The Tendo Project – Daily Nintendo News

Originally posted at Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

Nintendo has pushed out an update to the Wii System Menu for all regions of the world. Version 4.3 brings no new features (apart from behind-the-scenes stuff) and kills anything remotely resembling homebrew including the Homebrew Channel and more. Access to the Wii Shopping Channel has also been disabled for anyone not on the latest version.

So if youre rocking homebrew, dont update yet.

June 21, 2010 - Wii Menu 4.3

Unauthorized Modifications
Because unauthorized channels or firmware may impair game play or the Wii console, updating to Wii Menu version 4.3 will check for and automatically remove such unauthorized files. In addition, there are some behind the scenes enhancements that do not affect any prominently-used features or menus but will improve system performance.

You can enter in either the Individual or Tag Team competitions of the Coin Challenge (first and second day at each shopping centre respectively), and the daily winners will then be flown to the National Coin Challenge in Sydney, where they will have the chance to win the major prize. That major prize is paid flights and accommodation to New York to visit the Nintendo World Store, as well as $1,000 to spend there!

Even if you dont go so well in the Coin Challenge, dont forget that Nintendo will also be giving prizes in their search for the best Mario voice impersonator. And stick around to play Mario Kart Wii because celebrity guests (below) will be in attendance at select locations, ready to battle anyone in the game.

Dylan Lewis at Westfield Southland, VIC

July 5th: 2:00-3:00pm
July 6th: 1:00-2:00pm

Jabba at Westfield Chatswood, NSW

July 15th: 2:00-3:00pm
July 16th: 1:00-2:00pm

Harry McNaughton at Sylvia Park, Auckland, NZ

July 3rd: 2:00-3:00pm
July 4th: 11:15-12:15pm

For more info on the dates and locations of the Tour, click here, and for details on the rules of the Coin Challenge, check out Nintendos Connection Tour page.

Weve seen Nintendo dabble into 3D before. The Virtual Boy, although a failure, was one of the first mass market attempts at it. But Nintendo tried it again, not on the 3DS but actually on the Game Boy Advance SP. Sitting in the drawer of Iwatas desk is a Game Boy Advance with a 3D display on it.

But dont feel dismayed, the handheld was scrapped due to a lack of processing power and a low resolution screen. With those in mind, Nintendo didnt see fit to continue with it as it wouldnt have been "appealing enough to customers".

A 3D Game Boy Advance in 2005? Would have been pricey.

Source: GamesBeat

There are barely any details about the 3DS available at this stage. Price, date, CPU and more are yet to be revealed but one thing thats big on our minds is the whole region locking thing.

Its a shame were even discussing this in 2010 but here we are. As we know, some DSi games have been region-locked in the past, and that DSiWare is fully region-locked. So what about the Nintendo 3DS? Will it suffer the same fate?

Nintendo doesnt know yet. Speaking to Kotaku, Reggie Fils-Aime has said they are still determining if it will be or not.

Reggie, Nintendo, well give you a hit - go for a "no" in this case.

Source: Kotaku

PDP is on a roll this month, first with a release of the Wii Headbanger headset and now a couple of new controllers themed around Disney’s upcoming Tron and the very epic, Disney Epic Mickey. The Tron controllers are not just for the Wii; there are also Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions. The exclusiveness of the Disney Epic Mickey game on Wii also follows through to the controllers, naturally with a paint brush-looking Nunchuk and a Wii Remote charger featuring Mickey and the giant Ink Blot from the game on the way.

Both of the controllers are a US release at this point, but hopefuly we’ll see them head over this way.

Source: Game Informer

We ask this not very well wanting an answer, but the Vitality Sensor wasnt at this years E3 after being revealed at least years E3. So where was it? According to a new interview with Cammie Dunaway (who was absent from the press conference too), Nintendo has revealed that its still on the way, but not yet ready for prime time. Oh and because that little thing called the Nintendo 3DS was on show.

"Were continuing to work on the Vitality Sensor," says Dunaway. "As we thought about what we wanted to bring to E3, we realised we had a really packed agenda. We also thought about the atmosphere at E3 which is noisy and adrenaline-filled, and loud and stressful, and it just didnt seem like the best environment to introduce a product thats really about relaxing, so we decided wed think about other venues that would be more appropriate," confirming (in a vague way) the tenor of the upcoming games for the device.

