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    European Nintendo downloads: Ironclad, Nectaris

    March 12, 2010 - 2:45pm

    Okay, so it isn't Rondo of Blood this week in Europe. Nintendo instead chose to inaugurate the latest Hanabi Festival with the pre-rendered Neo Geo shooter Ironclad and Lode Runner for NES. It's pretty novel in and of itself to have two Virtual Console games in a single week, not to mention a Neo Geo game! They're joined on Wii by the WiiWare version of Military Madness.

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    Rock Band Weekly Redux: Lady Gaga, Cartman, 3 Doors Down, Mute Math, The Subways

    March 12, 2010 - 12:00pm


    Lady Gaga was already announced for Rock Band's DLC update next week -- but she's bringing friends along. The pop sensation will be joined by some, ahem, actual rock bands.

    Check out next week's full list of releases after the break.

    Continue reading Rock Band Weekly Redux: Lady Gaga, Cartman, 3 Doors Down, Mute Math, The Subways

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    Nintendo sells 1.9 million DS and Wiis through Feb. 2010

    March 12, 2010 - 11:30am


    Following last night's NPD report for February, Nintendo has issued a press release lauding the amazing selling power of its own products. In typical fashion, the gaming giant that got your grandma into gaming has managed to sell a ridiculous amount of DS and Wii systems in the U.S. -- 1.9 million in the first two months of 2010, to be exact.

    As impressive as that 1.9 million figure is, Nintendo's ability to break its own records is even more impressive. In selling 613,000 DS units throughout February 2010, Nintendo has managed to set a new monthly record, besting the previous top-selling month of February 2009's figure of 597,000 units. It would seem that two things are certain in this life: we're all going to die one day and before that day comes, each of us is going to own nine DS systems.

    With March 28 fast approaching -- that's the release date for the DSi XL -- Nintendo is hoping to further build on the success of its now six-year-old handheld. And, to think, even after all that time, the gif still hasn't gotten old.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Metroid Dread concept is something Sakamoto 'can't say never existed'

    March 12, 2010 - 10:00am


    Immediately following his well-attended GDC panel, Nintendo's Yoshio Sakamoto talked with us about (what else?) Metroid: Other M. In addition to all sorts of questions on the unique Team Ninja collaboration, we asked Sakamoto about the long-rumored Metroid Dread project and, barring a confirmation of that product, when we'd see another 2D handheld Metroid.

    Joystiq: Speaking of the core Metroid development team that last worked on the GBA, there have been rumors of a game known as 'Metroid Dread' - purportedly a 2D Metroid game for DS. First question: Was 'Dread' a real project? Second question: If not, where is a 2D Metroid on DS?

    Yoshio Sakamoto: It seems we get a lot of questions about Metroid Dread, especially at interviews following E3 for example. But nothing's ever been announced about this game; it's all just been rumors so far. So we never know exactly how to respond to questions like this.

    While there actually was a point where some teams were meeting to discuss if it was possible to create a 2D Metroid for DS using a relatively small team size, it's not something that we ever really announced or thought of as "Metroid Dread." But whenever people bring out that idea, we recognize that the basic concept is something that we can't say never existed. But at the same time, we can't of course, make any official comment about a Metroid Dread-like project coming out.

    Our main goal [with Metroid: Other M] is to, as I said earlier, first raise knowledge about the Metroid universe and the Samus character before we start to introduce different elements like online or even going back to another handheld game for the next in the series. So there's nothing coming immediately, we want to think about these new challenges first.

    But, of course, we never say never. Permalink | Email this | Comments

    The Last Story's first concept art

    March 11, 2010 - 11:00pm

    The first details about Mistwalker's mysterious Wii RPG The Last Story have been released, in the form of a blog entry on Nintendo's Last Story site. The game takes place on Ruri Island, which, as home to a necessary harbor, has become a wealthy and important city. The affluent island is run by "Lord Arganon," a power-hungry ruler who is well-versed in magic. If we had to guess, we'd say he's going to be the villain.

    We still have yet to see real screens or footage of The Last Story, but the blog entry includes concept art of the island, which is quite lovely.
    [Via VG247; All Games Beta]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    February NPD: Xbox 360 and BioShock 2 sales heat up

    March 11, 2010 - 8:02pm

    Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg is thrilled with February's NPD numbers, and for good reason. The Xbox 360 took the top spot in home console sales last month, despite not being a Wii. According to the NPD, it's the first time this has happened since the Halo 3 launch in 2007.

