Monday, September 30, 2013

The Ultimate Nintendo Medley By The Mini Mario Orchestra

The Ultimate Nintendo Medley Direct Link

Video Game Music + Orchestra = Happy Eardrums!

Few things are as delightful as hearing your favorite video game or TV themes recreated with that bombastic orchestra sound. Composer Walt Ribeiro is responsible for an entire series of excellent albums titled "For Orchestra" which takes famous music and gives it the orchestra treatment. His sixth album titled "Themes" covers quite a few video game themes including a treatment of Dr. Wily's fortress music from Mega Man 2 that is simply amazing (Track 15). The entire album is available at Bandcamp.com with an option to name your own price (including FREE). Enjoy and be sure to visit the For Orchestra website which features more of Walt Ribeiro's great work!

New Updates As Mighty No. 9 Races To The Funding Finish Line

Mighty No. 9 has just over one day left to reach its lofty stretch goals on Kickstarter. Fortunately, odds are high that the game will blow past these very goals. The game continues to make headlines with its latest round of updates.

Mega Man X fans will be thrilled to hear that Mighty No. 9 will now have an intro stage and boss which will make the game feel closer to a mix of both classic Mega Man and the legendary X series. Another piece of good news is that Mega Man 2 composer Takashi Tateishi is confirmed to be officially attached to the project alongside Mega Man 1 composer Manami Matsumae (it should also be noted that longtime Mega Man composer Ippo Yamada is on board as well). That is an all star lineup of musical artists for the project which is sure to be a delight for the ears.

The most interesting update has been a 13 second clip of mocked up gameplay footage of the game. The Unreal Engine was used to craft the short demo and was accomplished in 7 days by Inti Creates (a company with MANY years of experience with Mega Man as they worked on the Zero series as well as Mega Man 9 & 10). It is an impressive sneak peek that is sure to  bring back memories of the Blue Bomber while giving a tantalizing taste of what's to come. It should be noted that this is an extremely early look at the game and should be treated as such. Enjoy!


Friday, September 27, 2013

Experience The Mighty No. 9 Documentary // Episode 0

Mighty No. 9 has proven itself as a true turning point in the industry. While other Kickstarter games have proven that fans have a desire to see revivals of past franchise games and new games for long dead genre's such as the point n click adventure, Mighty No. 9 is the game that shows major developers they no longer need overbearing publishers. Great games rely on fun, innovative and gameplay rich experiences and not on overblown graphics and wildly bloated budgets. A sad truth to the current (and soon to be outdated) development model is that creators often loose the rights to their creations and can no longer give fans the games they really want. Kickstarter has changed this in a major way and is sure to be the start of a game development revolution.

In the spirit of the ill fated Mega Man Legends 3, 2 Player Productions has teamed with Keiji Inafune and his team at Comcept to give fans an inside look at the creation of Mighty No. 9. To this end, they are releasing a documentary in multiple parts which chronicles the game's creation from its planning stages to actual completion. This kind of access was rarely (if ever) permitted under big publishers and shows a fundamental shift in the way developers interact with the fans. Needless to say, this is a must watch for any Mega Man fan or aspiring game developer. Enjoy!


Monday, September 23, 2013

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Is Funded And Coming To Wii U!

Wayforward's mascot Shantae has successfully reached her Kickstarter funding goal of $400,000 with a full 10 days to go. This means that fans and newcomers alike will be able to experience the adventurous genie in all her full HD glory. Shantae is an excellent franchise that manages to take the spirit of Metroid and meld it with a fun cartoon universe loaded with great characters and amazingly fun gameplay (All of this without bloated budgets and needlessly overblown technology).

Now that the game is funded, the team at Wayforward has beefed up the stretch goals to include everything from new playable characters to bonus chapters and costumes. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is shaping up to be one hell of a great game and will hopefully be the start of even bigger adventures for the purple haired heroine. It's truly great to see games such as this get the attention they deserve. Enjoy and be sure to show your support!



Nintendo Turns 124 Today!

