Added by Brad Shoemaker on July 6, 2009
Practically since the launch of the Wii, analysts and wishful (or dissatisfied) Nintendo fans have been speculating about when we'll see a high-definition version of the console--and what the original Wii would have been like if it had been capable of HD graphics in the first place. Take a look at the video below (and ignore the dubious legality and complete absurdity of someone reviewing an emulated version of a two-year-old game) for a glimpse at what Super Mario Galaxy might look like running in 720p.
It's probably a testament to the quality of Nintendo's art assets that the game looks as good as it does with the resolution boosted. It's pointed out in the video's comments that the jerky frame rate is due to the FRAPS recording software used, but this gives you a pretty good idea of what a backwards-compatible HD Wii might look. Of course, Nintendo has said nothing to that effect yet, but you can bet your sweet derriere that people will keep speculating about it until they do.
It's probably a testament to the quality of Nintendo's art assets that the game looks as good as it does with the resolution boosted. It's pointed out in the video's comments that the jerky frame rate is due to the FRAPS recording software used, but this gives you a pretty good idea of what a backwards-compatible HD Wii might look. Of course, Nintendo has said nothing to that effect yet, but you can bet your sweet derriere that people will keep speculating about it until they do.
Filed under :
Nintendo,
Super Mario Galaxy
Added by Dave Snider on June 3, 2009
While we've got a whole lot more info on Nintendo from this E3, this is pretty much all you need to check if you're looking for the basics. We'll try to update this regularly as more coverage comes in throughout the week.
Top 10 Nintendo Trailers
Nintendo Conference Bullet Points
- Vitality peripheral is a pulse monitor that no one has any idea of the use. No game was shown alongside of it. The audience was baffled.
- Mario Galaxy 2 is totally being made.
- Metroid: Other M is a new Metroid shooter being made for the Wii. It's due in 2010 and might have had Keifer Sutherland doing voicework (total guess on that last point).
- Golden Sun DS is a new Golden Sun gaming coming out.
- C.O.P: The Recruit is a new GTAish (hard to tell) DS exclusive game coming from Ubisoft.
- Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside story is a new RPG coming out for the DS.
- There's a new Final Fantasy game called Crystal Bearers coming out for the Wii.
- Wii Motion Plus was their big push of the conference with Wii Sports Resort as their first party title. Red Steel 2, Tiger Woods, Grand Slam Tennis and Virtua Tennis will all make use of it this summer.
- New Super Mario Bros for Wii is a multiplayer mario platformer similar to the classic NES games.
- Wii Fit Plus will come out this Fall. The first game is the best selling game in America.
- DSi sold 1 million units in two months. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again is a new level creation game that will be on DSiWare next week.
- Lots of DS games are being targeted at tweens. Style Savvy is a fashion based game aimed at girls.
- Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion is a DS game based off the books of James Patterson.
Filed under :
Nintendo
Added by Dave Snider on June 2, 2009
Nintendo Bullet Points
- Vitality peripheral is a pulse monitor that no one has any idea of the use. No game was shown alongside of it. The audience was baffled.
- Mario Galaxy 2 is totally being made.
- Metroid: Other M is a new Metroid shooter being made for the Wii. It's due in 2010 and might have had Keifer Sutherland doing voicework (total guess on that last point).
- Golden Sun DS is a new Golden Sun gaming coming out.
- C.O.P: The Recruit is a new GTAish (hard to tell) DS exclusive game coming from Ubisoft.
- Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside story is a new RPG coming out for the DS.
- There's a new Final Fantasy game called Crystal Bearers coming out for the Wii.
- Wii Motion Plus was their big push of the conference with Wii Sports Resort as their first party title. Red Steel 2, Tiger Woods, Grand Slam Tennis and Virtua Tennis will all make use of it this summer.
- New Super Mario Bros for Wii is a multiplayer mario platformer similar to the classic NES games.
- Wii Fit Plus will come out this Fall. The first game is the best selling game in America.
- DSi sold 1 million units in two months. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again is a new level creation game that will be on DSiWare next week.
- Lots of DS games are being targeted at tweens. Style Savvy is a fashion based game aimed at girls.
- Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion is a DS game based off the books of James Patterson.
Sony Bullet Points
- PSP Go! is Sony's new handheld. It will cost $249.99 and be wifi enabled with a 16 GB flash drive. You'll be able to direct download games, movies and TV shows onto the device. It is 40% lighter then the original PSP unit.