    BioShock 2 seems to have had something to do with the boost, with the Xbox 360 version topping the software charts (and the PS3 version absent from the top ten). Other notable software milestones: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is now the third best-selling game of all time, and Just Dance seems to have made a better pact with Satan than even Dante's Inferno did. See the software top ten after the break.

    -DS: 613K191K (45%)
    -360: 422K89K (27%)
    -Wii: 398K68K (-15%)
    -PS3: 360K83K (30%)
    -PSP: 133K33K (33%)
    -PS2: 102K60K (143%)

    Continue reading February NPD: Xbox 360 and BioShock 2 sales heat up

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    Ghost Trick possesses Japan June 24, Capcom releases demo

    March 11, 2010 - 4:45pm

    Capcom has announced the Japanese release date for Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi's supernatural puzzle adventure game, Ghost Trick. Japan will be able to put Sissel's spirit into a bicycle on June 24. Capcom has yet to offer a date for North American or European releases beyond simply 2010, but if the game is in a complete state by June, that bodes well for localization sometime in the fall.

    However, if you can't wait that long, and you don't mind clicking through a bunch of Japanese text, you can play the TGS demo right now! Capcom posted a flash demo to the Ghost Trick site.
    [Via Andriasang]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Nintendo's Yoshio Sakamoto reveals Metroid: Other M's cinematic inspirations

    March 11, 2010 - 4:40pm


    Yoshio Sakamoto has had a rather diverse career with Nintendo, having worked on games like Metroid, WarioWare and Tomodatchi Collection. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata asked the Metroid: Other M producer to speak at GDC to "explore the secret of creating games for such a dynamic range of titles."

    One of Sakamoto's greatest inspirations seems to be film, noting directors Dario Argento, Luc Besson, John Woo and Brian de Palma as key figures. In particular, he found Argento's "Deep Red" to have a profound impact. Argento's manipulation of mood through music and timing is something he found moving; the use of foreshadowing helped transcend the film beyond other horror films.

    Other M will take these various inspirations by becoming a "synthesis of everything I've learned," Sakamoto told the audience. A new trailer screened for GDC attendees highlighted various cinematic moments in the upcoming Wii game, including a CG reimagination of Super Metroid's climatic ending. Sakamoto pointed out the return of Metroid Fusion's Adam, reminding the audience that foreshadowing will play a key role in creating suspense in the interquel. Considering the subsequent applause, it seems clear that Metroid fans approve of this new direction. Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Impressions: Pirates Plund-Arrr

    March 11, 2010 - 3:30pm


    Pirates Plund-Arrr is best summed up as Castle Crashers, but with pirates. On the Wii. For $30.

    Unfortunately for Majesco and developer Boomzap, PSN and XBLA have spoiled us with a number of high-quality downloadable beat 'em ups for under $20. By skipping WiiWare and releasing as a retail game, Pirates Plund-Arrr seems a bit too pricey for its genre.

    Still, if you've been hankering for a four player co-op brawler on the Wii, Pirates Plund-Arrr delivers the action and humor we've come to expect from the genre. The title alone is representative of the spirit of the game. Boomzap has taken every opportunity to inject pirate lingo and iconography into a colorful, well-animated world.

    Continue reading Impressions: Pirates Plund-Arrr

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    Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest makes 'Move' to PS3

    March 11, 2010 - 12:40pm


    [Wii version]
    Warner Bros. Interactive has revealed that, in addition to the previously announced PS2, PSP, DS and Wii releases, it's putting Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest on PS3 -- with PlayStation Move support. The kid-friendly LOTR game will now be released this fall (delayed again!) on all five platforms, with the Wii version developed by Headstrong Games (yes, that Headstrong Games) and the others by TT Fusion. Of course, the Wii and PS3 versions will be the only ones with motion control, and they will also be the only versions featuring two-player co-op (with the second player controlling Gandalf).

    The PS3 version won't be an exact port of the Wii one, but it's the same idea -- a game for which the Wii was originally the lead platform, now spreading to the PS3 thanks to the existence of a very Wii-like motion controller. It may be the first, but this is definitely not the last time we'll see this!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments