Most sports games do not have a "story". Other games like Super Mario Bros., Halo, and Donkey Kong have weak stories, but ultra fun gameplay. Honestly, many games involve the concept of "Save the ______". Point is, the story is just one aspect of what makes a game great.

Wii Sports deserves more credit than it gets. What Wii Sports has done was bridge the gap. It is appealing to every type of gamer. From the hardcore to the casual. From old to young. From men to women. How many of you have parents or younger children who have enjoyed playing it? Party games have this type of appeal. You can play this game at bars!

While I will not proclaim Wii Sports to be the greatest game ever, I cannot rain on the accomplishments it has made. Congratulations Wii Sports. You the best selling game of all-time.

Source... www.examiner.com

UK games chart: Wii fit still leading the pack

2009-01-28T12:32:00.000-08:00

A second week at the top for the Spandex-loving title tells other games to jog on

For two weeks running, it's not just Wii Fit owners showing their stamina, the game also has managed to hold strong to the number one position in the UK's gaming charts. New Year resolutions seem to be giving the game a massive boost.

Second in command

Always vying to be the best-selling game, Call of Duty: World at War is camped in second place and has well and truly lodged itself into the top five like a tenacious tick.

New title skates in

A new face to the games chart and the first of three games from EA to feature in the top five scene, it's Skate 2. The Tony Hawk obliterator is back and ollies straight into number three on its first week thanks to die hard fans' pre-orders.

Familiar friend

It's our old favourite FIFA '09 with its Bruce Forsyth-like staying power still going strong in fourth place. Nice to see you. Again.

Conquered already?

Dropping two places from last week, The Lord of the Rings: Conquest might be staging massive battles online, but it's putting up a fight to stay in the top five.

This week’s top 5:

1. Wii Fit (Nintendo): Keeps on running, but will it have the puff for another week?
2. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision): Still no signs of retreat from this title
3. Skate 2 (EA Games): Avoid scabby knees or broken bones by staying at home and playing this
4. FIFA 09 (EA Games): Playing game chart keepy-uppy for another week
5. The Lord of the Rings: Conquest (EA Games): Not as precious to gamers as once thought

Source... www.igizmo.co.uk

jOG for Wii Fitness accessory debuts at Toy Fair

2009-01-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

A UK toy company is hoping to offer a cheap alternative to the Wii Fit and its accompany Wii Board with the launch of an interactive pedometer accessory for the Nintendo Wii.

The new add-on, which is called jOG for Wii will cost around £20 when it becomes available in April. Needing no software and working with most games already available the device that is shaped like a heart connects to the Wii Remote and Nunchuk before clipping to your belt.

The accessory then allows you to control you movement by bypassing the nunchuks joytick and simply letting you walk on the spot. The jogging motion then translates into allowing your character to move in game. The idea, say the company is to encourage gamers to walk while they play.

For those interested in seeing how far they've walked and what the benefits are, the unit offers a step counter as well as the ability to calculate the calories you've burned.

The only catch appears to be that if you're playing games like Resident Evil on the Wii you'll have to turn it off (via a handy button at the top of the unit) before being able to aim.

A spokesperson for the company, re:creation, has said that the company has already future models in production that will monitor how fast you are walking and translate that in the game.

Source... www.pocket-lint.co.uk

Guinness Book of World Records Goes 3-D, Wii

2009-01-25T07:02:00.000-08:00

How do you make an old-fashioned hunk of entertainment seem cool in the era of iPhones, PlayStation 3s and hula-hoops? First, you make it 3-D. Then, you turn it into a videogame.

First published in 1955, The Guinness Book of World Records has been a pop-culture fixture for folks competing to earn their own bizarre niche of fame and for kids exploring the world of freaks.

Who can forget the fattest brothers and their scooters? The world's longest fingernails?

I couldn't have been the only third-grader who giggled like an idiot while looking up "longest fart." (It's not in the book. It might have been difficult to confirm such a record -- and certainly unpleasant.)