Nintendo may have not wanted to show their Vitality Sensor off, but that didnt stop Ubisoft.

We remain sceptical until we see what the little finger clip can do.

Source: GameSetWatch

If you hadnt heard of them before, you will have now. Digital Media Professionals have outed themselves as the provider of the graphics processor thats under the hood of the Nintendo 3DS. The chip is called the Pica200, and its a little old according to reports but still supports OpenGL ES 1.1 and can push out the 15 million polygons per second which will be needed to render the 3D graphics. Stereo 3D graphics require everything to be drawn twice, one for each eye.

So what does this mean for you and me, the game player? Well it means that the Nintendo 3DS has plenty of power for its graphics and has plenty of pretty graphic effects such as per-pixel shading, procedural textures, texture filtering and anti-aliasing. Final speeds have yet to be revealed as the chip can come at different speeds, but the results speak for themselves.

A demo of what the chip can do is below, but the 3DS might not look exactly the same obviously.

Source: NeoGAF

Nintendo’s E3 press event set off with a blast as Shigeru Miyamoto proudly displayed the upcoming and long-awaited Zelda game made specifically for Wii. Miyamoto’s stage presentation may have been a bit wobbly, but we’re happy to re-assure you that the MotionPlus-enhanced combat not only works but brings a whole new dimension to the Zelda formula.

As I stepped up to the Zelda demo booth, anxious to finally put Link through his motions, the first thing that grabbed me was the distinct visual style. Sure, we had all seen the trailer with its crisp cel-shaded visuals and a colour palette more vibrant than anything seen in a Zelda game, but nothing prepared me for just how deeply thought out the artistic direction for Skyward Sword actually is. In the foreground, the new model for adult Link is perhaps the best inception of the character - the smooth, natural edges of Link’s garb forms a nice contrast with the angular, aggressive edges of the sword and shield mounted on his back.

Attendees at Nintendo’s press event were in for a treat as Zelda demo units arose from the floor inside the packed theatre.

Link’s surroundings appear to be captured in a wider angle of view than in Twilight Princess, with better coverage for incoming enemies in Link’s peripheral vision. But what really took my breath away was the depth and draw distance of the backgrounds, and the pseudo-hand painted style for landscapes and objects in the distance. Trees and mountains in the background have a mottled paintbrush-like texture that very subtly blends out to fully-rendered models as Link approaches them closer. The transition is very smooth and I couldn’t pick whether it was a model swap or a well-tooled filter effect.

With controls in hand, the combat is sensibly straightforward. A quick waggle of the Remote and Link has his sword out - give the Nunchuk a shake and he’s wielding a shield. The first enemy I faced off against was the Deku Baba-like flower monster with the double-opening mouth. I had to remember that I was wielding a MotionPlus-enabled control and that a lazy fling of the Remote just wasn’t enough. As seen at the press event, Link can only damage the Baba by slashing along the direction its mouth opens along - either vertically or horizontally. Facing off against the new Deku Baba was easy but the slight moment required to decide whether a vertical or horizontal slash was required is enough to keep players on their toes, and the extra amount of attentiveness required means that Skyward Sword’s combat will be a much more engaging experience.

Skyward Sword’s MotionPlus enhanced combat will really put players to the test.

There was one part of Miyamoto’s presentation where he seemed to unnecessarily struggle. The Deku Scrub monster that shoots out Deku Nuts seemed to prove a bit of a bother for Miyamoto but the moment I encountered one for the first time, I instinctively thrust up my shield with the Nunchuck and deflected the Deku Nut at just the right time to knock out the enemy. The shield works just fine and is a vital tool when facing off against more complex enemies such as the Bokoblins. The Bokoblins actively defend themselves and are opportunistic attackers; landing a blow isn’t so easy as a properly-oriented directional attack is required. There isn’t much time between the Bokoblin telegraphing his attack and making the move, so a quick dodge or shield block is required. After only a few minutes into the game, I was just about to cut down a Deku Baba when I was jumped by a pair of Bokoblins. The surprise attack combined with the threat of the stationary Baba meant that I took a few hits to Link’s health before I adapted my stance and returned a few blows.

