Nintendo Chronicles

New Poll for the New Year - 2009 Edition

2009-01-03T00:11:00.002-05:00

Even though I've neglected my poor old blog over the past year that doesn't mean I can't try harder this year! And what better way to start off the new year than with a new poll! As voted by you, the thirteen loyal readers (the actual tally of votes was much higher) of Nintendo Chronicles the most anticipated game of 2008 was Super Smash Bros. Brawl so who will it be in '09? This time I'm mixing things up, or rather separating them out. Instead of condensing both Wii and DS games into a single poll I decided to split this one up with Wii games first. At least now I'll have to post again in the middle of the year to update the poll!

So what game are you already planning the preorder for? Is it Sega's Conduit or Madworld? What about Nintendo's own Wii Sports Resort? Or maybe something else? It only takes two clicks to make your opinion known so go vote and have a great 2009!

Luigi's Mansion 2: IGN's Reboot vs Nintendo Chronicles' Bright Idea

2008-12-09T00:16:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago IGN's Matt Casamassina posted a "Reboot" feature article based on his ideas for a Wii sequel to Luigi's Mansion and I was instantly reminded of my "Bright Idea" post from way back in 2006 on the same subject. As it has been one of my most popular posts (based on the number of replies) I thought I'd post the link to both articles for your reading (and comparing) pleasure. While Matt, with his superior writing skills, focuses more on presentation and I focus more on controls I'm glad we both agree that there should be a sequel. Perhaps his greater level of influence within the gaming industry, by virtue of his position, might get the ball rolling at Nintendo and we can see it happen!

Looking for a Factory Sealed Nintendo Wavebird?

2008-04-22T17:10:00.002-05:00

Yes, another long break from posting, but boy oh boy is Super Smash Bros. Brawl fun! I hate to say it, but when I have free time, I don't even think about poor ol' NC as long as there is Smash to be played. I hope you all have been enjoying it as well or whatever it is that you are playing and are looking forward to this Tuesday's mega hit release Mario Kart Wii. I know I can't wait.

Anyway, I don't know about you, but as a Melee veteran switching to the Wii Remote for Brawl was a bit awkward. I'm thankful that I still have my GameCube and especially my Wavebird which has made the experience much better. However, I know there are quite a few Brawl players still desperate to get their hands on the now discontinued Wavebird. I've been searching for awhile to get some for my friends, but haven't come up with anything, until very recently.

As luck would have it I found several brand new, still factory sealed, platinum Nintendo Wavebirds. I jumped at the opportunity and purchased several and am now offering them up for sale to the highest bidder on eBay. If you are interested in getting your hands on a brand new, sealed, platinum Wavebird for Smash, or even Mario Kart Wii you can click here. If you miss out on that one just keep checking eBay as the weeks go on because I will probably try and list more.

$29.99 Games - Keep Them Coming

2008-01-22T23:10:00.000-05:00

In a brief post last month I mentioned that Ghost Squad was a pretty good game for only $29.99. Now, I have another to mention, that being the just released Endless Ocean. After reading through the IGN Review, which you can read here, I was still feeling "iffy" about the game. Then I read the last sentence, "Did I mention it's only $29.99?" Now I'm still not sold on the game, but I am no longer as "iffy" as I once was.

It's a very attractive price and I'm glad that it's not disappearing, despite the fact that we're seeing an increase in the number of $59.99 games on the 360 and Playstation 3. Not only that, but we're seeing a larger amount of quality titles for only 30 bucks. In a world where we've had consoles that are $600 and games that are over $100 it's refreshing to know that I can still drop a smaller amount of change and get a fun console game.

So after finding out about Endless Ocean's surprisingly low cost I'm going to have to take a second look at it, and I suggest that you do too. If I get some free time I'll try and make a list of the best Wii games at $29.99, so check back later if you're a penny pincher like me.

New Poll for the New Year

2007-12-23T17:41:00.000-05:00

As the old poll on Virtual Console downloads had been up for 6 or 7 months I decided to retire it. The final results were fairly interesting, after all the hub bub going on about the lack of memory on the Wii I was expecting to see a lot of votes for some of the higher numbers, but it was just the opposite. In case you didn't catch the final tally here were the results:

How many Virtual Console games have you downloaded?
None: 44% (30 votes)
1 - 5: 34% (23 votes)
6 - 10: 13% (9 votes)
10-20: 3% (2 votes)
More than 20: 6% (4 votes)

Like I said, fairly interesting results, but now onto the new poll. The new poll, which you can see over to the right, asks "What game are you looking forward to the most in 2008?" I did limit the answers to Wii and DS games, this is after all a Nintendo blog, but you can vote "Other" if you feel so inclined.

Now, I have a pretty good idea of which game will probably lead the pack, but like last time, I could be wrong. So go vote!

And by the way have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Quick Food For Thought

2007-12-09T01:31:00.001-05:00

Ghost Squad Wii is a really fun multiplayer game, especially for only 30 bucks.
Medal of Honor Heroes 2 features 32 player online multiplayer and 1 player local. As in no local multiplayer whatsoever. Lame.
Better posts are still coming.

My Return Is Imminent

2007-12-02T16:54:00.000-05:00

I will be posting regularly again soon.

Still Here

2007-09-12T19:02:00.001-05:00

I know I've left you all hanging in an awful suspense with my last post, but I've been more busy than any person should ever have to be. I just wanted to post real quick and let you all know that I'm still here and that I will hopefully be able to finish up my story sometime soon, but I can't say exactly when.

My Sensor Bar Snag

2007-08-22T15:48:00.000-05:00

Ever since I first mentioned it, I'm sure all 15 of you readers out there have been desperately waiting to read my story about the death of my Wii Sensor Bar. While it isn't an epic tale, it is a story with a point. Due to it's length I have decided to separate it into two parts, the first of which day, and the other likely coming Friday or Saturday. I hope by the end you'll appreciate your own Sensor Bar, because you just don't know how important something is until it's gone.

Within the past month I've been fairly busy, what with school starting, soccer practice, and a job, I barely had any time to play my Wii. On top of that, one of my cats gave birth to a litter of four kittens awhile back, and I've been trying my best to spend as much time with them before we have to give them away. Now at a few months old they are a rambunctious bunch, who love to climb curtains and sink their teeth into anything that moves, but enough about the kittens for now, we'll talk more about them later.

Anyway, one afternoon last week I was quite pleased when I found myself with an open hour or two when I could sit down, relax, and play some Red Steel. I grabbed my remote and turned on my Wii and got comfortably centered with the T.V. However, my Wii Remote lights started to flash every time I pushed a button signifying a problem that I have had before, and have read on other forums that Wii owners have encountered as well. The first methods of approaching this problem is to check the batteries and try and sync the remotes, but with no success I had to move on to the last resort. Turning off and unplugging the console. After letting my Wii sit for a few minutes, I plugged it back in and started it right up. Thankfully, the lights stopped flashing and I could hit the A button to skip the black and white warning screen, but as I soon found out, this minor issue was nothing like the major problem I was about to face.

Once the main page was up, I pointed my remote toward Red Steel and attempted to click it, but for some odd reason my cursor was not appearing on the screen. I checked to make sure the remote was functioning properly and found that my buttons still worked, but that I could not point at anything. At once I tried to move closer to the television. No cursor. Then I moved back. Still no cursor. Perturbed, but not distressed I picked up my other remote and tried. Nothing. Now after replacing the batteries, syncing the controllers, and resetting the console four or five times I started to get worried. So I turned to Nintendo's trusty customer service and troubleshooting site. I soon found the information I was looking for and went straight down through the list of tips. Most of them I had already attempted, but I had not tried cleaning the sensor bar. So I gave it a nice wipe down with the bottom of my shirt, took my seat, moved my controller, and as I'm sure you can guess by now, no cursor appeared.

With each failed attempt I only grew more concerned. Finally, I was left with only one last troubleshooting instruction before it appeared I was going to have to send off my remotes and console for repair. The advice was the following:

Check the cord on the Sensor Bar for any frayed wires or kinks, and verify that the Sensor Bar is free of obstructions.

Of course I couldn't have ever imagined anything damaging my cord, but I checked anyway. As I ran the cord through my fingers, about two feet through I felt it, the awful break in the perfectly smooth plastic. Sure enough, there was a frayed part where a piece of wire had been torn loose. Ironically enough, at the same time one of my new pet kittens started to rub against my leg and purr. Then, I knew what had caused the tear. Whether guilty or not, I no longer had the same fondness for that particular kitten as much as the others. It has taken several weeks before I have been willing to put aside my grudge and move on, but nonetheless now I knew what I had to do.

To Be Continued...

Check back in later this week for the exciting conclusion to my story, in which I come across yet another dilemma and am forced to make a tough decision. For any of you thinking of getting a new or different type of sensor bar you won't want to miss it!

Super Monday!

2007-08-20T16:51:00.000-05:00

In case you've been living under a Xbox and don't already know, Super Metroid released for the Wii's Virtual Console today. This will be my first Virtual Console download... once I get myself a retro controller, but just because I'm picky doesn't mean you have to be, because as long as you have a GameCube controller you can still play the game.

See for yourself if it is indeed the greatest Metroid, and perhaps one of the greatest games of all time, but make sure you'll still have enough money to buy Metroid Prime 3 when it comes out next week. Just remember that's two awesome games for less than the price of ONE Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 game!

Now go download!

Shin'en Blast Their Way Onto The Wii

2007-08-13T13:57:00.000-05:00

If you read through my recent Nanostray review, you probably know how much I enjoyed the game and understand why I am so fond of the developers. Back in my younger days as a video game news writer I even got the chance to interview them about the game. I'm not sure if I still have that interview, I highly doubt it, but if I ever find it in one of my old vaults I'll be sure to post it here.

Anyway, now to the big news. As I'm sure none of you know, due to the fact that this announcement wasn't posted on IGN, Gamespot, or even a lot of the Nintendo-centric fan sites, Shin'en has become an officially licensed Wii developer. Now most of you probably don't have the same level as excitement for this announcement as I do, but it's still terrific news and I'll tell you why.

As you should have already known Shin'en specialize in side-scrolling shooters. While they may do work on other children's titles, such as Miss Spider and Strawberry Shortcake, they are most known for their shoot'em up games like Nanostray and Iridion. Due to their success with these types of games I'd almost guarantee that they'll be the first that they develop for the Wii and I for one am looking forward to them.

So, Ikaruga and side-scrolling shooter fans alike get excited, because one of the best developers in the genre are now working on the Wii.

Wii Eye Candy - Soul Calibur Legends, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2007-08-10T16:42:00.000-05:00

Surprise! Just a late afternoon post today. Apparently I made more than one mistake in listing the games, as not one, but two games are out of order! Oh well. It's the pretty pictures that count right? So, enjoy the last group of screens!

Soul Calibur Legends - November 13th

Super Mario Galaxy - November 13th

Super Smash Bros. Brawl - December 3rd

And that concludes my Wii Eye Candy special week-long feature, perhaps I'll do another in the future, or as I suggested before, one for the DS. We'll just have to wait and see. Until then, I hope you'll stick around. I'm thinking it's about time for a new poll and I've got an interesting story to tell about my Wii Sensor Bar and it's tragic, untimely death.

Wii Eye Candy - Rayman 2, Umbrella Chronicles, Mario & Sonic

2007-08-09T19:58:00.000-05:00

You knew to expect another evening post didn't you? Well, here you go!

Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 - November 13th

Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles - November 13th

Mario & Sonic At The Olympics - November 20th

On our last day we'll battle through an adventure, journey across the galaxy, and finish off duking it out against one another. (On a side note: Due to a mistake on my part one of tomorrow's games will be out of order.)