The latest edition of the official chronicler of world records includes 3-D images and the prerequisite red-and-blue glasses.

The new and updated records include snake-bathing, underwater pogo-sticking and chainsaw juggling. A Hollywood Hall of Fame segment looks at movie achievements. There's even a section devoted to Harry Potter and author J.K. Rowling.

In another good-natured attempt to get kids thinking in terms of meaningless but challenging human feats, the Guinness folks have released a Guinness World Records: The Videogame for the Wii (right), inviting kids to pull an airliner or mount the highest BMX jump.

The videogame's activities are kid-friendly and too tame for adults, but it could be good for play dates.

Images courtesy Guinness Book, Warner Bros.

Source... blog.wired.com

Indiana Jones coming to Wii, DS, PSP this Spring

2009-01-25T06:58:00.000-08:00

Poor Indiana Jones. His first PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 adventure was first revealed in 2006 with a working title of Indiana Jones 2007 (indicating the release year). Obviously that didn't happen and LucasArts began referring to the game as Indiana Jones 2008 while assuring gamers that it was still in development.

Now, unless my calendar is lying, it's 2009 and an Indiana Jones game for the PS3 and Xbox 360 is still no where in sight. However, yesterday LucasArts quietly slipped the first trailer to the DS, PSP and Wii game Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings onto the Internet. Scheduled for release this Spring, Staff of Kings appears to be the same game as Indiana Jones 2007/2008, just now on the DS, PSP and Wii.

It's unknown whether or not the PS3/Xbox 360 version is still in development, but rumor has it that not even the Holy Grail can bring it back to life. So enjoy this trailer of Staff of Kings with that sad note in mind:

Source... www.gamingtarget.com

Wii Play was 2008's US bestseller

2009-01-25T06:52:00.000-08:00

Wii Play, the Wii's mini-game collection that was sold alongside an additional Wiimote, was the USA's bestselling title in the multiformat charts for 2008 - the Nintendo release narrowly beating the competition.

Of course, the fact this is a multiformat chart makes the game's achievement all the more remarkable, Wii Play managing sales of 5.28 million stateside.

Second on the list was a quintessential multi-platform release, Madden NLF 09 (5.25 million copies), with Grand Theft Auto IV third (5.22 million copies).

Next up is Mario Kart Wii, including the steering wheel extra (5 million copies), while Call of Duty: World at War was fifth with 4.63 million.

Source... play.tm/news

Virtual Console update brings Mario Golf and Wonder Boy to Wii

2009-01-25T06:48:00.000-08:00

This week's Virtual Console update brings two new classics to the Wii.

First up is the Nintendo 64 classic Mario Golf, a golfing simulator packed with fourteen playable characters from the Super Mario universe, each has their own power and swing style.

To help you out, you can taunt your opponents to put them off as you power through six different courses, while ten different modes including Tournament, Speed Gold and Mini Golf should keep you occupied.

Mario Golf features single player and multi-player modes up to four people, and will set you back 1000 Wii Points. However you may prefer Sega Master System's Wonder Boy in Monster Land, which is also up for grabs for 500 Wii Points.

You play as Wonder Boy trying to bring Wonder Land back to its glory days after being overcome by a swarm of monsters and an "invinsible" fire-breathing dragon. Now known as Monster Land, Wonder Boy must defeat the monsters that have overcome his kingdom using a whole host of special weapons and spells.

If wither of these take your fancy, head over to the Wii Shop to download them - they're available now.

Source... www.gamesdog.co.uk

New Spore game coming to Wii

2009-01-25T06:44:00.000-08:00

Electronic Arts has unveiled three new Spore titles currently in development.

First up is Spore Creature Keeper, a "standalone PC game" for younger players. You get to nurture, train and play with creatures you've created. There are toys, clothes and gizmos to pamper them with, and you can meet up with other players and their creatures online. A release date has yet to be announced.