Yes, you too can be this cool when the new Zelda ships next year

Gamers who’ve played Wii Sports Resort will adapt very quickly to the new aiming system for ranged weapons such as the Slingshot and Bow. Holding the Wii Remote in a vertical position and making subtle movements is remarkably accurate and the bow and arrow system plays very close to that in Wii Sports Resort.

The combat I got to experience in the demo culminated in a final encounter against a giant enemy scorpion (it’s still funny, alright!). It was here that all of the skills expected of the player after faring off against weaker enemies would come to the fore. Accurately positioned attacks and ultra-quick reflexes were vital as Link needed to slash across the scorpion’s pincers at just the right time and angle. Dish out enough damage to each pincer, and they would blow up, leaving the scorpion defenceless. To finish him off required forward-thrusting jabs, an act requiring a level of accuracy otherwise not possible without MotionPlus. As far as bosses go, the scorpion wasn’t too complex, and didn’t require any weapon-switching to defeat, yet it was an ideal showcase for the demo that drew upon all of the sword-based attacks at Link’s disposal.

MotionPlus fidelity means we’ll have a whole new arsenal of ingenius devices at our disposal.

Much of what has been described certainly isn’t new for the action-gaming genre. The point however, is that the combat in Skyward Sword requires a level of attentiveness and quick adaptability from the player much higher than any other action game on Wii. Games like MadWorld hinted at what was possible, but with MotionPlus being such a vital component of the new Zelda experience, it means that Skyward Sword will have the deepest combat system yet realised on the Wii.

As for the overall narrative structure and flow of the game, it’s unclear what kind of game we will get with Skyward Sword. Many of the established tropes typical of the Zelda franchise still remain: a quick-loading navigational menu to select and arm different weapons, and another menu for managing and using potions. The majority of weapons and items available to Link aren’t new to the series, but there’s certain to be a bunch of new toys built around MotionPlus functionality.

The lines for Skyward Sword were huge, with gamers waiting for hours to play the 10 minute demo.

The sound design is probably the least evolved aspect of Skyward Sword. When Link unlocks a certain area, the same melody chimes in that we’ve heard in every 3D Zelda to date. Link’s grunts and yelps as he attacks and gets attacked are a little bit too familiar as well. There are no signs yet of whether Skyward Sword will feature audio dialogue for the first time or whether we will again be subject to text-only conversations. I would have loved to be able to pick out the music over the massive crowds gathered around the booth, but alas the noise was too much.

As a demonstration of what we can expect from Skyward Sword, the E3 demo unit was heavily geared to showing off what is undoubtedly the game’s strength: combat. The area chosen for the demo was certainly suitable, an appealing showcase full of vibrant colour with a nice depth to the environs, and enough variety to give an idea of what to expect from the final game. Admittedly, compared to playable versions of top-tier Nintendo franchises like Metroid and Kirby, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is probably the least evolved and still plays very close to the formula established in Ocarina of Time back in 1998. The line for Zelda was the second longest at E3, right behind the one for 3DS, and those who played it came away solidly impressed. I’d like to see a bit more variety in gameplay in the full version but everything else displayed was brilliant. The visual style pops and the combat delivers in ways that we are yet to fully appreciate. It’s still a long wait for the next Zelda, and now that I’ve had a taste, the wait only feels all the more unbearable.

Of course before you read on you might want to check out everything that we covered from the show, we’ve rounded them up into a Wii Roundup, and a 3DS and DS roundup.

No? Well then read on...

Josh Moulds - This year’s E3 in Los Angeles belonged to Nintendo. The unveiling of 3DS and a surprisingly strong line-up of titles won the crowd over comprehensively and the offerings on Wii were the strongest in years. As other console companies play catch-up with motion controls, Nintendo returned to their roots and delivered on what matters most - games.

The newly announced Zelda came as a surprise to very few. As I was seated in the Nokia Theatre and saw the trailer roll out on the screen within the first few minutes, I came to the conclusion that not only were they looking to deliver a king hit to win over the crowd, but that getting it out of the way early meant we were in for one hell of a show.

