The Tendo Project – Daily Nintendo News

I have version 4.1U right now, was wondering if I should update it before I softmod it. If not, what should I use to do it and what size SD card should I get? If anyone could link a guide to do it as well it would be appreciated.

If youre a nostalgic sort of person and like to play a lot of Virtual Console games on the Wii, the SNES Classic Controller might be what youre looking for

The Virtual Console is an excellent part of the Wii and will have you reliving a lot of the classics like Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World. However the service is missing one thing from the original systems, and that is that the games just don’t feel the same on the Wii Remote or Classic Controller. Playing on those controllers doesn’t give you that same nostalgic wave that playing on an authentic SNES controller does. Luckily Nintendo has added this classic gem to Club Nintendo.

The SNES Classic Controller is by far the best offering on Club Nintendo to spend your Stars on. But it is not cheap. At 3000 Stars it will take a lot of games and patience to afford one. And it is exclusive to Club Nintendo. It is undoubtedly worth saving up for though if you fondly remember your days with the original SNES.

Build quality

What surprised me about the controller was how faithfully it mimicked the original SNES controller. I have both the original and the Wii version and it is almost impossible to tell them apart. The only thing giving it away is the cable and writing on the back.

Nintendo has done a great job in recreating the parts that go into the controller. The D-pad feels the same, the face buttons feel the same and the shoulder buttons are their same mushy selves. The controller is very sturdy and feels like a quality product made from strong plastic rather than a cheap knock-off of the original, which is what I was afraid of before I got the controller.

You’ll have no problems with the controller. It seems like it is strong enough to take a punishing gaming session just like all of Nintendo’s early products.

Comfort

If you’ve played with a SNES controller before, then you can expect the exact same experience with the Wii’s version of the controller. But if you’ve never played with a SNES controller, then I think I should point out that the Wii’s Classic Controller Pro is a much better alternative. It is much more comfortable in your hands and has better, less spongy buttons and more features, like analogue sticks. The SNES controller never really was very ergonomic. If it’s a comfortable, well-designed controller you want, pick up a Classic Controller Pro.

That said, I expect most people who have worked up 3000 Club Nintendo Stars will have already bought a Classic Controller somewhere down the line. The SNES Classic Controller may not be your go-to controller, but it is a good addition to your line-up for those days when you want to relive what gaming was like back in 1992.

One thing I would have liked the SNES Classic Controller to include is a Home button. Currently you need to press the Home button on the Wii Remote instead if you want to exit a Virtual Console game, which is a little annoying. Nintendo could have easily slipped in a Home button on the face on the controller without disturbing the other buttons. But then I guess it would not be a faithful replica. So it’s a win-loss situation.

Worth it?

The SNES Classic Controller is easy to recommend for a collector. This one is a no-brainer if you want something practical in the Club Nintendo shop to spend your Stars on. Aside from the Game & Watch classics, the other items in the store (playing cards and bookmarks) don’t seem worth it. In my opinion the SNES Classic Controller is the best item in the store.

But it needs to be made abundantly clear that if you’re looking for the best controller for your Virtual Console games, the Classic Controller Pro comes out on top. The Pro is much more comfortable and has better buttons all round.

Where the SNES controller excels is in returning the nostalgic feeling to your games. It will make you feel like you’re playing with the original system again (minus blowing on the cartridges). Nintendo have done a fantastic job making the Classic Controller mimic the original SNES controller. This is a quality product; you will be hard-pressed to tell them apart. So if you want the authentic experience, you’d best start saving up those Stars.

 

 

We dont know much about it, but we do know it wont have any waggle

Nintendos good old way of telling you absolutely nothing about a game before its release is in action again on the upcoming Rhythm Heaven on Wii. However some information has snuck out about it. Well technically it didnt sneak out as it was revealed at this weeks Investor Briefing for the company and its good news!

Yes Rhythm Heaven on Wii will feature only button controls pushing aside motion and waggling for more precise button controls. This follows the tepid reception to the DS version which added touch screen controls to the Gameboy Advance version.

The game is due out mid-year in Japan (their summer) however a release outside of Japan has not yet been announced. But really, what else have they got?

This week, we debate the ongoing PlayStation Network outage, guesstimate the arrival of new iMac desktops, and salute AMD for grabbing a solid share of the low-end laptop market.

If you're watching this episode a little later in the week than usual, note that we had a little problem with the magical render monkeys who typically lovingly encode each frame of our weekly videocast in a more timely fashion.

Bonus: Download the show's jaunty theme song as a free MP3 here.

Related links
• PlayStation Network still down
• New iMacs coming soon?
• Nintendo says next console coming--but what does that mean?

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Originally posted at Digital City Podcast

But it is unclear what sort of service, if any, Australia will get

Tucked away in Nintendo Japan’s financial briefing the company confirms it will turn its attention to providing a 3D video service on the 3DS after the May firmware update is released.

We’ve known the 3DS will be getting a 3D video service since E3 last year, but as of yet we haven’t heard much about it. At E3 Nintendo revealed Netflix would be hitting the system (not for us Aussies though!) along with other 3D video content. The examples given were movie trailers and comedy shorts amongst other things.

The promotional video which was part of the 3DS’s first firmware update is probably a good indication of how videos will run on the system, but we haven’t seen the backend ‘shop front’ of the video service yet.

At least there will be something to look forward to after Nintendo delivers the other half of the 3DS firmware in May in the form of the web browser and eShop.

Source: Nintendo

Australian release date, yeah no of course there isnt one yet

Theres not a lot of games announced for the Wii at the minute from Nintendo and the ones that are? Well they dont have any release date for Australia as of yet either. However, if youre in Europe (and frankly if youre reading this youre probably not) then youve got another game locked in for release.

Wii Play: Motion heading your way this June, thats June 24 to be exact. The game which is bundled with a Wii Remote Plus comes with 12 mini games to show off the special capabilities of the Wii Remote Plus.

Only two games of the 12 so far have been revealed. Theres a whack-a-mole-like game and a Mary Poppins simulator.

As soon as we get an Australian release date well be sure to let you know.

Source: CVG

New trailer shows off N64 classics and more headed to Nintendo 3DS

Well were in that point after a consoles release where weve played enough of our launch titles and want something fresh, something new. Thankfully the mini-drought is almost over and theres a whole slew of games just around the corner, yes good ones too.

The trailer above has some great new footage of the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Starfox 64 3D and boy does it look pretty. Theres some footage from older games in this trailer, but hang around for the gooey goodness at the end.

Both Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Starfox 64 3D dont have a release date in Australia as of yet.

Hopefully the rest of the world as well

Tales fans are always getting the short end of a big hard stick. Namco Bandai loves to make games in the Tales series and never release them anywhere else other than Japan. However, the Nintendo 3DS looks like its getting a reprive as Tales of the Abyss has been confirmed for an American release in the latest issue of Nintendo Power Magazine.

The magazine shows off multiple pages on the game but the big text saying the modern RPG classic Tales of the Abyss is about to be retold on the Nintendo 3DS. Yes, even in America!". We just hope that, now with infernal region locking it will come to Europe or even Australia, you know just so everything is fair.

When exactly the game is being released hasnt been revealed as of yet. However a fancy new trailer of the game has been released and at 3 minutes long it could keep you satisfied maybe, until the game comes out.

Source: Andriasang

 

If youre in Japan you might be able to snag a special gold pant-clad celebrity Mii with your 3DS

Nintendo is launching a promotion in Japan tomorrow to mark the start of Golden Week – a week-long holiday period.

Nintendo will be sending staff carrying special 3DSs around to major train stations. Anyone Streetpassing with their own 3DS near them will instantly get a unique Mii character of a famous Japanese celebrity sent to their system.

But the promotion only lasts for a week.

It’s probably not worth the airfare though, even if the Mii is dressed in gold.

Source: Nintendo Japan

I’m selling my wii and I’m putting it on facebook and I was wondering how much I should sell it for.