The series is also set to make its Wii debut with Spore Hero. It's billed as "an all-new adventure game" which has been "built from the ground up" for Nintendo's console. Nothing else is being revealed at this stage, however.

Then there's working on Spore Hero Arena for DS. You'll get to create fully 3D Spore creatures and battle other weird looking things throughout the galaxy. Both Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena are down for release this "fall".

Source... www.eurogamer.net

Videogame sales hit record high thanks to Nintendo Wii

2009-01-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

Video game sales in Britain have hit a record high as the popularity of the family-friendly Nintendo Wii makes up a quarter of all sales.

Games consoles have become 'the new boardgames' which can be enjoyed by the entire family, not just an antisocial teenager, according to new research.

Easy to use games, like the Wii Fit - where players can play games such as golf, boxing and bowling using a handheld device which connects to a television - have proved an instant success with a wide range of age groups.

It has been used in hospitals and nursing homes to help with fitness levels of the elderly, and is also popular with youngsters.

According to research from Deloitte, the consultancy firm, a quarter of households owned the market-leading Nintendo Wii console. People spent an average 6.6 hours a week playing games on a computer, phone or a console. A further 24 per cent intended to buy a Wii in the next year.

Jolyon Barker, head of technology at Deloitte said: "Gaming has been traditionally frowned upon by parents. However it is now considered "family time" for many people aged between 26 and 42. Although interest declines after the age of 40 this could change as a generation of gamers grows up."

The research, which surveyed 2,023 people online, highlighted that 39 per cent of that age group had played on a games console in the past six months, compared with 51 per cent of 14-to-25-year-olds.

More than half said their preferred method of gaming was a console, over a computer or mobile device.

Separate sales figures from the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) said the fastest-growing sector in 2008 was computer games, which saw unit sales grow 17 per cent to 82.8m units spearheaded by the popularity of console games (up 28 per cent to 74.3m units) which the body attributed to the success of Nintendo's Wii platform.

Elspa, the games publishers' association, says the UK gaming market, including hardware and accessories, is now worth £4.03bn.

Michael Rawlinson, managing director of Elspa, said: "In the past people played board games and now you have families sitting around their console, creating a community feel. People with no previous experience are playing games like Wii Fit as if were the most natural thing.

"Playing video games is no longer a solitary thing. The percentage of games that you play on your own is in decline. Nintendo Wii, PS3, XBox360 all have interconnectivity with the internet so people have the opportunity of playing games with people all over the world," he added.

Games sales for the Nintendo Wii sold 20.1m units in 2008, up 153 per cent on 2007.

Wii software revenues increased 112 per cent to £481m, while Microsoft's Xbox 360 earned £443m, up 38 per cent. Sony's PlayStation 3 generated £334m in software sales, an increase of 115 per cent, in its first full year on the market, according to Elspa.

Alex Sassoon Coby, a video games expert from GameSpot UK , said: "Nintendo realised that they need to pursue a much simpler, more intuitive and less threatening style of games.

In the context of the current economic problems, people do see games as a very good value for money past time. This new generation of video games is very good for bringing families together. Also as families get used to the games console, as they play Wii Fit, they are more likely to try other games."

But Deloitte's survey found traditional media still remained popular and found that UK consumers watched more TV shows online than their US peers. The public spends an average 16.3 hours a week watching television, compared with 8.7 hours a week online and five hours a day listening to the radio.

Sourec... www.telegraph.co.uk

Xbox 360 increase sales, Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3 drop

2009-01-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

Microsoft has something to smile about with Japan’s 2008 sales figures for the Xbox 360. It was no surprise to learn that the Nintendo Wii was still king in 2008 despite the fact that the games console saw a 20 percent drop in sales from the previous year. The Wii sold 3.7 million units, seven hundred thousand less than 2007.

The Sony PS3 almost matched their 2007 sales figures; the PlayStation 3 shifted 1.8 million consoles that is one hundred and forty thousand drop or 12 percent. Although the Xbox 360 only sold 1.18 million units in 2008, the 360 actually gained and sold one hundred and sixty thousand more consoles than 2007 that is a 40 percent increase.