I like the new Zelda design, but can’t help but feel it’s a little conservative. The cel-shaded look probably has more to do with keeping to a visual style that works and looks good on the Wii hardware rather than for stylistic purposes a la Wind Waker. Don’t get me wrong, the lighter, brighter colour palette and softer edges on the environments works very well and the game will be the best looking Zelda game ever rendered. In terms of gameplay, there isn’t quite so much new stuff as there is a refinement of established tropes typical of the series. I urge you to snuff out all memories of Miyamoto’s stage performance with the game - the MotionPlus aiming with the bow and slingshot works perfectly and the swordplay is peerless. It’s great to see that the dabbling into motion controls in Twilight Princess is now completely redundant, with a dedicated and sophistacted motion control scheme that not only works, but employs some of the most creative arsenal of of weaponry in Link’s disposal to date. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a day one purchase from me, but I was hoping to see a bit more of an evolution of the series as seen in other top-tier Nintendo franchises.

Mario Sports Mix is a winner. I played way too much Mario Power Tennis back in the day, and having played the game on the show floor, I’m happy to report that the sports games included in the package certainly channel the spirit of those classic, manic Mario sports titles. Mario Strikers Charged was the last competitive foray for Mario and friends, and it’s great to see further commitment from Nintendo for more Mario sports action. Reggie is right in his description of the game as a "crossover title" - casual gamers will lap it up, and the Nintendo-faithful are reassured there’s plenty of game here worthy of investing hours of time into. Volleyball and Basketball were a great example to have running on the show floor - attendees were invited to play the game in groups and it wasn’t long before complete strangers were cheering each other on and verbally abusing the competition.

There were a few other titles presented at the event we were already aware of, namely Warren Spector’s divine Disney Epic Mickey, but the twin attack of Kirby’s Epic Yarn and Donkey Kong Country Returns was an absolute shocker. Both games play great and are faithful to their respective lineages, and each show that the 2D platformer genre is alive, well, and kicking arse. My preference leans towards Epic Yarn, as the game is simply too gorgeous to ignore, and the gameplay has taken the Kirby formula and hurled it into the modern era with devilishly-designed platforming sequences and hidden sections as well as boss fights that are equally as challenging as they are visually stunning. As for the new Donkey Kong Country, it plays remarkably close to the classic SNES games put out in Rare’s glory days, yet the opportunities opened up by co-op play are some of the best I’ve seen in a recent platformer - it’s not just tacked in. It’s well worth mentioning that DKCR is hard, like, really hard. The challenge will be inviting for many and the game promises to harness some of the magic that propelled Nintendo to the stellar heights they enjoyed during the SNES’s heyday.

Let’s pick one from the board now...

The Wii delivered in spades, yet Nintendo hadn’t yet delivered the on their biggest promise for the show - the 3DS. First off, the tension in the Nokia Theatre was palpable as the first 3DS unit to be unveiled to the world appeared on stage on a rising platform amidst a cloud of smoke. When it was finally visible, I was surprised by just how similar it was to the DS and that it would retain the DS name and brand style. We would have to wait to get it in our hands before learning just how well the 3D worked. Nintendo’s genius came to the fore when the very first footage of a game running on the device was that of Kid Icarus, a franchise that is dear to many yet hasn’t had a proper outing in 14 years.

There’s simply too much to delve into to discuss each 3DS title that was on display just yet, but the message was clear: the 3DS can do a hell of a lot, is capable of delivering a broad range of different gameplay styles and will receive some of the best support from third parties out of the gate once it is released next year. Nintendo made a smart move by allowing attendees of the press event to have a sneak preview of the device. They really needed to show that the handheld could deliver on its promise and the 3DS really needs to be held in your hands in order for you to truly believe in its potential. The topic of choice for everyone I met at E3 was just how great the 3D works and how the line-up of games is unprecedented. I would have liked to have had a bit more of a fleshed-out experience of gameplay, but for now the tech demos that were available will have to suffice.

As great as the 3DS will be, I am personally reassured that Nintendo have not lost focus on the Wii, and that they appear to have recognised a vacuum in their own commitment to the platform. Most of the Wii games announced will be available before Christmas, and I can’t wait to jump into the big bucket of fun that awaits me on my return to Australia.

