The Tendo Project – Daily Nintendo News

Damn, have I got some excellent news for all of you today. Remember how I slept and let Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex sneak all up on me? Well, I’m not making that mistake again son! That’s why I’m proud to be able to announce that the next game in the series, Call of Duty:Black Ops, will in fact be coming to the Wii. In fact, it’ll launch on Wii the same day as the HDC’s get it, November 9.

As GoNintendo point out, we haven’t seen any of the game on the Wii, so who knows what it’s going to look like. But, if you remember when I commented on PSMove, I was excited about ports being done better than they have been. Imagine if the game is designed with PSMove and WiiMotion+ controls in mind. Shit will be sick!!! Yeah, it’s all hoop dreams, but it could happen. Time will tell…

We don’t have a proper Wii trailer for Black Ops, but I can show you the teaser trailer for the game. I also want to put up the trailer for an upcoming game that I’ve honestly heard very little about, Lost In Shadow. The trailer for it looks gorgeous, with some amazing lighting effects. The lighting is important because you actually play as a shadow. WHAT?!!? Yeah, it’s crazy, but it looks super nice. That game is due out sometime later this year, so the trailer will have to tide you over for a minute. Enjoy, and stay thirsty my friends.

I’ve had my Wii for quite awhile now. I’d say it’s going on about 3 years. Three glorious years. During my time with the spectacular box I’ve stood up for it at all times. I’ve written a manifesto on how you should go about buying a Wii. I’ve given you my thoughts on where the Wii may be heading, and where it should be heading. I’ve stated that the motion control answers the HDC’s have for the Wii won’t work. I’ve even written a piece on another site telling people to stop hating on the Wii. I’ve done a lot for Ninty and for the Wii, which is why I’m wondering why they’ve decided to break my heart.

The Black Wii has been rumored for a long time. We knew it was coming when we got the black Classic controller. I mean, it was inevitable, right? Well, Nintendo dropped the bomb that was the Black Wii last week, and now I’m depressed. You see, it’s so damned choice. What I’m trying to say is: the Black Wii Bundle is ridiculously thundersex!

Not only do you get the Wii in shiny black, you also get a black Wiimote and nunchuck, complete with black WiiMotion Plus. (Side-note: I’m totally crying right now…) If you’re wondering what the hell you’re gonna use that WMP for, Nintendo is also including WiiSports Resort. Don’t worry though, you will still get the original WiiSports. I KNOW!!

Let’s rub the pain in a bit more by reviewing the package. Black Wii, Black Wiimote, Black Nunchuck, Black WMP, WiiSports Resort, WiiSports. I’m going to kill myself now…

Source

I’ve had my Wii for quite awhile now. I’d say it’s going on about 3 years. Three glorious years. During my time with the spectacular box I’ve stood up for it at all times. I’ve written a manifesto on how you should go about buying a Wii. I’ve given you my thoughts on where the Wii may be heading, and where it should be heading. I’ve stated that the motion control answers the HDC’s have for the Wii won’t work. I’ve even written a piece on another site telling people to stop hating on the Wii. I’ve done a lot for Ninty and for the Wii, which is why I’m wondering why they’ve decided to break my heart.

The Black Wii has been rumored for a long time. We knew it was coming when we got the black Classic controller. I mean, it was inevitable, right? Well, Nintendo dropped the bomb that was the Black Wii last week, and now I’m depressed. You see, it’s so damned choice. What I’m trying to say is: the Black Wii Bundle is ridiculously thundersex!

Not only do you get the Wii in shiny black, you also get a black Wiimote and nunchuck, complete with black WiiMotion Plus. (Side-note: I’m totally crying right now…) If you’re wondering what the hell you’re gonna use that WMP for, Nintendo is also including WiiSports Resort. Don’t worry though, you will still get the original WiiSports. I KNOW!!

Let’s rub the pain in a bit more by reviewing the package. Black Wii, Black Wiimote, Black Nunchuck, Black WMP, WiiSports Resort, WiiSports. I’m going to kill myself now…

Source

EA has found a fair amount of success with their MySims games and hope the next title to bear the name will continue that success. The fight against Morcubus will be taking to the skies this fall with MySims: Sky Heroes.

In the ongoing battle against the evil Morcubus players are going to get their Maverick and Goose on. I’ve always been a bit of a fan of the MySims games and their ability to cater to kids as well as older gamers without being too dumbed down. Sky Heroes looks pretty good, and I’m definitely going to be keeping my eyes on this leading up to the fall release. Check the first trailer for the game below. Enjoy, and stay thirsty my friends.

If I told you that despite all the hyping up I’ve done of Red Steel 2 that I still hadn’t played the game, would you forgive me? Look, I’ve been crazy busy lately. We’ve had crazy things going on at the house, I meet with someone everyday, and I had to clean out our Koi pond. Oh yeah, there was also the little task of building a waterfall. I mean, we built a freaking waterfall!! Take that mother nature!!

So, I’ve not had too much time for gaming lately. I promise, I am going to play it though. In fact, I’m gonna play the crap out of it…one day. Hopefully, that day comes before Red Steel 3 comes out. Oh snap! You didn’t know about RS3? Well, now you do. Apparently it will be compatible with the Wii Vitality Sensor, which is a bit iffy in my opinion. I just hope Reggie and Cammie show this bitch off at E3 in June! The pic I posted up there is from the French Nintendo Magazine that blew the lid off this sucka. It’s in French, but I’ll translate it for you: “Red Steel 3 is going to come out and be effing awesome. *French laughing*” Enjoy, and stay thirsty my friends.

LiveWii via Neogaf.

Last year, I was invited to pay a visit to EA’s Redwood Studios. During said visit, we got to sit in on a recording sessions for Simlish aka the language of The Sims. The producer was telling us how they worked with the actor to set the scene up. She would tell the actor, a guy or girl in the booth, something like, “Okay, be sad and say ‘Why did you do that?’” At that point the actor would say, “Got it. Zibba din torg?” It was kinda insane, but it worked. Simlish is one of the most awesome things Will Wright’s brainchild has given us.

Being witness to that recording session convinced me to buy The Sims 3 for PC. Well, Mrs. Mike wanted it anyway, but we’re gonna give credit to Simlish for now. I’ve since bought the add-on pack The Sims 3: World Adventures, and will probably even buy the upcoming expansion pack, Ambitions. What I probably won’t be buying is The Sims 3 for Wii, or for any other console. I’ve played the franchise’s offerings on consoles, and they just don’t work. Mrs. Mike did love The Urbz: Sims in the City, but that wasn’t your typical Sims offering. While I’ve got no interest in this, I’m sure some of you might. If you’re in the camp of people fiending for some Sim-on-Sim action for your Wii, then jump along for the full press release. I’ll include a trailer for The Sims 3: Ambitions just because it looks retardedly awesome! Enjoy, and stay thirsty my friends.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 27, 2010 – The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that the critically-acclaimed The Sims™ 3 is in development for the PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, the Wii™ and Nintendo DS™, and will be available this fall. Millions embraced the launch of The Sims 3 on the PC/Mac last summer making it the biggest PC launch in EA’s history and going on to become to the #1 best-selling PC title in 2009*. The groundbreaking The Sims franchise has continued to gain momentum, remaining a worldwide cultural touchstone for its enormous and growing fan base.

“We’re bringing players the best console and handheld game for The Sims franchise to date and are excited to offer a unique experience for all types of gamers on their platform of choice,” explained Sam Player, Executive Producer at EA. “Building on the unique traits system, living open neighborhood, lifetime wishes, and endless customization options, we’ve tailored each platform of The Sims 3 with exclusive features to allow for even more control, creativity, and connectivity.”

In The Sims 3 for console and handheld, players will be able to create Sims with unique personalities, fulfill their desires…or not, and control their lives within a living neighborhood. Additionally, all-new features make it easier than ever to mess with life as players can unlock the ultimate “Karma Powers” for instant control and unleash them on their Sims. Players can help their Sim “get lucky,” bless them with “instant beauty” or be deviant and curse them with an “epic fail.” But players should use these powers wisely—they may have unexpected results and karma may come back to bite.

Rich, immersive gameplay is complimented with a seamlessly integrated exchange system on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms, gamers will be more connected than ever before as they design, build, and share their creations and download content from other players around the world without ever leaving the game.** Facing short and long term challenges, players will reap rewards and trophies and can even share achievements with friends by connecting to Facebook**.

Exclusive to the Wii version, players will be able to enjoy an all-new beach town with unique residents, traits, careers and lifetime wishes. For the first time ever, players can enjoy The Sims 3 with friends by going head to head in the new “Life Moments” game to earn rewards. Finally, players will also enjoy several adventure quests, as the game will challenge them to explore their town and discover the secrets therein.

Never before seen on Nintendo DS, players can use the stylus to build their Sims’ homes with tools, draw walls and floors, and customize virtually everything from décor objects, textures, and more. Players will use the stylus to sculpt their Sims’ facial features, choose hair styles and clothing, and dictate personalities in the most robust Create a Sim yet for a handheld game. In Story Mode, players will control multiple Sims within a family and enjoy life’s special moments. For the first time ever on the Nintendo DS, players can enjoy a complete life simulation as they guide their Sims through completing challenges to unlock additional items, new buildings and landmarks, and more.

“The Sims series’ continues to be one of the most successful videogames of all time by providing universally appealing content and focusing on the player’s imagination, emergent gameplay mechanics, and the innate humor evident in the virtual world of The Sims,” said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio. “We’re building on this foundation and applying new features that will make for a robust, deep and rewarding gameplay experience. I’m extremely proud of the game that the team is making and can’t wait to bring these exciting new features like Karma Powers to life and get them into players’ hands.”

The Sims 3 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS is developed by The Sims Studio and has not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information about The Sims 3, please go to www.TheSims3.com. The Sims 3 is also available for PC, Mac, iPhone®, iPod touch® and mobile devices. To download artwork, please visit www.info.ea.com.

* In North America and Europe according to NPD data, Chart-track UK, Gfk France, Gfk Spain, Gfk-MCC Germany and EA internal estimate.

** INTERNET CONNECTION, EA Online Account, and registration with single-use serial code enclosed with new, full retail purchase of The Sims 3 for Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 required. PlayStation®Network/Xbox LIVE® account required and separate fees may apply. Some features subject to availability through PlayStation Network and/or Xbox LIVE. Registration is limited to one EA Account per serial code and is non-transferable once used. You must be 13+ to register. EA Online Terms & Conditions found at www.ea.com.

About The Sims

The Sims™, the groundbreaking franchise that allows players to create and live a virtual, simulated life on a computer, celebrates its ten year anniversary in 2010 with an impressive more than 125 million units sold since its launch in February 2000. Now translated into 22 different languages and available in 60 different countries, The Sims has quickly become a universal gaming and cultural phenomenon. Since its June 2009 launch, The Sims 3 has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide to date and was the #1 best-selling PC title for 2009 in North America and Europe. Fan intensity is evidenced through the 140 million downloads of player created content including: Sims, houses, stories and more. The Sims 3 community site, www.thesims3.com, welcomes up to four million unique visitors monthly, handles 300 content downloads every minute and more than 2 million uploads have been made to date, including 20 movies each hour. The Sims 3 YouTube Channel is within the top 10 most viewed sponsored channels of all time with more than 28 million video views. Visit The Sims 3 official website to see what the players are creating at www.TheSims3.com or the official YouTube Channel for The Sims at http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSims.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA MobileTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO, and The Sims are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. Mac, iPhone, and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

In less than a month, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is going to be released for the Nintendo Wii. That games predecessor, Super Mario Galaxy, is the benchmark other Wii games aim to match. Simply put, Galaxy is the shit. It’s a beautiful game that is ridiculously fun to play. My sister and her son were over playing it this weekend, and I enjoyed just watching the game in action. The fact that Nintendo and Mario go together like peas and carrots leaves little doubt that Galaxy 2 will be just as gorgeous. Just as fun. Basically, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is also going to be the shit. If you have any doubt about that fact, follow the jump for the latest gameplay trailer and start counting the days until May 23. Enjoy, and stay thirsty my friends.

I hate wasps. I’m not talking about the kind that go to UGA. You know, those guys who wear LaCoste shirts with J. Crew seersucker shorts, and sunglasses that they’ve got a strap on to make sure that they don’t forget them at the bar after one too many Coors Lights. I’m talking about the kind that sting. My backyard is like some sort of oasis for bees and wasps right now. The bees kinda bother me, but I’ve got a feeling the wasps have it out for me. They just seem mean. Then there’s the fact that sometimes they get in our laundry room and I have to Raid their asses; maybe they know I’ve murdered their brethren and they’re plotting a wasp revolt. I should definitely watch my back from now on…

You know who else should watch their back? Game developers not named Ubisoft. Why is that you may ask? Well, because Ubisoft is the only developer publishing the thunder-sex that is the new Prince of Persia game. The Forgotten Sands for the Wii looks absolutely amazing. It’s definitely going to be a contender for prettiest Wii game yet. If you need proof, you’ll find it below in the form of a brand new gameplay trailer. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands hits stores on May 18. Enjoy, and stay thirsty my friends.

Okay, I’m gonna make this post short and sweet because I’ve got a date with Liberty City!! That’s right suckas, I’m heading back into GTA:IV with the DLC that used to be only available for consoles that rocked Red Lights of Death, only I’m doing it on my PS3. Yeah, I’m hyped! So, let’s get into it.

In news that’s not news at all, IGN has a great hands-on with the Classic Controller Pro, which comes bundled with Monster Hunter Tri. The contorller looks sexy as hell, and I can’t wait to be able to use it and toss the original one, which is actually kinda crap. For a bonus read, you HAVE to check out the excellent op-ed piece pointing out that shooters on the Wii are better than they are on the HDC’s. I’ve been saying it for years, nice to see IGN snacking on my skittles!

Now, in news that probably has Reggie, Cammie and Miyamoto doing cart-wheels in their Animal Crossing villages, it looks like the Federal Court ruled in their favor in a patent infringement case. If you want a bit more on the story, check the source. To read the press release from Ninty, you’re gonna have to jump.

Federal Circuit Court Vindicates Nintendo in Patent Lawsuit

Court Overturns Verdict of East Texas Jury

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Today the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that none of Nintendo’s video game controllers infringe on a patent asserted by Anascape, Ltd.

Nintendo had been accused by Anascape, Ltd., of infringing on U.S. Patent No. 6,906,700. The case was tried before a jury in the Eastern District of Texas in May 2008. The jury found that neither the motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller, nor the Nunchuk™ controller, infringes on the patent. However, the jury found that the Classic Controller™ for the Wii™ console, and the WaveBird™ and standard controllers for Nintendo GameCube™ did infringe on the patent. Today’s decision, however, completely reversed the jury’s findings of infringement.

“In 2008, the jury determined that the Wii Remote and Nunchuk did not infringe,” said Nintendo of America General Counsel Rick Flamm. “Today the Federal Circuit’s ruling confirmed that none of Nintendo’s controllers infringe. We appreciate that our position has been vindicated.”

For reference, the case is Anascape, Ltd. v. Nintendo of America Inc. and the citation is 2008-1500.

For more information about Nintendo, visit www.nintendo.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.3 billion video games and more than 558 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.

I don’t know if any of you live in the Atlanta area, or more specifically a little south of Atlanta, but I need to bitch about that spot for a minute. I don’t know anything about the people who live there, but I have to believe they’re probably the worst drivers in America. There’s one stretch of I-75 about a half hour away from Atlanta that is constantly backed up. Damned Holcomb Bridge Road!! Seriously, Saturday night we were driving home from Florida and we got to that area around 11 at night. And we were stuck there for like a half hour. WTF!?!? There was no accident, no construction, no lanes were closed and there weren’t any speed traps. It’s just that 5 mile stretch of interstate is in an area where every resident should have their license permanently revoked. I’ve “driven” through there at pretty much every conceivable time from morning to night, weekday to weekend, and I always get stuck in deadlocked traffic. It kinda makes me want to punch someone who lives there in the face. Luckily I’m a pacifist. And lucky for any of you Wii owners who didn’t see the “un-official” announcement I posted a couple weeks ago that Netflix discs were now shipping for the Wii, because today we have the official announcement straight from Netflix. You can find that announcement after the jump.

