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Move Tech Demos Show War, Robotic Puppets and Chameleons

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:15:00 +0000

Last week we brought you a look at the PlayStation Move’s origins on PlayStation 2 in the form of some early tech demos, but now we have a collection of bang up-to-date demos showing how far the technology’s come in six years.

As well as an updated form of the original sorcery demo showing the extra range of control afforded by the dual Move set-up, the video also shows off the system’s advanced body-tracking capabilities by turning the user into a robot with giant crushing hands. Not really obviously – it’s not that powerful yet – but the video makes Move’s potential crystal clear.

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Wii Games: Summer 2010 Winners Announced

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:15:00 +0000

Nintendo’s first attempt at a national Wii tournament, Wii Games: Summer 2010, drew to a close in California this weekend to see which US gamers had the best Wii skills.

Olympic gold medallist Shawn Johnson kept the finalists warmed-up with some Wii Fit Plus hula hooping before diving into the competitive matches. Credit to 66-year old Bill M. and wife Bonnie M. of Westlake Village, California for showing those other "Super Adults" how it’s done.

A list of winners is below but the gallery at the bottom awaits your captions.

Nintendo Crowns Champions at Wii Games: Summer 2010 Competition

Labor Day Weekend Draws People of All Ages to Los Angeles for Final Round of First-Ever Nationwide Wii Tournament

Summer wasn’t the only thing drawing to a close over Labor Day weekend as Nintendo hosted the final championship of its Wii Games: Summer 2010 nationwide competition. Approximately 200 finalists from around the country – joined by family, friends and spectators of all ages – gathered in Redondo Beach, Calif., to get up and get playing with motion-controlled video games for the Wii™ system. Tournament play included games such as Wii Sports Resort™, Wii Fit™ Plus, New Super Mario Bros.™ Wii and Mario Kart™ Wii.

To mark the start of the National Championship event on Sept. 3, Olympic gold medalist and Wii Games: Summer 2010 Ambassador Shawn Johnson led finalists in a special warm-up session with the Hula Hoop® activity from Wii Fit Plus.

During a special award ceremony on Sept. 5, winning teams received prizes, including customized trophies fashioned after the iconic Wii Remote™ controller, Nintendo entertainment packages and a family cruise for the first-place team. First-place winners by category were as follows: Michael C. (Dad, 41), Amy C. (Mom, 40), Amanda C. (Daughter, 13) and Sean C. (Son, 6) of St. Louis, MO (Family); TJ H. (25) of St. John, Ind. and Chris M. (26) of Highland, Ind. (Adult); Bill M. (Husband, 66) and Bonnie M. (Wife, 58) of Westlake Village, Calif. (Super Adult); Frank N. (16) of Wheeling, Ill. and Zach H. (16) of Belvidere, Ill. (Teen); Doug H. (Dad, 43) and Connor H. (Son, 12) of St. Louis, MO (Adult and Child); and Mike K. (25) and Sam K. (16), Brothers, of Winnetka, Ill. (Adult and Teen).

Cross Your Clothy Fingers for a LittleBigPlanet 2 Beta Invite

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:00:00 +0000

The buzz around LittleBigPlanet 2 has been steadily growing since Media Molecule showed off the first video promising the ability to create entire games in the forthcoming sequel. Some lucky Sackboys and Sackgirls will soon get the chance to try the game for themselves, as Sony is about to send out a round of invitations to the game’s beta.

Sony Beta Coordinator LiquidRunner broke the news on the PlayStation community forums, though anyone hoping to get their name on the list will be disappointed as the lucky few have already been chosen.

Cross those fingers and keep checking your inbox over the coming days.

Witness PlayStation Move’s Origins on PlayStation 2

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:30:00 +0000

You’ve heard the arguments about whether or not PlayStation Move ripped off the Wii; you might even have started one in a moment of boredom. The technology used in Move actually has its roots in the PlayStation 2′s EyeToy camera, as a series of technical demos from 2000 onwards show.

In the video below from a conference held in 2004 or 2005, Dr Richard Marks, Sony’s R&D Manager of Special Projects, shows off how the prototype PlayStation Wand could be used in conjunction with the EyeToy camera and software to offer familiar Move features, including 3D motion tracking and a huge coloured ball on top of the controller. Sony filed patents for the controller in 2004, sometime before the Wii – then known as Revolution – was unveiled.

How the world of gaming could have been so different had Sony released this technology for the PlayStation 2 instead of PlayStation 3.