Pable Garcia - One subject that dominated video game blogs and podcasts during the weeks before E3 was "what would it take Nintendo or any other major video games company to win E3?" My inner mature adult voice says it is impossible to "win E3" but I must say that Nintendo had a very compelling story to tell.

From the get-go, a new Zelda for Wii was unveiled. After a gameplay demo (which was hampered by some issues with the Wii Remote connectivity), the roster of games showcased included a new Kirby platformer with a very unique art style, a Donkey Kong Country remake and a new Mario sports title. The 3DS was the main focus of the rest of the presentation. The list of titles from both Nintendo and third parties was more impressive than anybody could have expected. It included everything from Metal Gear Solid, Kingdom Hearts and Resident Evil to the long-rumoured Kid Icarus game and a new Nintendogs (which now also includes cats).

 1x Human Female included with every 3DS.

My personal highlights were Donkey Kong Country Returns, a remake of a game that shares a special place in my heart with Star Fox 64, which is another game being redesigned for the 3DS.

The specialised press feedback on the new handheld has been extremely positive and I personally think that for 3D to be truly successful, it must work without glasses. I believe that this kind of "wow" factor is similar to the experience that people had with Wii’s motion controls: once anybody tried it, it was enough to convince you to buy one.

The biggest let-down was not hearing about Pikmin 3, a game that was mentioned last year but no screens were released. The other minor disappointment is that everything that has been seen of the new Zelda adventure looks quite "traditional". I’m still hoping that my concerns are addressed once more information about this game is revealed. The other thing missing from the presentation was the "Vitality Sensor". The accessory that was introduced with big fanfare last year was missing in action in 2010.

Nintendo announced so many new titles and so many fan favourites are being brought back to modern consoles that it is hard for them to upset anybody with their line-up. They have proven us one more time that they’ve been in this industry long enough to know how to play the E3 game. And between you and me, according to my other inner voice, the "Nintendo fan boy", they are by far the winners of E3 2010.

Excite - To start with, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. First and foremost, the art style looks bloody brilliant. It seems to combine the mature designs of Twilight Princess with the unique cel-shaded charm of Wind Waker, and the resulting graphics make the game exceptionally inviting to play. As first I thought it looked a bit childish, but that’s after playing Twilight Princess. They’ve got it spot on. The heavy focus on motion controls (with the MotionPlus) also looks promising, in particular the need to use different angled slices to defeat certain enemies, which adds more depth to combat. Another big plus is the soundtrack, which will finally be orchestrated, so I hope the game sounds as good as it looks. Despite a few hitches in the demo and a good, but not great, trailer, I’m very happy what I’ve seen so far and I’m really looking forward to this.

Not pictured: Smile on guys face.

Donkey Kong Country Returns now. Who’d have thought that Retro’s next game would be Donkey Kong, let alone this? For some reason I was expecting a platformer a la Donkey Kong 64 which could also have been great. Stuff that. I loved the original Donkey Kong Countrys and it looks like this modern rendition will do justice to its predecessors. Hell, I’ll buy the game just to listen to that addictive Donkey Kong jungle music again. Nothing much more to say but INSTA-BUY.

On to Kirby’s Epic Yarn now and, although I was half-expecting a Kirby game, the announcement still blew me away - what a spectacular-looking game. The idea behind it - transforming the main character into string and having him jump around environments made of cloth patchwork - is amazingly creative. The effects of the environment on Kirby and Kirby’s own transformations as yarn look fabulous. It’s easily one of the most original-looking 2D platformers I’ve ever seen and yet another title to be excited about.

I’ll just touch on the other new Wii game announcements now, with Mario Sports Mix seeming alright I suppose. I mean, it’s got the word "Mario" in it so Nintendo has already tricked me into buying it. Although I’m not that into sports games in general, I get a kick out of the Mario sports titles, so I know this’ll be game to take out when friends come over. Wii Party... hmm. I wanted a Mario Party 9 to be honest, but maybe it’s better that Nintendo’s party genre had a refresh... no, nup, Mario characters > Miis. Epic Mickey has been a big surprise for me. I never thought I’d be interested in this sort of game, but the gameplay and the whole story behind it seems quite intriguing - I’ll consider buying this one when it comes out. And GoldenEye 007, oh dear. I’m all for a remake, that’s true, but that damn internet ruined the surprise a few days earlier. Anyway, I hope the nostalgia factor of this is really, really high because I don’t want this game to end up having a Call of Duty feel to it. Please.