Press Release: THOUSANDS OF MOVIES & TV EPISODES FROM NETFLIX NOW AVAILABLE VIA NINTENDO’S WII CONSOLE

http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=23237

Now Wii Owners Can Use One System for Movie & Game Night

REDMOND, Wash., and LOS GATOS, Calif., April 12, 2010 - Nintendo of America Inc. and Netflix, Inc. today announced that Netflix members who own Nintendo’s Wii™ home console can now enjoy thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix via Wii. The two companies announced partnership plans in January and are making Netflix on the Wii console fully available as of today.

Streaming from Netflix via the Wii console is provided at no additional cost to Netflix members who have a plan starting at $8.99 a month, a Wii console and a broadband Internet connection.

The partnership between the two companies dramatically increases the reach of content streamed from Netflix. Wii remains the fastest-selling home console in history. Wii now reaches more consumers than any other device that currently supports streaming movies from Netflix, which had 12.3 million members at the end of 2009.

The launch of Netflix on Wii gives people the opportunity to gather with friends and family for a movie and game night. Everyone can join in the fun of a few heated rounds of Wii Sports Resort™ bowling before loading up a movie. When the movie’s over, everyone can try out some table tennis - all on the same Wii console. The addition of Netflix streaming to the Wii console’s already wide range of capabilities makes it even more appealing for group enjoyment.

“More than 28 million people already use the Wii console to play games, stay fit and have fun,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “Now they have another reason to use the system every day - to enjoy great movies from Netflix and other video content.”

“Launching Netflix on the Wii home console marks a significant advance in the evolution of our service,” said Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings. “Wii has created immense consumer excitement and has meaningfully altered the consumer electronics landscape. Bringing Netflix to Wii catapults us toward our goal of being ubiquitous on the connected devices most popular with consumers.”

Netflix continues to expand the ways in which its members can watch movies and TV shows streamed directly to TVs via a range of Netflix-ready devices such as the Wii console. With unlimited memberships starting as low as $8.99 a month, members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix and can also receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. In parallel, consumers continue to demonstrate a preference for Wii consoles and the great value they offer in fun games and shared experiences at a suggested retail price of just $199.99. Wii is the only video game system currently available with motion controls, which are included with the system at no extra charge.

To enable their systems to stream TV shows and movies from Netflix, Wii owners will need a broadband Internet connection, a Netflix unlimited membership and a Netflix instant streaming disc for the Wii console. Netflix members and Wii console owners can now receive a free instant streaming disc by going to www.netflix.com/wii. The discs will be delivered for free by first-class mail, generally one business day after they are requested.

When the instant streaming disc is inserted into a member’s Wii system, an array of movie and TV choices will be displayed right on the TV screen. These titles will be conveniently organized into a variety of categories based on members’ personal preferences and will include popular genres, new arrivals and members’ individual instant Queues. Using the Wii Remote™ controller, members will be able to choose a movie or TV episode to watch from their instant Queues or pick one directly from any of the lists. They will also have the ability to read synopses, rate movies, and will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding their selection.

The Netflix functionality adds another dimension to the Wii console’s diverse online features. With broadband Internet access, the Wii console gains access to a variety of entertainment, information and communication channels that add value to the system and make it a device the entire family can enjoy. For instance, Wii owners of all types can find great games from among hundreds of downloadable new and classic titles with Wii Points™ from the Wii Shop Channel. Or surf the Internet on the big screen via the Internet Channel, watch videos about new and upcoming games on the Nintendo Channel, and play specially designed games online with friends near and far.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.3 billion video games and more than 558 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.

About Netflix, Inc.

With more than 12 million members, Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] is the world’s largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by mail. For $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited TV episodes and movies streamed to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. With Netflix, there are never any due dates or late fees. Members can select from a growing library of titles that can be watched instantly and a vast array of titles on DVD. Among the large and expanding base of devices that can stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix right to members’ TVs are Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Sony’s PS3 and Nintendo’s Wii game consoles; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung, LG and Insignia; Internet TVs from LG, Sony and VIZIO; the Roku digital video player and TiVo digital video recorders; and Apple’s iPad tablet. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com.