Overall sales still show the Nintendo Wii to be King in Japan; it has a 68 percent share in the games console market. The PS3 is number two with 24 percent and the Xbox 360 only has a 7.64 percent share. So the question is, can Nintendo maintain their lead, or can Sony or Microsoft do anything to close the gap in 2009?

Source... www.product-reviews.net

Obama Buys A Wii

2009-01-12T07:12:00.000-08:00

Whoever said that Barack Obama would be Wii if the presidential candidates were video game consoles was right. President-elect Obama is now the proud owner of a Nintendo Wii.

Obama told the New York Times that his daughters received the Wii on Christmas and he's played it a few times to sharpen his bowling skills. If you followed the Democratic primaries at all, you may remember that Obama is terribad at bowling (which we were told, at the time, was somehow relevant to the election). He says that he's better at it on the Wii. Then again, who isn't?

The article doesn't note who purchased the Wii for his daughters. His daughter are still sort of young so it's possible he bought it and is just working the whole "oh, Santa brought it!" angle. Good thing he didn't buy a 360 or PS3, though - we wouldn't want the man holding the codes to our vast nuclear arsenal to transform into a violent criminal because he tried Gears of War or Resistance.

Source... www.cinemablend.com

Mario Kart Wii Best-Selling Game Of 2008 In UK

2009-01-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

Nintendo’s Mario Kart Wii has been named the best-selling individual format game of 2008 in the UK. Official data revealed by trade paper MCV credits Nintendo with driving sales during the year, along with multiformat publishers Activision Blizzard, Rockstar and LucasArts.

The UK video games market as a whole recently reported a 23 percent rise in software sales in 2008, with total hardware and software revenues of £4.034 billion ($6.071bn) for the year. The same data also showed Nintendo registering almost 40 million software units sold across the Wii and Nintendo DS.

Mario Kart Wii was released in April and has remained in the top ten ever since -– except when hit by frequent supply constraints. The game also enjoyed a four-week run at the number one spot in the individual platform chart over Christmas.

The second best-selling individual platform game of 2008 was Wii Fit. Indeed, all top five selling games are Nintendo platform exclusives, with Wii Play at number three, Brain Training (aka Brain Age) for DS at number four (even though it released in June 2006) and Sega co-production Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Wii at number five.

The sixth best-seller was the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV, with the PlayStation 3 version at number seven. Next, the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty: World at War came in at number eight, Take-Two’s Carnival Funfair Games on Wii (a common hardware bundle with the Wii console in the UK) at number nine, and the Xbox 360 version of FIFA 09 at number ten.

The combined-platform version of the best-seller chart saw EA’s soccer sim at number one, with FIFA 09 also taking the official UK Christmas number one spot. Mario Kart Wii still managed to be the second best-selling game in the multiplatform chart, though, pushing Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV into third place. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (on both Wii and DS) was fourth and Wii Fit fifth.

The sixth best selling multiplatform game was Activision’s Call of Duty: World at War, followed by Wii Play, Brain Training, LucasArts’ Lego Indiana Jones and Carnival Funfair Games.

Source... www.gamasutra.com

Wii Fit could be out of stock this month

2009-01-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

Nintendo looks forward to consumers' January health drive - but warns of shortages

Nintendo is expecting the nation’s post-Christmas health push to drive sales of Wii Fit in January – but has told MCV that there may be stock shortages during the month.

The title, which comes with the Wii Balance Board, secured the No. 10 spot in the ChartTrack/ELSPA Christmas top ten chart last month, but slipped to No. 20 in this week’s All Formats list. It currently sits at No. 3 in the dedicated UK Wii chart.

And with sales of exercise equipment and DVDs rocketing after the public’s Christmas excesses, many at retail are expecting an uplift in the sales of the innovative fitness title.

A Nintendo spokesperson told MCV: “We are expecting demand for Wii Fit to continue to be strong throughout January as it has been since its launch in April 2008. “As ever we are continuing to ship stock into the UK on a weekly basis and are doing all we can to minimise potential disappointment.