The 3DS. My oh my, I’m getting a bit flustered here. This was the star of the conference. It looks good from a hardware perspective and it looks good from a software perspective. The 3D capability is going to blow away the competition. The first- and third-party support is great even if some of these games seem like just the type of early ideas you see when a new system is first announced. I’m very glad about the improvements in online connectivity, but deep inside I want it to provide me with a richer online presence in terms of social networking. I’m pretty sure that’s not gonna happen though. Not having a DSi (just a Lite), I’m very excited about the 3DS and I trust the first impressions people had on the show floor. I’m busting for more details on games, and the price of the console, and will certainly grab this at launch.

Overall, Nintendo’s presentation was fantastic and their best presence at E3 for some time. Who cares if Pikmin 3 or the Vitality Sensor were nowhere in sight - Nintendo delivered on all of their other major franchises and reminded us they really do care about us core gamers. Oh, how could I forget, my favourite part was the short Iwata/Miyamoto/Reggie segment "demonstrating" the 3DS. Oh you guise XD. So yes, Nintendo "won" E3. It’s too bad the Zelda demo had a few hiccups, and they could have shown more 3DS games. Still, it was a fanboy’s wet dream.

Everything old is new again - but this time in the best way possible

Daniel Vuckovic - Wowee, what an E3 for Nintendo. When we did our predictions for the show, all the Vooks staff basically thought, yup, we’ll see the 3DS in some fashion and of course Zelda. But no, Nintendo decided to do that and more. There was the casual side of things that we’re not really interested in but Nintendo kept on with the punches. They didn’t dwell on any one thing and kept on rolling. The one downside to the presentation? The iffy Zelda demonstration. We now know that the game works flawlessly and it really was interference causing problems, but a lot of people aren’t going to look past a stage demo and think the worst.

So enough about how they showed it, what about what they have shown? I’ll start with the 3DS because really that thing has just blown everyone away. It works, it just works, and the games line-up on the first- and third-party side of things looks to be amazing. Like any new system, it’s a little port- and existing franchise-heavy, but I hope we’ll see more and more new IPs from the thing - not just existing stuff shunted into 3D. While the 3D effect is great too, it’ll be good to see that if you switch it off entirely, the graphics still look amazing - Kid Icarus looks like a Wii game in some places.

I’m kind of ignoring Zelda: Skyward Sword for the time being, knowing it’s coming out next year just means that, yeah, I think it looks good and will be great, but I’m just kinda putting it to the back of my mind for now so I can concentrate on all the other stuff coming out this year that will be great. Games like Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Epic Mickey all have my attention. The DS isn’t left for dead yet either, with Golden Sun and another Professor Layton on the way still going to draw in big numbers.

The idea of the Goldeneye remake is sounding less and less appealing by the day. That’s not to say I won’t get it and probably enjoy it, but to introduce modern gameplay mechanics like melee, iron sights and regenerative health kinda turns me off the game. Plus removing the whole "Cold War" thing too makes little sense to me. I guess the leak of the trailer meant that it wasn’t such a big of a surprise too. We hear it plays good though so, really, that’s all that matters.

The only real downside of Nintendo’s showing was the overall lack of information on the Nintendo 3DS, its date, price, specs, region-locking, menus and stuff like that is information I crave as a Nintendo fan. I can see why they did it, they just want to show off the technology, but that can also backfire. We’ve seen the technology now, we know it works - Nintendo should get on with making some games and not leave us waiting 4 months to see the thing again.

Nintendo’s going to have a real problem showing this thing to people. You can’t advertise it the usual way - you’ll need to get it into the hands of people. Perhaps Nintendo should go back to their 2006 E3 mantra, "Playing is Believing", because really I don’t think people are going to "get" the 3DS unless they see it in action.

The next year is going to be great for Nintendo. We’ve got a ton of Wii games coming with classic franchises returning and some great new Epic (Mickey) ones. 3DS will deliver sometime next year for Australians we think, but it doesn’t stop us getting excited.