Category: Wii

This Week’s Videogame Releases

This is probably 2010’s most important week in gaming since WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 — the early pick to win “best writing” awards from every publication and professional organization in the civilized world — comes out this week. You should all buy this game (I’ll even autograph your box!). You want to hear about the other games too? Why?!? Oh…I’ll humor you.

Fable III is a huge exclusive for the Xbox 360 and currently ranked #1 on Amazon’s sales charts. If music is your bag then you’ll want to pick up the new and exciting Rock Band 3. Jedis, ewoks, and gungans alike are anxiously awaiting Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. Activision hopes the kids will get back into skateboarding games with Tony Hawk Shred (not to be confused with Tony Hawk Shrek). The Sims 3 looks like it’ll be the best console version of the franchise yet. Finally, if you’re late to the game, here are two collected editions with DLC and all: Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition and Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition.

SO many great games coming out this week!!! Any of you planning to pick any of ’em up?!?

Red Mario 25th Anniversary Wii and DSi XL Coming November 7

Nintendo of America has announced that red versions of the Wii and DSi XL will be released in America to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. The bundles will be available on November 7, 2010. Here’s a snippet from the press release:

Red Wii Bundle: This limited-edition Wii hardware comes in beautiful red to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game. The bundle includes New Super Mario Bros. Wii and a new red Wii Remote Plus controller, in addition to all the other included items, like Wii Sports and a red Nunchuk controller. It will be available while supplies last at a suggested retail price of just $199.99.

Red Nintendo DSi XL Bundle: This special-edition Nintendo DSi XL bundle is also red in honor of the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. and features three iconic Super Mario Bros.-themed graphics. The bundle comes with Mario Kart DS, which looks gorgeous on the extra-large screen. That’s in addition to the pre-loaded software of Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math and Photo Clock. It will be available while supplies last at a suggested retail price of just $179.99.

Damn…I want both of these…but I’m not sure which one I want more. How about you? Do you want either of these consoles? If you dig both, which one would you buy first?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

Kirby’s Epic Yarn — my favorite game of E3 2010 — is out! What? You need to hear about other games too? Oh fine. There’s actually a bunch of interesting titles coming out this week. Fallout New Vegas will be popular with enthusiast gamers (it’s actually #1 on the Amazon charts as of this writing). Fight fans will want to give EA Sports MMA a look. Want some fun with peripherals? Power Gig: Rise of the SixString features a real guitar as its controller. Time Crisis: Razing Storm gives PlayStation Move owners some visceral shooting fun. DJ Hero 2 is out for gamers that want to spin and fade.

Really though, you should all be buying Kirby’s Epic Yarn…but do let me know what games you’re planning to buy this week.

NPD Console Sales Figures Top 10 Games of September 2010

Here are NPD Group’s top 10 videogame sales figures for September 2010. As some of you know, NPD has scaled back the information it reveals for free. Game sales are no longer broken out by platform. Sadly, hardware numbers are no longer given either. Scientists have predicted that console flame wars will be reduced by 28.8 percent due to NPD Group’s decision. Anyway, here are the numbers:

  1. Halo: Reach (Microsoft, Xbox 360)
  2. Madden NFL 11 (Electronic Arts, 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, PSP)
  3. Dead Rising 2 (Capcom, 360, PS3, PC)
  4. NHL 11 (Electronic Arts, 360, PS3)
  5. FIFA Soccer 11 (Electronic Arts, 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, NDS)
  6. Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep (Square Enix, PSP)
  7. Mafia II (Take-Two 360, PS3, PC)
  8. Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (Activision Blizzard, PS3, 360, NDS, Wii)
  9. Metroid: Other M (Nintendo, Wii)
  10. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Blizzard, 360, PS3, PC)

I was pleasantly surprised to see Dead Rising 2 so high on the list. I underestimated its popularity. RPadholic smartguy was surprised to see a PSP game crack the top 10, but that’s just a testament to Kingdom Hearts’ popularity. The new NPD format combined with declining Wii sales makes this list look funny; it’s kind of weird not seeing New Super Mario Bros. and Wii Fit Plus on the list.

