The Tendo Project – Daily Nintendo News

Ever since the first Mario Party game launched, Nintendo has been releasing new entries in the series at a nearly annual pace. However, we haven't seen a new game since Mario Party 8 hit the Wii three years ago. And now we know why. 

Announced at this year's E3, Wii Party is definitely a spiritual successor to the Mario Party series, as it plays almost identically, but with a Mii-infused makeover.

Ars recently played a brief demo of the game, and unsurprisingly, there's not much we haven't seen before. Just like Mario Party, Wii Party is set up like a board game. You roll dice, move your character, and when everybody has gone, you play a mini-game.

Five different mini-games were on display during the demo, which were all fairly solid and featured some nice variety. One game had you racing a horse, flicking the Wii remote in the air to make it speed up. However, doing so used up your energy, so the key to winning was to balance out running quickly with running out of energy. 

Easily the most enjoyable game shown had players controlling balls by tilting the controller, with the goal of knocking your opponents into various holes found throughout the stage.

The familiar Mario Party board game setup makes a return in Wii Party

The other mini-games available include a balancing game where you have to keep an ever growing stack of presents from falling over by tilting the Wii remote; a simple tank game where the goal is to shoot your opponents from behind; and log jumping game, where one flick of the wrist lets you jump over logs, while several simultaneous flicks allow your Mii to essentially float through the air for extended periods of time.

Aside from the implementation of Mii support and, presumably, a number of new mini-games to play, very little differentiates Wii Party from past Mario Party games. The board game section is relatively simple, with a few expected features to keep things interesting—landing on some spaces will cause certain things to happen, such as sending a player either backwards or forwards by several spaces or having two players swap positions. Wii Party also takes place on the same tropical island as Wii Sports Resort, which is a nice addition.

When Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime announced Wii Party at E3, he described it as the company's "next bridge title," comparing it to New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Mario Kart Wii, both hugely successful titles. But whereas those titles were experiences that managed to appeal to both traditional gamers and the more casual Wii audience, Wii Party appears to be little more than Mario Party 8 sans the license.

Wii Party is expected to launch in North America this fall.

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The original Sin and Punishment was a cult classic for the Nintendo 64 among game importers in the US, and it finally took the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console to bring the game to the States. It was worth the wait, especially now that Nintendo listened to our American howls of agony at having to pass up such a great shooter and released its sequel on the Wii: Sin and Punishment: Star Successor.

Treasure has a reputation for creating beautiful, crushingly hard shooters for a variety of platforms—their releases include titles like Gunstar Heroes, Bangai-O, Ikaruga, and Radiant Silvergun—and this is a game that you shouldn't be ashamed to play on the easiest setting until you get a feel for the controls and the surprisingly many ways you can fight back against the overwhelming enemy forces. This isn't your standard shooter; you have plenty of moves at your disposal.

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Is it time to turn Samus Aran from a video game character into an actual person? With voice acting, a more in-depth story than we're used to, and more of an emphasis on the character (both in and out of the armor), Samus now seems more like a woman than simply a bounty hunter. Incredibly capable, oddly vulnerable.

It's an odd turn for the character, and one that may put longtime fans off, but if you're going to continue to return to this game world, you're going to have to take a look at the face behind the helmet at some point. We learn of Samus' past, she describes what she's feeling, and she has more interaction with other characters in the game. Still, the focus seems to be where it belongs: on blowing the hell out of things.

Pictures were only allowed over the shoulders of the players

The game is part 2.5D side-scroller and part first-person shooter. You explore the world by running from left to right, and sometimes into and out of the screen in third person. You can switch to a first-person view by pointing the Wiimote at the television. From there, you can look around, fire directly at enemies, or use your missiles. Back in third-person mode, you can roll into the ever-famous ball and use bombs to blast yourself into the air. There is also a charged version of the bomb that blasts everything in the room—it's an impressive sight.

The two modes of gameplay work together wonderfully, and the gameplay itself is very satisfying. There is a sort of auto-lock-on that happens when you face an enemy, although precision aiming is possible in first-person mode. The art direction is strong, but this is still a Wii game... expect some whiplash if you're coming from your PS3 or Xbox 360.

Nintendo's booth

This is a detour for the series, but it certainly moves both the story and gameplay of the franchise forward. After playing for close to half an hour, much of that being story and exposition, I think I enjoy spending time with an actual person instead of a warrior ever-encased in steel.

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When the news of an updated Goldeneye for the Nintendo Wii—coming from Activision—was shared at Nintendo's press conference, the room erupted. The original has a nearly unimpeachable reputation as being one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences to come from a console, and many of us have happy memories of playing the game with friends long into the night.

Playing the game at Nintendo's booth—I was allowed a single game, first to ten kills wins—I was struck by how the game looks updated, yet also classic. Some are going to sneer at the graphics, but the framerate is now smooth. We were assured the content is all new, but we could tell there are many references to the levels and gameplay moments that made us love the original so much. The controls have also been expanded. Now you can sprint, vault over obstacles, and if you're playing as Oddjob you'll throw your hat at enemies instead of grenades.

Four-player split screen was shown at E3, but the final version will feature 8-player online.