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Jam City Rollergirls Press Release Wants You to Sit Up and Take Notice

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:30:00 +0000

Our previous post on Jam City Rollergirls caught the attention of roller derby players the world over – over 1,600 Facebook "likes" and counting, viral fans – and now Frozen Codebase has put out the first official press release with more shouting than you can slam a lead jammer into.

If this PR gets you more excited than roller derby itself, you might want to consider visiting PAX in Seattle from September 3rd to the 5th, as Jam City Rollergirls will be available to play. If you go to get your hands dirty, tell them Nintendo Life sent you.

Begin shouting the press release!

FROZEN CODEBASE ANNOUNCES JAM CITY ROLLERGIRLS VIDEO GAME
Game will be playable to the public for the 1st time at PAX
THE REVOLUTION WILL BE COUNTER CLOCKWISE! Attention roller derby masses! Never mind this boring press release! We have kidnapped Frozen Codebase in order to bring you an important MANIFESTO!

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE COUNTER CLOCKWISE! YOU WILL buy this game because Roller Derby is more fun than sports which involve men patting each other on the butt or watching some guy sit in a car as it goes around a lap 1,000 times. This is why RAT CITY ROLLERGIRLS sell out the Key Arena on a regular basis. This is why there are 500 derby leagues in the world right now, with the number growing at an exponential rate. We’re just THAT awesome.

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE COUNTER CLOCKWISE! You WILL buy this game because otherwise we’ll knock you down and jump all over you.

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE COUNTER CLOCKWISE! You WILL buy this game because we’re the only sport in the world which involves skirts and fishnets but yet is more REAL than your mom.

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE COUNTER CLOCKWISE! You WILL buy this game because otherwise we’ll have our uber-fans write signs on posterboard that say ROLLER DERBY SAVED MY SOUL and they will show up in front of your house at 6AM. When they shout “CALL OFF THE JAM” at you, you won’t know what they mean unless you BUY THIS GAME!

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE COUNTER CLOCKWISE! Because our games are called “bouts,” not “matches” or “games” or anything else.

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE COUNTER CLOCKWISE! Because even if you don’t win the bout, you can always win at the after party.

JAM CITY ROLLERGIRLS PLAYABLE AT PAX
FROZEN CODEBASE invites you to their PAX booth, number 3748, on Friday September 3rd to Sunday the 5th to participate in the following activities A) play with the developers and real-life rollergirls; B) Find the secret location of a Friday September 3rd “after party."

Ongoing Confusion Surrounds PlayStation Move’s Launch Date

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Sony officially christened its motion controller Move at E3 2010, simultaneously announcing release dates for North America, Europe and Japan.

PlayStation(R)Move Motion Controller to Hit Worldwide Market Starting This September

TOKYO, June 15 — Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that it will release PlayStation®Move motion controller for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system on September 15, 2010 in Europe/PAL territories and in Asian countries/regions at a recommended retail price (RRP) of euro 39.99. It will also become available in North America on September 19 at a RRP of $49.99 and in Japan on October 21 at a RRP of 3,980 yen (including tax).

So that’s September 15th in Europe and September 19th in North America, right? That’s the official party line from Sony, and is mirrored on its official websites. Try a retailer however and you get a different story.

The official UK PlayStation site puts Move launching on September 15th, but major European retailers Amazon, Play.com, Gamestation and Game all have the peripheral down for a launch on Friday September 17th. Of all the high street and online retailers we checked, not one has September 15th listed as the Move’s release date.

It’s a similarly confusing situation Stateside. Although the official press release states the launch date as September 19th, major retailer Gamestop lists the peripheral as September 17th, with Amazon.com following suit.

It’s impossible to say whether this is a huge conspiracy or simply a case of crossed wires, but when the official release dates and retailers’ information doesn’t match up everybody loses. We’ve contacted Sony and will update you when we hear back.

Prepare for a DSi and XL Price Crash Stateside

James — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:45:00 +0000

With the official unveiling of the 3DS’s price and release date just under one month away, Nintendo of America has started doing some of the preparatory work by dropping the suggested retail price of the DSi and DSi XL to $149.99 and $169.99 respectively.

Shaving around $20 off both consoles’ prices on September 12th, the savings pave the way for the announcement of the 3DS pricing in late September. Although the press release contains no information on the 3DS, the machine will undoubtedly sit atop the pricing pyramid, information we’ll find out on September 29th.