Nintendo may be synonymous with video games today but for the bulk of its life, the Big N was a toy/card company most famous for its hanafuda cards prior to the 1980's. That all changed when a young Shigeru Miyamoto crafted an arcade game starring a large gorilla (Donkey Kong) and a carpenter (Mario) who would go on to become the mascot of the entire company (as well as becoming a plumber). This launched them into the video game industry where they not only saved it but became the driving force of innovation for over 30 years.

Nintendo is a company unlike any in the industry and despite many ups and downs, the company has always thrived. This comes from their ability to create enduring characters and games while focusing on innovation over technology. No matter what trials the video game industry goes through in the future, you can be sure Nintendo will be there to lead the way. Happy Birthday Nintendo!

Fun Fact: Despite being 124 years old, the company has only had 4 presidents.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Mario Ain't Afraid Of No Ghost In Super Mario Busters!

Ghostbusters is one of the most beloved comedy films of all time and Mario is one of the most beloved video game series of all time so you're bound to get something magical when the two are mixed. Enter the delightful Super Mario Busters from talented animator and YouTube user James Farr. James is quickly making a name for himself as both an animator and a hardcore Nintendo fan. If you love Nintendo, you will surely delight in all the tiny details sprinkled throughout the video that pay homage to the Big N. Enjoy!

Super Mario Busters Direct Link

A few months after releasing Super Mario Busters, James Farr crafted a sequel titled The New Super Mario Busters 2 which mixes the Ghostbusters 2 story with Super Mario and like his first video, the results are amazing. The second video is sprinkled with so much fan service, you'll find yourself watching it multiple times to pick up on every little Easter egg. Enjoy!


Thursday, September 19, 2013

What's New In Skylanders SWAP Force?

What's New In Skylanders SWAP Force? Direct Link

Former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi Has Passed Away

Nintendo has announced that the third President of the company, Hiroshi Yamauchi, has passed away today at the age of 85. Any hardcore Nintendo fan will recognize the legendary name of Hiroshi Yamauchi, the man who was responsible for turning Nintendo into the most prolific name in video games. Born in 1927, Mr. Yamauchi took over as president of Nintendo in 1949 (when his grandfather and former Nintendo president was suffering from ill health) and remained head of the company until 2002.

For over half a century, Hiroshi Yamauchi's leadership moved the company from a simple toy/card manufacturer to the savior of the video game industry. Without a doubt, one of his most important decisions was to entrust a young Shigeru Miyamoto to craft what would become the original Donkey Kong. This one move set in motion the career and legacy of the greatest game designer of all time. To call Hiroshi Yamauchi a legend would be a gross understatement seeing as his decisions and leadership at Nintendo ended up shaping the entire video game industry into the biggest entertainment medium on the planet.

Thank You Mr. Yamauchi, you will be missed.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call TGS 2013 Trailer

One of the biggest surprise hits on the Nintendo 3DS was Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. The game managed to temper the frustrating nature of most music games with more forgivable RPG elements while giving fans a nostalgic trip through the history of Final Fantasy. It was also one of the first games that implemented DLC on the 3DS offering fans more tunes once the core game was completed. SqareEnix has decided to create one more game and is pulling out all the stops. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is due for release in 2014 and will feature more memorable tunes from the core Final Fantasy series as well as many spin-offs such as Advent Children. SquareEnix has just released a new trailer for TGS 2013 (Tokyo Game Show) which showcases the game as well as new features such as multiplayer. Enjoy!


Wednesday, September 18, 2013

DuckTales Remastered Getting A Physical Disc Release On Wii U

The Wayforward developed DuckTales Remastered was released last month as a digital download becoming a hit despite a divided critical reception. Many fans loved the presentation and gameplay but there was a vocal group who seemed to have an issue with the game's pacing and use of cutscenes. In the end, the game is a loving tribute to both the NES classic and the TV series it's based on.

With the video game collector market becoming an increasing force against the digital market, publishers have taken note and we are beginning to see games that have proven themselves as a downloadable game get a physical retail disc release. This trend is not lost on the struggling Capcom resulting in the announcement of a retail version of DuckTales Remastered. While bonus material has not been announced for the retail disc, Capcom has given a November 12th release date and a price of $19.99. This is great news for Gamer's (myself included) who prefer to actually own their games and not leave that ownership to the publishers discretion. What are your thoughts on retail vs. digital? Please comment below.

Source

Nintendo Announces Wii Sports Club Featuring Online Multiplayer and HD Visuals

When Wii Sports launched with the Nintendo Wii back in 2006, it quickly became a phenomenal hit that sold systems in the same way that Tetris sold the original Game Boy back in 1989. Nintendo had similar ambition for Nintendo Land and the Wii U but the mainstream game industry has attempted to bury the machine over the last year without actually giving it a chance. Nintendo is pulling out all the stops this fall in an effort to broaden the consoles appeal and help it find the audience it deserves.

As part of Nintendo's refocused approach to the Wii U, they made a surprise announcement for an HD, online enabled Wii Sports Club. The revelation was made during today's Nintendo Direct unveiling of Wii Fit U and both titles mark an uncharacteristic digital approach to the 2 big franchises. Wii Sports Club takes the Wii classic and gives it a Wii U overhaul complete with HD visuals, MiiVerse integration and full online multiplayer (Wii Motion Plus is also supported for improved comtrol). The most surprising aspect is the way the game is being delivered through the eShop. Each of the five games have been separated giving the option to purchase just the games you want to play for $9.99 each (Tennis and Bowling will be available at the November 7th launch). There will also be a "Day Pass" option for $1.99 that gives you unlimited access to all five games for 24 hours which is the perfect option for a party night with some friends. This is an interesting approach that shows a more progressive Nintendo willing to try new things.

Source

Forgotten Memories: Alternate Realities Teaser Trailer

Forgotten Memories Teaser Direct Link

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Mighty No. 9 Officially Coming To Wii U!

Fans of both Mega Man and Nintendo can rest easy as Mighty No. 9 is now officially coming to the Wii U. With 14 days still left in its Kickstarter campaign, the game has earned over $2.2 million dollars from over 38,000 backers. The outpouring of love and support for this game has been nothing short of amazing with many backers remixing music from the presentation video and crafting some truly stunning artwork in honor of the titular character. When you consider that the project is only at the halfway point in its funding, it will be very exciting to see just how much money Mighty No. 9 ultimately earns and what bonus content gets added to the game.



Monday, September 16, 2013

How Well Do You Know Donkey Kong?...Part 2

Donkey Kong DYKG Part 2 Direct Link

What Has Really Changed In The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker HD?

With The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD gearing up for release in both digital eShop (9/20) and physical disc (10/4) formats, many long time fans are anxious to discover what changes have been made. Nintendo has been quiet on specifics offering a more general overview of gameplay changes to the GameCube classic while remaining tight lipped on the finer details. YouTube channel GameXplain has stepped up with a series of head-to-head videos which showcase the full changes to the game. It is an excellent ongoing series that is highly recommended for hardcore Zelda fans who may be on the fence about the HD update. Be sure to check GameXplain often (or subscribe) for future head-to-head videos. Enjoy!


The Wonderful 101 Launch Trailer

The Wonderful 101 is a breath of fresh air in an industry all to comfortable shitting out endless sequels every year to keep them afloat as game development budgets explode out of control. The game deserves to sell well and find a large audience but sadly will probably not find this success. While it is not being backed by a massive marketing campaign, Nintendo has taken a more conservative viral approach to their marketing with Nintendo Direct, Comic Con and online trailers. With any luck, the game will have long legs and continue to sell through the years and hopefully give us a fresh new franchise as the game oozes personality and is an absolute blast to play. Enjoy!


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Introducing The Humble Indie Bundle 9

If value is your game, look no further than the long running Humble Indie Bundle. The latest version of the bundle titled The Humble Indie Bundle 9 initially brings us 6 great indie games (many of which are making their Mac and Linux debut). I say initially because it has become tradition for for the bundle to add additional free games about halfway through its run for those who beat the average donation amount. Highlights for this bundle include hits such as FEZ, Mark of the Ninja and Trine 2: Complete Story which I have personally put many hours into on Wii U and can state that it is a must have for puzzle platform fans. As usual, we get soundtracks for all the games which is a big treat for fans of video game music. Enjoy and be sure to grab yourself a copy of this great bundle.