Eight-player support is fantastic, but playing in four-player split screen brought back some great memories of growing up with my Nintendo 64. And better yet, we don't even have to deal with the headache-inducing framerates of the original! This title will likely walk a fine line between nostalgia and originality, and it's going to be fun to see what the single-player has in store. For now, just be aware that it looks like the game is being treated with the respect it deserves. Plus, Daniel Craig will be providing both his voice and his likeness rights to the game. Very slick.

The game was shown using the Classic Controller Pro, and the dual analog sticks were much more comfortable than the original N64 controller, although we were promised you'll be able to play with a Wiimote as well, if you're into the pointer-style aiming mechanics.

I will also point out that I gained the "Quantum of Solace" award at the end of my match for longest death streak. The old skills have apparently not left me.

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Cooking Mama has been a profitable franchise for Majesco Entertainment, turning touch and movement controls on the Wii and DS into minigames where the titular Mama makes food. The series is about to be bumped up to the next level of insanity though, with the introduction of a new gaming peripheral: a baby doll.

"Developed by Cooking Mama Limited, this innovative simulation game will be delivered with an adorable plush baby doll that the babysitter tucks the Wii Remote into in order to interact with the doll and game at the same time," the information states, rather calmly. That's right, the baby comes complete with a cavity for your game controller.

Are you curious about what you'll do in the game? "Players can enjoy more than 40 activities using the doll and Nunchuk controller: rock the baby to sleep; bounce the baby; feed, bathe, change and play with the baby, plus much more," the release continues. There are six virtual babies in the game, each with their own wants and needs. "The game even supports two-player mode, because when it comes to newborns, Mama could use some help!"

Does this sound fun to anyone? I'm a work-at-home dad; during the day I'm writing and editing stories while parenting our ten-month-old son. On a good day I get to use the bathroom when I need to. On a bad day my eyes glaze over with a thousand-yard stare. I love my kids, but having a baby is a job with no days off, no pause button, and no cheat codes. Turning that experience into a game where the child will never grow up, go to college, and allow you to have a single dinner out with your wife sounds like... fun?

Babysitting Mama is coming to the Wii this holiday season. God help us all.

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Continue reading Do You Stream Netflix on Your Nintendo Wii?

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Do You Stream Netflix on Your Nintendo Wii? originally appeared on JSYK on Wed, 05 May 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Trauma Center games deliver two things: fast-paced, tension-filled surgeries where steady hands and accuracy will get you higher rankings, and insane melodramatic storylines. Trauma Team continues both of those series trademarks, but now the actual gameplay mechanics have been expanded and tweaked in order to give a broader experience that still retains the feel of the original games.

In short, it's a blast, and should delight even long-term fans. The game no longer feels like a grind; you can now switch between six characters and multiple gameplay styles to keep the experience fresh. The characters may be saving lives, but that doesn't keep them from being absolutely barmy.

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The Nintendo Wii continues to dominate the monthly US sales charts, and Nintendo is sweetening the deal for those yet to take the plunge: starting on May 9, the system will add Wii Sports Resort and a Motion Plus attachment to the already included hardware and Wii Sports game. You'll also be able to buy a new model of the hardware in black.

The price will remain $200 in the US, and the price outside the US "will be established by the local markets, but offer similar consumer value."

Hey look, it's black!

Here comes the marketing! "Previously unavailable throughout the Americas, the black version of the Wii console will offer all the groundbreaking features and functions of its white counterpart in a stylish new color scheme," the statement explains. "Whether they aim to color-coordinate with other devices or simply love the way it looks, consumers throughout the Americas can add a black Wii console with matching black Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to their home entertainment lineup."

Nintendo is basically adding an extra $50 worth of value to the package, and Wii Sports Resort is a good time with friends. Nintendo should enjoy very brisk sales this month.

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So we were sent a Wii Classic Controller Pro, the $20 update to the first-generation Classic Controller for the Nintendo Wii. Does it look more "pro" to you?

The controller is laid out very similarly to the first Classic Controller, with the exception of the fins coming down from the bottom of the controller. These fins are thinner than they look in pictures, and they take some getting used to. The idea here is to give the player a better grip than the SNES-style original, but in practice they never seemed to be positioned where we'd like them.

The black controller is also glossy, which means it looks like a mess of fingerprints within seconds of being taken out of its box. It also looks goofy as hell hooked into all my white Wiimotes. You can buy a white version of the controller for the same price if you're into a matching home theater set up.

As nice as the controller is, it never really seemed to fit perfectly in my hand. The Z-button is now placed behind the L and R buttons, giving you two triggers on each side, much like a Dual Shock 3. This also took a little while to get used to. For some odd reason it always felt as if it was going to fall out of my hands.

If you already have a Classic Controller, there isn't much reason to upgrade to the Pro. If you don't, however, head to your local game store and try them both out before making your purchase. More choice is never a bad thing.

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The PlayStation Move was just announced, but Sony is wasting no time before going on the attack. The first advertisement for the peripheral makes fun of the Nintendo Wii, attacks Microsoft's Project Natal, and basically buries the entire message under a thick layer of smarm with a side order of smug.

Yeah, this commercial is pretty much awesome.

We were lucky enough to spend some serious time with the PlayStation Move at GDC this year, and you can read all our thoughts and impressions in our latest gaming feature.

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