- Gran Turismo PSP will be a launch title for the PSP Go!
- Big releases for the PSP Go! include Resident Evil and Metal Gear: Peace Walker. Peace Walker is a true sequel in the Metal Gear franchise and will be set in the 1970s.
- Sony is working on a motion control device that while still in the early stages, looked like it might be stiff competition for Natal.
- God of War III was presented through a gameplay demo that looked pretty epic. Certainly the bloodiest game yet.
- The Last Guardian is a new PS3 game from the maker's of Ico. It includes a Bird/Dog/Rat creature. Hard to explain :)
- Final Fantasy XIV was announced and will feature some online components. It, unlike XIII, will be a Sony exclusive title.
- Assassin's Creed 2 was shown with gameplay. Involved some high flying action in DaVinci's flying machine.
- Rockstar North is working on an exclusive title for the PS3 named Agent. Not much is know.
- You'll be able to download Final Fantasy VII on PSN.
- ModNation Races is a PS3 kart game that allows you to build virtual tracks and share with friends. Think LittleBigPlanet for racing.
- Sony will still continue to support current PSPs.
- An Uncharted 2 trailer was shown. It included a pretty impressive fight with a helicopter.
- MAG was demoed for the second E3 in a row. This time live with a 250 person game being played. It is due "This Fall"
Filed under :
Nintendo
Added by Dave Snider on June 2, 2009
10:14 AM
Reggie ends it. My thoughts? Metroid looks OK and obviously there's gonna be a lot of great stuff coming out for the DS. But I really can't get too excited about the Motion Plus when all I've seen use it are Red Steel 2 and a bunch of Mini-games. Nintendo definitely is focusing a lot more on increasing their sales by tapping into would be gamers. In the end I'm worried they're alienating their core audience. Then again, I guess I haven't been the core audience for Nintendo in years.
10:13 AM
Remember when Nintendo could make fanboys cry? When they could bring the house down?
10:12 AM
I wouldn't call this edgy, but it's Metroid. Due in 2010. Metroid: Other M is the name.
10:11 AM
Was that Keifer's voice? Metroid M is a shooter. Looks partly 3rd person with some 1st person elements.
10:10 AM
Working with team ninja.
10:09 AM
New "edgier" game being made in-house by Nintendo.
10:08 AM
Looks like the dismemberment could be fun with pure shooter controls. Scattered applause.
10:07 AM
Speaking of Dead Space, Extraction is up next.
10:06 AM
Looks like a shooter possibly in the vein of Dead Space Extraction?
10:06 AM
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is a new RE game for the Wii. Trailer being shown.
10:05 AM
Trailer for The Conduit. Coming this June.
10:04 AM
3rd party titles with a harder edge. New IP from Sega: The Conduit.
10:03 AM
Reggie is out to wrap stuff up.
10:03 AM
Official. Mario Galaxy 2 is the title.
10:03 AM
Nintendo. A company of Innovation.
10:02 AM
Ryan wants me to remind everyone that he called it.
10:02 AM
Looks like galaxy 2. Not that I mind, but it woulda been nice if they changed the setting. Still, I'll eat this up.
10:02 AM
Hey, new Mario game. Finally. Galaxy 2?
10:01 AM
Iwata is off. Vinny is gonna have a field day this year.
10:00 AM
NO GAMES SHOWED FOR THE VITALITY SENSOR. WTF WAS THAT.
9:59 AM
I'm sorry guys. I'm laughing hard core in the basement here all by myself. Looks like Jeff/Ryan are similarly confused.
9:59 AM
Dude, WEIRDEST PERIPHERAL EVER. WHAT IS THIS SHIT.
9:58 AM
Wii Vitality Sensor recognizes your pulse. I guess they are making a lie detector?
9:57 AM
Iwata is talking to long. Oh he's about to show some games.
9:56 AM
The "new" in New Super Mario Bros Wii is a bit misleading.
9:55 AM
"products that can satisfy novice and advanced players simultaneously".
9:54 AM
Games are big business. Iwata proves it. This isn't about making games for gamers. This is about opening up Nintendo's market to more people. It's hard to disagree with his points, but still there's a large amount of core gamers that watch this stuff and feel insulted. It's like they don't like the awkard kid in the basement as their audience.