“However, despite increasing global production and shipping more product into the market than ever before, we may still have some stock shortages of Wii Fit.”

Wii Fit has been a massive hit for Nintendo since it was released last year, and has been a mainstay in the All Formats top ten. The title also continues to garner unprecedented PR at a national level. This week, The Daily Mail ran a full feature entitled: ‘How to get fit... with a Nintendo Wii’.

Nintendo’s announcement that it’s launching a Wii video service this year also attracted media attention last week.

Source... www.mcvuk.com

DanceDanceRevolution: Disney Grooves Coming to Wii

2008-10-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

Groove to the beat with Mickey, Minnie, and friends to 40 popular Disney songs in the latest iteration of the popular rhythm game.

It was almost eight years ago when the first game in the popular DanceDanceRevolution series debuted on a Nintendo home system. That game, which never saw release outside of Japan, was Dance Dance Revolution Disney's World Dancing Museum for the Nintendo 64. On Tuesday, Konami Digital Entertainment revealed that a new Disney themed DDR game is heading to Wii. DanceDanceRevolution: Disney Grooves will allow a new generation of gamers to dance to Disney tunes.

As with previous DDR games, players must finish dance challenges in order to gain access to all 40 Disney songs. Animated characters such as Mickey, Goofy, and the anthropomorphic duck, Donald appear in the game.

Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment said that the game will employ the "unique capabilities of the Wii to offer [the] ultimate interactive dancing experience." One feature that could only appear on the Wii is the Dressing Room mode in which players can guise their Mii's in Disney outfits.

New costumes, songs, and stages can be unlocked in the mode called Groove World. Players will have the opportunity to take snapshots of their Mii with a Disney character in the My Studio mode. A Training Mode, Advanced Mode, and Workout Mode are also included in the package.

DanceDanceRevolution: Disney Grooves is set for release in March 2009. The game will also be available in a bundle that features a dance pad controller.

Source... http://www.nintendoworldreport.com

Space Chimps (Wii)

2008-10-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

£34.99. Reviewed on Wii. Also available on DS, PS2 and X360.

IT seems to be a common theme at the moment but movie-game tie-ins nearly always seem to be destined to be turkeys.

Space Chimps is the latest spin-off to come off the Hollywood conveyor belt after the cartoon movie hit the big screens in the summer.

First shock: Space Chimps is not too bad.

Second not-quite-so-much-of-a-shock: It's not that good either.

Taking up the your choice of hero - Ham or Luna - as you battle against the hordes of baddies who all set out to get you.

The platform element to the game is enjoyable and cleverly crafted to keep the game's storyline ticking along nicely.

The combat system struggles slightly but this is countered by the excellent puzzles littered through the Space Chimp journey.

It ticks most of the boxes but, when played by its target market - kids - it seems to fall short. My nephew was quickly bored and complained about constantly falling off a ledge in a particularly sticky control moment.

Space Chimps offers enough to keep the youngsters happy for a hour or so but no more. If you expect much more than that though, you're going to be very disappointed.

Source... http://www.coventrytelegraph.net

Wii Speak Channel: Nintendo announce release date

2008-10-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

The 5th of December in Europe. The same day Animal Crossing: Let's Go to the City is released. It's going to be free, but you'll need to be hooked up to Wi-Fi and sporting a Wii Speak microphone. Said microphone, surprise surprise, comes bundled with Animal Crossing.

The Wii Speak channel is a little bit like the DS's underused Pictochat application. It allows four people to speak, and share pictures and text messages. You have to swap friend codes first, though - Nintendo doesn't want to get embroiled in sexual predator stories in the tabloid press.

Miis will also attempt to move their mouths to replicate words picked up by the microphone. There's no price on the bundle just yet - but let's just hope it doesn't hit the heady heights commanded by Wii Fit or Rock Band.

Source... http://www.techdigest.tv