Nintendo Dropping Prices of Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL Systems on Sept. 12

Latest Versions of Best-Selling Portable Video Game System in History to Be Priced at $149.99 and $169.99

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo is dropping the suggested retail price of its Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™ video game systems. Effective Sept. 12, the new suggested retail price of the Nintendo DSi system will be $149.99, while the new suggested retail price for the Nintendo DSi XL system will be $169.99. The Nintendo DS™ Lite model will remain at a suggested retail price of $129.99. The Nintendo DS family of video game systems is the best-selling in the history of the U.S. and worldwide. The new prices offer consumers tremendous value for their money while providing access to the best portable video game experiences possible.

“We know shoppers want to get the maximum value out of every dollar they spend,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Our new Nintendo DSi prices make it easier than ever for consumers to access the tremendous variety of games, applications and social tools on the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL systems.”

The Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL systems offer consumers access to more than 1,300 packaged games and more than 200 downloadable games. Both systems feature two built-in cameras and photo- and sound-manipulation software that provide for a more social experience. Users can wirelessly upload photos to Facebook with the touch of a button (wireless broadband Internet access required). The Nintendo DSi XL system, which features a screen that is 93 percent larger than that of the Nintendo DS Lite, comes pre-loaded with software like Brain Age™ Express: Math, Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Flipnote Studio™, Photo Clock and the Nintendo DSi Browser.

Through the end of July, total Nintendo DS family hardware sales are more than 42.3 million in the United States alone, according to the NPD Group. Recent and upcoming software releases for the Nintendo DS family of systems include DRAGON QUEST® IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies™ (now available), Professor Layton and the Unwound Future™ (Sept. 12), Pokémon™ Ranger: Guardian Signs (Oct. 4), Art Academy™ (Oct. 25), Mario vs. Donkey Kong™: Mini-Land Mayhem! (Nov. 14) and Golden Sun™: Dark Dawn (Nov. 29).

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn Set to Brighten Up November

James — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:15:00 +0000

There was some concern when Golden Sun: Dark Dawn was absent from Nintendo’s 2010 release schedule. Did that mean the Camelot RPG would be delayed until 2011? It turns out, no, it did not, as Nintendo has just confirmed a North American release on November 29th.

You can read our Golden Sun: Dark Dawn First Impressions to find out exactly why this should be high on your DS most wanted list for 2010.

NINTENDO’S GOLDEN SUN: DARK DAWN LAUNCHING ON NOV. 29

August 30, 2010

The dawn of a new entry in the renowned Golden Sun™ video game series has nearly arrived in North America. Nintendo has announced that Golden Sun: Dark Dawn for the top-selling Nintendo DS™ family of portable game systems will launch on Nov. 29.

Offering a planet-sized world of adventure to explore and conquer, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn puts the raw power of the elements in players’ hands. Each of the game’s playable characters is capable of carrying Djinn, spirits that imbue their owner with unique and powerful abilities. Players can collect more than 70 unique Djinn, granting them the ability to summon mighty deities who unleash devastating attacks that fill both Nintendo DS screens. Djinn powers can also be used to navigate puzzling dungeons and overworld environments that will have players flinging fireballs to burn away obstacles, freezing water to raise platforms, or summoning whirlwinds to create bridges out of floating objects.

Taking place 30 years after the events of Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age for the Game Boy™ Advance system, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn introduces a new generation of heroes that are struggling to survive in a radically changed world. What begins as a simple journey to rescue a lost friend turns into a dramatic quest to save the land from catastrophe as players are drawn into a world full of magical energy.

For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com.

Gandalf Joins Aragorn’s Quest in Co-operative Gameplay Video

James — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

In development at Headstrong Games of Battalion Wars and House of the Dead: Overkill fame, Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest takes the titular bearded hero through a series of trials. What could be better than one bearded hero? Two bearded heroes of course, as this video shows Gandalf fighting side-by-side with Aragorn.

Gandalf naturally has access to powers that Aragorn does not, with his magical staff spewing everything from lightning to fireballs, as well as bubble shields and multi-hit combination attacks. No pipe smoking is shown in the video, disappointingly.

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Cosmos X2 Blasts DSiWare Next Monday

James — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Following the announcement of Cosmos X2 for DSiWare in June, the team at Saturnine Games has been in touch to let us know the game is set to blow up the service on Monday for 500 Points.

With a choice of weapons to upgrade, six stages and three bonus modes, this could be a tidy buy at 500 Points. We’ll bring you a full review in a week’s time, and check back before then for more information and video footage as soon as it arrives.