9:53 AM
Check out twitter feed for some funny photos from Jeff.
9:52 AM
Nintendo is focusing on the Maybe gamers. And similarly losing this one.
9:51 AM
The parade of spotless, beautiful suits continues with Iwata. Nintendo sure knows how to dress up. He says nintendo breaks its audience into gamers, sometime gamers and maybe one day gamers.
9:51 AM
As with all conferences. This one could use more Grizzly Bears. Sutoru Iwata just came out. (sp?)
9:50 AM
Apparently they aren't showing it here. Hopefully Ryan and Jeff can see it on the floor. Still, that's like the only game we wanted to see. Grrr.
9:49 AM
Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is on display.
9:49 AM
OK, now this is just creeping me out. I'm waiting for their Robot overlords to come steal my soul. The cadence of speech is just too rehearsed.
9:48 AM
Wario Ware DYI is another create your own microgame title. "Creating content is only half the fun".
9:47 AM
June 8th debut. It's DSi Ware only
9:46 AM
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March again is a level editor game that looks like lemmings?
9:46 AM
Showing off some of the animation games. Flipnote Studio will be available for DSi "this summer"
9:45 AM
DSi sells 1 million units and 400k DS Lites in the last 2 months.
9:44 AM
Interviews with the crowd from creepy dudes to little girls about how awesome the DSi is.
9:43 AM
DSi on display now.
9:42 AM
The audience is dead silent during all this btw.
9:42 AM
Again, sorry to be blunt but how come all games marketed to little kids focus on consumerism? It kinda scares me.
9:41 AM
Style Savvy is a Tween fashion game on the DS.
9:40 AM
DS Title that looks a little GTAish.
9:40 AM
Cop: The Recruit is a new Ubisoft title. Why didn't they show this yesterday?
9:40 AM
Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion is the official name.
9:39 AM
James Patterson Women's Book Club books coming to the DS.
9:38 AM
100 million units of DS out there.
9:37 AM
golden sun looks pretty good. Uses both screens for the cinematics.
9:37 AM
Golden Sun comes back to the DS. OK, here's something I can get excited about. Those games ruled.
9:36 AM
Inside Story is due this fall.
9:35 AM
"Microbe" Bowser RPG title for DS. Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
9:35 AM
New kingdom hearts is due out 8/29. Looks like kingdom hearts. Oooh. Jack Skeleton.
9:34 AM
Crystal Chronicles related looks like. Trailer being shown now. "Crystal Bearers" is the name.
9:33 AM
New Final Fantasy game.
9:32 AM
More 3rd party games sold for Wii then any other platform. DS is second.
9:31 AM
Only problem I have with this stuff is the same with Natal. After market peripherals have never worked well. Still, if anyone can pull it off, Nintendo can.
9:30 AM
Reggie is showing 3rd party Motion Plus games. EA Grand Slam and Tiger Woods are examples along with Virtua Tennis.
9:29 AM
Awkward premade jokes followed by a three point shot competition that totally reminds me of Jordan vs. Bird.
9:28 AM
Reggie just name dropped his boss.
9:27 AM
Reggie is back to try out the basketball portion of the game.
9:26 AM
"It's not about learning the controls, it's about doing things naturally".
9:24 AM
So far skydiving and Archery have been shown. Looks better then the Wii Sports stuff.
9:23 AM
I know it's easy to judge this stuff, but the Wii is the first thing I break up when my kids, parents or sister are around. I don't mean that in a bad way. "Wii Sports Resort" is the official name for a new mini game collection game.
9:22 AM
Wii Motion Plus still on display. They're using it to jump out of an airplane in their Resort game.
9:22 AM
Also, apparently 4D for Mario meant 4 players? What's up with that.
9:21 AM
Here we've got some gampley. Looks like some sports games... golf, archery, rafting...etc.
9:21 AM
Trailer showing off the Wii Motion Plus. No gameplay, just samurai's cutting bamboo in the matrix.
9:20 AM
I swear Nintendo executives are born in test tubes. They are spotless with their delivery even if they have little to say.
9:19 AM
Talking about Wii Motion plus. "A new sense of realism in gameplay".
9:19 AM
On the controller. "Looked like an odd TV remote".
9:18 AM
Reggie has the best suit in E3. Wow. Look at that. "Battleplan communicated virally"
9:17 AM
REGGGGGIIEEEE
9:17 AM
Arrives this fall with a balance board. Can get the game as a standalone if you already have one.