Anything in September’s top 10 surprise you? Show everyone that you’re better than Michael Pachter and analyze this (please)!

This Week’s Videogame Releases

There so many great games coming out this week, ranging from major releases to several game-of-the-year editions to a follow-up to an incredibly innovative DS title. Leading the way is Medal of Honor (which one of you was kind enough to order through my Amazon links — thanks!). Bundled editions include Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition, Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, and Uncharted 2: Game of the Year Edition. Just Dance 2 is going to be a wildly popular game for the Wii (it’s already #8 on Amazon’s videogame charts). DS fans have Super Scribblenauts and Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals to gobble up. As a La Parka mark, I’m really looking forward to Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes of the Ring.

*sigh* There are like four games I want to buy this week. How about you? What new games do you plan on picking up?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

There are lots of great games hitting shelves this week! In the immortal words of Michael Buffer (or Triple H), “Are you ready?!?” Enslaved has been getting great buzz from the enthusiast press. I really liked this game at E3 2010 and can’t wait to jump into it. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow just might be the first great modern Castlevania game. Although I hate the use of Michael Jordan as a cover athlete (go Pistons!), NBA 2K11 looks pretty hot. I’m not going to play it, but I sure as hell want to watch other people give Def Jam Rapstar a go. Last, but not least, is Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, which is one of my personal favorites of 2010.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

There are lots of great games shipping this week, spanning a variety of genres. Fans of the beautiful game will be able to enjoy FIFA 11 on every platform known to man. If you’d rather kill zombies than play (international) football then there’s Dead Rising 2. Gamers that haven’t had their fill of Guitar Hero will want to check out Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. Nothing calling out to you yet? How about giant robots?!? Get some mech action going with Front Mission Evolved. Last, but not least, is an RPG for PS3 gamers: Atelier Rorona…or as I call it Atelier Reona Rewis.

Any of you picking up new games this week? Kindly let me know what’s on your wish list!

Michael Pachter Predicts Nintendo Wii Price Cut in Early 2011

With Wii sales down from the scorching sales Nintendo has posted in the console’s first three years, a lot of people are expecting a price cut. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter is not one of those people. Gaming’s loudest analyst believes that Nintendo will maintain the Wii’s price for the 2010 holiday season and slash it in early 2011. He told Industry Gamers:

I don’t think that Nintendo has the resolve to cut the price of the Wii heading into the holidays. Recent sales levels have been weak by Nintendo standards, with monthly Wii unit sales averaging just over 300,000 per month in the U.S. However, that’s still on par with Xbox 360 sales, and until Microsoft or Sony cuts price further, the Wii should be able to hold its own. With all that said, I think we’ll see Nintendo maintain price until early next year, and I think we’ll see Walmart implement a similar promotion to last year’s $50 gift card with the purchase of a Wii. That suggests that sales will pick up dramatically, as the effective price for a console, two pieces of software and Wii Motion Plus will be $149.99.

Do think a Wii price cut will happen in 2010 or early 2011? Would you buy a Wii for $150? Or do you still not care about the Wii?

Source

Cammie Dunaway Leaving Nintendo on October 1

Nintendo of America has announced that executive vice president of sales & marketing Cammie Dunaway will be leaving the company on October 1, 2010. Here’s a press release quote from NOA CEO Reggie Fils-Aime:

We appreciate Cammie’s contributions to Nintendo and the role she played in bringing the Wii and Nintendo DS experiences to millions of people.

Dunaway is a smart executive that got a lot of heat (deservedly so) for trying way too hard at her first Nintendo E3 press conference. While that had very little to do with her actual job, hardcore gamers never forgave that “performance”. Gamers never warmed up to her the same way they embraced Nintendo executives like Fils-Aime and Satoru Iwata.

What do you think of Dunaway leaving Nintendo? Is it related to the Wii’s declining sales? Is it a warning sign? Are you happy she’s gone? Or do you not give a damn about executives at console companies?