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

How Well Do You Know Donkey Kong?

Donkey Kong DYKG Direct Link

First Person "Mirror's Edge" Parkour Run Is Vertigo Inducing Awesomeness!

Parkour is an impressive sport that has become an increasing part of mainstream video game design. UbiSoft's Assassin's Creed series is without a doubt one the most popular examples where navigation through the massive overworld is both thrilling and fluid. Other games such as Batman: Arkham City have adapted the fluid movement into the super hero genre. While these are all excellent examples of the sport in video games, nothing can quite match Mirror's Edge which was released in 2008 and featured Parkour as its main gameplay mechanic through its first person perspective. In anticipation of the upcoming sequel to this underrated gem, YouTube channel Ampisound has put together a Parkour video that showcases a real life representation of the game and it is beyond impressive. The entire video is in first person like the game but the knowledge that this is real life will surely cause those with a fear of heights a bit of discomfort. Enjoy!


Gorgeous New RPG From UbiSoft Coming To Wii U

UbiSoft has recently revealed a new JRPG inspired game which is coming to the Wii U in 2014 titled Child of Light. The game is being designed by the team that worked on Far Cry 3 and utilizes the UbiArt Framework engine that powers the stunning Rayman Legends. Child of Light will be quite unique as it mixes 2D platforming and exploration with turn-based combat in the same vein as Final Fantasy. The game will feature between 10-15 hours of gameplay for the core story with extras and a new-game plus adding replay value. Between the gorgeous visuals and unique gameplay style, Child of Light is sure to stand out when it arrives next year. Enjoy!


Sunday, September 8, 2013

Wayforward Kickstarts Shantae: Half-Genie Hero

Falling somewhere between a mainstream video game developer and independent game studio, Wayforward has managed to survive at a time when similar studios close down almost monthly. Their ability to craft high quality licensed video games such as DuckTales: Remastered for major publishers has allowed them to stay financially stable while crafting a large and unique library of original franchises that they own and retain 100% creative control over. This business model has turned the talented studio into one of the most successful and stable independent developers in the industry today.

If one were to name a mascot for Wayforward, the half genie Shantae would immediately jump to mind. The rather unique heroine has starred in 2 excellent games with 2 brand new titles on the way. Shantae's portable lineage ranges from the Game Boy Color to the Nintendo 3DS but fans have long wanted a home console adventure for the character. Wayforward has heard the requests and has answered with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero which recently began a Kickstarter run to fund a true HD game in the series with the assistance of the fans. The game has already reached over half of its $400,000 funding goal with 25 days to go. If you love Metroidvania games, excellent 2D art or great games in general, you owe it to yourself to check out the game (as well as the entire series which can be enjoyed on the 3DS). Enjoy and be sure to contribute if you like what you see.


Thursday, September 5, 2013

Wii U Fall Lineup Release Dates & Prices

With the Wii U getting a price drop on September 20th, Nintendo has revealed the release dates and pricing for its strong first party lineup of games coming this Fall. The list also includes just about every third party retail release for the remainder of the year. It should be noted that Nintendo has reduced the price of many big games such as Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong and Wii Party U by $10 which should help Gamer's in building their Wii U library. Titles in BOLD are Wii U exclusive. Enjoy!
  • Young Justice: Legacy (9/10 $39.99)
  • The Wonderful 101 (9/15 $59.99)
  • Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure (9/24 $59.99)
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (10/4 $49.99, 9/20 for digital eShop release)
  • Just Dance 2014 (10/8 $49.99)
  • Skylanders: Swap Force (10/13 $74.99)
  • Wipeout: Create & Crash (10/15 $39.99)
  • Zumba Fitness: World Party (10/15 $49.99)
  • Sonic Lost World (10/22 $49.99)
  • LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (10/22 $49.99)
  • Just Dance Kids 2014 (10/22 $29.99)
  • Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge (10/22 $29.99)
  • Batman: Arkham Origins (10/25 $49.99)
  • Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (10/29 $59.99)
  • Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures (10/29 $39.99)
  • Angry Birds Star Wars (10/29 $49.99)
  • Wii Party U (10/29; bundled with a Black Wii Remote Plus $49.99)
  • Call of Duty: Ghosts (11/5 $59.99)
  • Ben 10: Omniverse 2 (11/5 $39.99)
  • Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON'T KNOW (11/12 $39.99)
  • Watch Dogs (11/19 $59.99)
  • Super Mario 3D World (11/22 $59.99)
  • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (12/6 $49.99)
  • Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut ( TBA 2013 $49.99)
  • Mario and Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games (TBA 2013 $49.99)
  • Wii Fit U (TBA 2013)