9:16 AM
"Brain age for your backside". Minus the brain I take it.
9:15 AM
"Can't be entirely about fitness". 15 new balance games.
9:14 AM
I'm trying to think of a clever Dhaslim joke.
9:14 AM
"Wii Fit Plus" is a new version of the game. Wonder if that means a new board as well?
9:14 AM
Fit is a separate gaming platform.... or a gimmick?
9:13 AM
"Wii Fit is the best selling video game in America and around the world."
9:12 AM
"New Super Mario Bros" seems like the official name for this one.
9:11 AM
Basically looks like an updated version of Super Mario Bros (NES) with the ability to have 4 players join up.
9:10 AM
This is nice. I'm sure it's fun, but I played this game 20 years ago. Am I missing something?
9:10 AM
Matching shirts from the exec staff. Showing off a Mario platfomer that multiple people can play. Looks very old school mario gameplay.
9:10 AM
I swear the Nintendo press are robots. They know their lines so well. So professional if unhuman.
9:09 AM
Super Mario Brothers for Wii?
9:08 AM
MARIO IN 4D
9:08 AM
Montage of old Mario games. Lead up to a new one? Or just some party stuff?
9:07 AM
She's definitely very well prepped. Knows her lines well. Couldn't say that about Ubi execs yesterday.
9:06 AM
Dude. Everyone is gaming. Minus the dude.
9:05 AM
"Videogames were just as big as home video. Just as big as toys. Even bigger then movie and music combined."
9:04 AM
Wow, she matches the stage. That's color coordinating.
9:03 AM
Random thought. Wouldn't it be cool if Alan Rickman was hosting this thing?
9:02 AM
Multi-ethnic montage of people having fun with weird peripherals. Yeah, this is Nintendo.
9:01 AM
OK, what do I want? A new pilotwings. A new Mario game (I loved Galaxy). Let's hope this whole conference isn't about fitness games.
9:00 AM
Doubt we'll see Reggie, but man that would be cool.
9:00 AM
Btw, the G4 guys totally look like a cover for J. Crew right now. V necks, cool ties, and striped button-downs.
8:58 AM
G4 is talking about Nintendo fanboyism. Definitely the most rabid gamers out there. I expect death threats if I blog this wrong.
8:56 AM
Alright, let's get this thing started. I will begin by confessing that I haven't touched my Wii since the last Fire Emblem game. Yes, I missed No More Heroes. Judge me as you will.
8:37 AM
Forgot to mention Jeff and Ryan added their predictions in a quick microcast earlier this morning. Yesterday they were spot on.
I'll start this one early so you guys can chat it up. I see Steve Wiebe is going for his new record. Trying to throw up some more trailers so I won't join in till the conference starts.
Filed under :
Nintendo
Added by Brad Shoemaker on May 26, 2009
I think I can speak for everyone at Giant Bomb in saying next week's E3 is the most exciting E3 in years. That's not only because the show is purportedly returning to the ludicrous, larger-than-life spectacle it used to be, but also because it's again early enough in the year--and thus, early enough in the annual marketing cycle--for companies to hold announcements of some of their biggest products until E3 itself. The best E3s are the ones where mindblowing news is breaking faster than you can keep up with it.
Now that E3 may once again be more than a rote exercise, I started thinking back to some of the most exciting things that have happened at the show in past years, and I figured I'd show you (or remind you of) them off and on this week as they come to mind. I can't start with the one I really had in mind, because I left its corresponding DVD at my house today. So there's your hint: It's the only E3 moment I can think of that had an entire retail DVD release devoted to it.
In the meantime, here's what is possibly my second-favorite E3 moment ever: The momentous coming of Reginald Fils-Aime. For a long time, Nintendo's front-facing executive image got by on the quiet, grandfatherly charm of Howard Lincoln. But once Lincoln left the company, Nintendo lost its public spokesman--and followup Peter Main didn't stick around very long to fill the necessary shoes either. And George Harrison, bless his soul, was not quite the stage presence the company needed. (Nor the Beatle, either.)
So E3 2004, Nintendo press conference. Minute one, enter this unknown but towering, imposing guy who seizes control of the Nintendo juggernaut with that one unforgettable phrase.
