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Fragile is a game I’ve been keeping an eye on for quite some time now, September 2008 to be exact. Since September there have been very few details released about Fragile. That’s still the case, but there have been two new trailers that show off some of the game’s characters and perhaps some of the story. It’s all in Japanese though, so you’ll have to figure out what’s going on for yourself.
I still can’t pinpoint what I love about these trailers so much, but I think it’s the Japanese pop song that accompanies them. I might not understand the Japanese language, but there’s something so beautiful about it. Especially when a nice soothing voice is singing.
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One of Nintendo’s most controversial announcements last year was its ‘New Play Control’ series that would debut in 2009. If you haven’t heard of Nintendo’s new idea, let me give you the crash course. Nintendo has decided to re-release many of its Gamecube titles on the Nintendo Wii, adding Wii remote functionality, and perhaps other bells and whistles the Gamecube wasn’t capable of. Simple as that.
Of course the announcement was met with very skeptical views from many gamers. Many believed that this was Nintendo rehashing prior titles to make a quick buck, which in all fairness could be the case. I’m willing to stave off my conclusions, and wait to play some of these New Play Control titles.
I’m thinking that an announcement on the pricing structure would be nice, as I’ve looked through numerous articles but have yet to find the price of the remakes. I think if they release the games at $19.99, they have a chance of being successful.
There’s actually a few titles on the Gamecube that I think could make for some interesting remakes on the Wii. How about when the Metroid Prime remakes come out, adding some online multiplayer along with the Wii Remote controls?
The first gameplay footage for Mario Power Tennis has surfaced and really hasn’t swayed my view one way or the other towards New Play Control. The video shows off some of the Wii Remote movements, but doesn’t show it off very well.
There’s also new Japanese TV commercials which are too short and uninteresting to post here, but here’s the links if you’d like to view them anway.
Japanese TV Spot 1
Japanese TV Spot 2
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What are your thoughts after viewing the Mario Power Tennis videos? Are you willing to give the New Play Control! idea a chance? Will Mario Power Tennis be what Wii Tennis was only better?
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WiiWare
Sandy Beach (Konami, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Enjoy a fun day at Sandy Beach as you build elaborate sand castles. You can work peacefully on your sand castle or enter into a battle with invading crabs in Crab Battle mode. Players will strategically build their sand castle and use cannons to defend it against an army of destructive crabs. After successfully defending your sand castle, discover beach treasures and additional cannons with your metal detector to customize your castle even more.
Virtual Console
Kirby’s Dream Land 3 (Super NES™, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Kirby, Dream Land’s resident hero (and everyone’s favorite puffball), must once again save the day when the mischievous King Dedede starts causing trouble. Kirby must travel through an assortment of levels, battling an exotic array of enemies (both new and familiar) determined to stop him from completing his mission. Always armed with his trusty ability to swallow enemies and gain special attacks, Kirby can also unite with some of his animal friends and make use of their particular talents. Featuring detailed graphics, challenging boss battles and the distinct charm of a Kirby game, it’s no wonder this title is considered a classic.
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It’s cliche’ to say that ‘records are made to be broken’. When they do get broken, there isn’t much more to say other than that though. Unless an asterisk should accompany the new record holder. Just like Barry Bonds’ home run title in baseball, I believe that an asterisk should be placed next to Wii Sports.
I should preface the rest of this story by stating that the statistics for the current best selling game ever record was compiled by VGChartz. They might not provide “official” numbers, but it’s hard to argue that Wii Sports wouldn’t be the best selling game at the moment. The reason for putting an asterisk next to Wii Sports’ title is that it’s a game that comes bundled with the Nintendo Wii.
People aren’t going out to pick up Wii Sports because it’s a ‘must have’ game. Super Mario Bros. was #1 on the list, which came bundled with the NES later in the console’s life. The game was a stand-alone product for sometime before the bundle though. In most of the major territories, Wii Sports hasn’t been available to purchase through retail.
Super Mario Bros. was easily sitting at its #1 spot, with 40.24 million units sold. Wii Sports has now sold 40.54 million. I think the most impressive game in the Top 5, is the Pokemon Red / Green / Blue sitting at #3. All the other games in the Top 5 were console launch titles, or bundled with hardware. The Pokemon titles weren’t released until later in the Gameboy’s life span, and during its heyday wasn’t bundled.
Here’s the full Top 10 according to VGChartz:
1. Wii Sports 40.52 (million units sold)
2. Super Mario Bros. 40.24
3. Pokemon Red/Blue/Green 31.38
4. Tetris 30.26
5. Duck Hunt 28.31
6. Pokemon Gold/Silver 23.11
7. Nintendogs 21.37
8. Super Mario World 20.61
9. Wii Play 19.68
10. Super Mario Land 18.14
Nintendo holds the entire Top 10 to themselves. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the first game to appear on the list that isn’t a Nintendo game, which is at #11 with 17.61 million sold.
via: VGChartz
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At this point of the year most sites have already conducted their “Top Games Of The Year” lists. I figured that creating another list of ‘Top 5 Games Of The Year’ that would undoubtedly feature Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and World of Goo would just be white noise. So, instead we’re going to have an awards ceremony this New Years Eve to commemorate different aspects of gaming throughout 2008.
Forewarning, the WiiBlog Gaming Awards will feature negative awards along with the positive. Because both aspects of the Wii need to be heard, for no other reason than I like to make up goofy sounding award names.
Best Video Game Character Newcomer - Travis Touchdown
No More Heroes wasn’t a perfect game by any means. In fact I’m still debating as to whether I liked it or not. What is definite is that No More Heroes has a unique style, and distinct sense of humor. The heart of the game’s style is undoubtedly found in its protagonist, Travis Touchdown. This manga loving, wrasslin’ watching, beam katana wielding assassin is one of the most refreshing characters in gaming this year, not just the Nintendo Wii. Needless to say we need more characters like Travis Touchdown in the video game world. Read the rest of this entry »
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I can’t read a word of Japanese, or have any knowledge of yen-dollar conversion. That really doesn’t matter because no price can keep me away from this awesome Punch-Out! Hoodie. If you have read WiiBlog in the past, then you know of my love for Punch-Out! It’s easily the game I’m anticipating most in 2009, and I’m assuming is the reason for the release of this Hoodie.
TheKingOfGames are the makers behind the Punch-Out! hoodies. I was worried after clicking on Kotaku’s link because it went to TheKingOfGames’ Japanese site. Luckily, they have an English site but they still have their products listed by Yen price. After running a quick conversion, I was able to find out that the hoodie costs $138.40. I wish I could say my Punch-Out! fanboy love has no price, but $138 is steep for any piece of clothing.
If you’re rolling in cash like Scrooge McDuck then I highly recommend a purchase. It comes with vintage, fingerless gloves to do your boxing workout right. How can you turn that down?
[via: Kotaku]