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Go For The End Zone With Tecmo Super Bowl 2014!

With the 2014 football season starting up, many gamer's turn to the annual Madden franchise for their fix due to EA's stranglehold on the NFL franchise preventing other serious contenders from entering the market. While EA and the Madden franchise milk fans for more money each year, the crew at TecmoBowl.org continue their yearly tradition of updating the NES football classic with the release of Tecmo Super Bowl 2014. The new updates include up-to-date rosters, graphical tweaks as well as updates to the play books for all 32 NFL squads. Full details and instructions can be found at the official website for the game. It's a testament to great game design when an 8-bit sports game continues to be updated over 20 years after its release. The most amazing thing is that this is 100% FREE! meaning that as long as you have an NES emulator, you are set to play the latest season of football. A big perk for OUYA owners is the ability to play this on your big screen through the systems excellent NES emulator. Enjoy and...

DOWNLOAD TECMO SUPER BOWL 2014 NOW!

A Special Mighty No. 9 Thank You From Keiji Inafune

The Kickstarter campaign for Mighty No. 9 is already a massive success after only 3 days. The game has already earned a whopping $1.5 million with no signs of stopping. Mega Man fans have gone apeshit over Mighty No. 9 throwing money at the game in anticipation of its release proving that Capcom completely dropped the ball in the 3 years since Keiji Inafune left the company. The outpouring of support doesn't stop with the fans as it has been revealed that Yacht Club Games (developers of the anticipated Shovel Knight) assisted in setting up the Kickstarter campaign to ensure it was as successful as possible. Video production company 2 Player Productions has been instrumental in video coverage of the project and Renegade Kid Co-founder Jools Watsham has even offered to port the game to Nintendo 3DS. The amazing level of support has not gone unnoticed with an extremely grateful Keiji Inafune putting out a video thanking everyone for their support. Enjoy!

Special Message From Keiji Inafune Direct Link

Indie Neo Geo Game Coming To Wii U & 3DS

NG:DEV.TEAM have just announced that they are now a fully licensed Nintendo Developer. Anyone who frequents the Homebrew HUB on Treon's Realm will recognize this team who are responsible for crafting brand new games for the Neo Geo and Sega Dreamcast consoles. The team has also announced that their first release will be a port of their hit action game Gunlord for both the Wii U and 3DS.

Gunlord is an old school run and gun action game in the vein of Mega Man and Turrican with a touch of Metroid thrown in for good measure. The game employs beautiful highly detailed 2D sprites evoking the best arcade games of the Neo Geo. While a release date has not been revealed, it's likely the game will blast onto Nintendo consoles in 2014. The development team is even using indiegogo to help fund the porting process. Enjoy!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Club Nintendo September Rewards Update

Nintendo has updated their downloadable Club Nintendo rewards for September and for the remainder of the month they are offering 4 titles across 2 systemsThe expiration date for this offer is now October 6 and the price is 150 coins for each title. Be sure to check back October 7 for the next reward update.

Zods'a Revenge: StarTropics IIWii Virtual Console
150 Coins (Available Until October 6)

Pilotwings - Wii Virtual Console
150 Coins (Available Until October 6)

Art Academy: First Semester - 3DS eShop
150 Coins (Available Until October 6)

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! 3DS eShop
150 Coins (Available Until October 6)


Click here to see rewards