Five years later, the company seems to be doing pretty well for itself. And while we're on the subject of Nintendo's E3 2004 press conference, remember this madness? Zelda fans sure know how to scream. This one also ranks somewhere in the pantheon of crazy E3 moments.
Aside from Spirit Tracks, think we'll get any other news on the Zelda front this year?
Filed under :
Reggie Fils-Aime,
Nintendo
Added by Jeff Gerstmann on May 20, 2009
Maybe we should make them give us all promise rings this year so we know they mean it.
Then, everyone just kind of collectively forgets that it ever happened and only retains extreme awesomeness (like that first Killzone 2 trailer) or extreme nonsense (like Kaz shouting Ridge Racer, Jeff Bell "keeping it real," or Ravi Drums being Ravi Drums).
That's why it's a good thing we have Stephen Totilo. He rewatched the press conferences from E3 2008 and figured out exactly what was promised over the course of the events. He's gone and broken them down into an easily digestible format that'll let you see what was promised, and how many of those promises have been kept or broken. Actually, some of them are still pending, too.
Added by Ryan Davis on Jan. 9, 2009
Just hit cruise-control until you get to the pie factory!
It's a pretty ambitious concept, and I suppose there's some merit to the idea of making games more accessible to people who don't play games. Kotaku got responses from a few different well-known developers about the potential of such potent hand-holding technology, though I think that Jonathan Blow sums up my perspective on the issue quite nicely.
The defining characteristic of a game is that you play it. If, in order for games to be accessible to a wider audience, we need to make it so that most people can skip over the playing it part, then what that really means is that our medium sucks.Simply put, if people don't like playing your game, you're doing it wrong. I find this non-interactive approach really peculiar coming from Nintendo, since the whole hook behind the Wii is that it's interactive in a really novel way. The logic that you'd get people to play your games by making it so they don't have to play them seems profoundly circular. If people want to not-play The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, they don't need to buy anything. Prince of Persia producer Ben Mattes also makes this really excellent point.
It makes sense to me in a purely linear game, but as soon as we get sand-box, or even remotely open ended, the number of variables would seem to invalidate the potential of this system.He goes on to cite Fallout 3, which is a superb example of the direction that games seem to be headed. If any one idea defined the games of 2008, it's that, whether it be through realistic physics systems, moral choices, or user-generated content, the player has more of an impact on the world inside the games than ever. This “Kind Code” technology would've been a much more compelling piece of kit 10 or 15 years ago, when games were much more focused and linear. Though, I suppose you could argue that many of the games Nintendo makes today still retain that relatively narrow structure.
Keep in mind that all of this is based on a patent application that Nintendo hasn't publicly acknowledged, and it's hard to know if or how it would be applied. I have some grave concerns about the implications of making the interactivity of video games optional, though if the past four years have taught me anything, it's not to discount any of Nintendo's crazy, left-field ideas out of hand.
Filed under :
Shigeru Miyamoto,
Nintendo
Added by Jeff Gerstmann on Sept. 29, 2008
Lots of posts all over the place hit this weekend claiming that Nintendo was poised to announce and release a new DS. The stories trace back to the Land of the Rising Fun, specifically newspaper articles like this one from Yomiuri Online or this one from Nikkei.
The reports claim the DS will have some sort of built-in camera functionality and music playback and that it will be hitting stores sometime this year.
Nintendo has issued "no comments" and "we have not made any announcements" to the media both here and in Japan. Here's what the fine folks over at Music Television heard:
“The Nikkei newspaper wrote a recent story about a DS solely based upon their own research and speculation, without interviewing Nintendo. While Nintendo is always working on new hardware, we have not made any announcement about a DS and we cannot comment on the Nikkei story.”
I can't imagine an interview with Nintendo would have turned up anything fruitful. I mean, waltzing in and asking "hey, are you guys releasing a new DS this year or what?" doesn't get you very far. But I also can't imagine these reports would be totally baseless--these are well-respected outlets we're talking about here, not blurry scans from 2ch or whatever.. When you consider that Nintendo is giving presentations to the press in Japan and here in the US this week, it all starts to add up.
So if this new DS thing is going to happen, I expect we'll all know about it within the next 7-10 days. What do you think? Do you think it's time for new DS hardware, and is stuff like a camera and music support enough to get you to buy (or rebuy) Nintendo's popular handheld? What would you add? As you might expect, that's our current question of the moment! Go answer it!
Filed under :
Nintendo,
Nintendo DS