Wii Eye Candy - Endless Ocean, Geometry Wars Galaxies, Harvest Moon

2007-08-08T20:13:00.000-05:00

Another evening post, but a post all the same! Enjoy!

Endless Ocean - October 29th

Geometry Wars: Galaxies - November 6th

Harvest Moon: Tree of Peace - November 6th

Tomorrow we head to the olympics, mess around with some silly rabbits, and shoot our way through zombies.

Wii Eye Candy - Dragon Blade, Zack & Wiki, Battalion Wars II

2007-08-07T21:13:00.000-05:00

Although it might be late in the evening, I am a man of my word and as promised here are some new screens!

Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire - September 25th

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure - October 16th

Battalion Wars 2 - October 29th

Tomorrow we travel the depths of the ocean, blast are way through some polygons, and get down and dirty on the farm.

Wiik Long Wii Eye Candy - Metroid, Dewy, MySims

2007-08-06T17:19:00.000-05:00

After two exceptionally long posts, I thought I'd do something different. Instead of a thought provoking editorial or comment on some news I thought I'd add a bit of visual eye candy to the site. I have journeyed far and wide across the internet to bring you some screenshots from what I believe are the best upcoming Wii games. Across the next five days I'll be posting these screens in order of release for your viewing pleasure. In the future I may do a similar series for the DS as well. So without further ado...

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - August 27th

Dewy's Adventure - September 4th

My Sims - September 18th

Tomorrow we fight some dragons, search for treasure, and head off to war.

What Lies Ahead?

2007-08-03T22:05:00.000-05:00

Think back to your earliest memories of playing video games. Unless you're still a youngster, chances are you remember playing the NES or SNES, maybe even ancient hardware like the Magnavox Odyssey or one of the original Atari systems. Games were simple back then, and the video game industry in it's infancy. It didn't take much to entertain players back in the 70s and 80s. Slap two white lines on either side of the television screen and have a small ball ricochet back and forth and you've got endless fun. Or even better make a yellow circle move through a maze "eating" smaller white dots, while dodging pink and red blobs. Perhaps to the amazement of some kids today, it was actually quite enjoyable.

But my how time's have changed! Now we have massively multiplayer online role playing games, first person shooters that can land you in any mission of WWI or WWII or take you to distant halos in the universe. It's not only the games, but the technology. Now we have thousands of polygons on a screen at once, physics and particle engines, orchestrated background music, realistic sound and lighting effects, and graphics so amazing that you can see bullets of sweat roll down your basketball player's face. It takes quite a lot of work to make a video game good enough to satisfy modern day players. As technology increases so do the demands of video gamers, but with today's near photo-realistic graphics and life-like motion control what lies ahead on the horizon that will entice the gamers of tomorrow and better yet, will video games even last until then?

As I foresee it, in the near future the video game industry is headed in one of two directions. Up or down. Simple conclusion eh? The up, is that games continue to get more engaging, more realistic, and simply, more fun. The down is that the industry becomes stagnant, developers and publishers alike keep churning out the same stuff over and over. Sequels upon sequels, games that are barely different from what we've already played hundreds of times, and a major lack of creativity and innovation. Eventually, people will get tired or the same old crap, and if nothing is done the industry will retract and video games will become a thing of the past.

Luckily for us there is a company out there that is determined to make sure that this doesn't happen. They are the front runners of innovation, the leaders in expanding the video game audience, and the martyrs of realistic immersion. I'm sure if you think hard enough you can guess who I am talking about. Yes Nintendo, creators of the console with the funny name and the handheld with two screens. I believe it is thanks to them, that the video game industry is not currently starting to slide downwards.

Just imagine if there was no Wii, just the GameCube 2, PS3, and Xbox360. Updated versions of the same old systems we already had, with updated games that we've already played. Do you really think that given these options that consumers who hadn't purchased a system during the last generation would purchase one of the new ones? Or how many more analog controlled, R-trigger firing, WWII FPS' could you take until they just got boring? There's only so much prettier graphics can do, it takes innovation and a deeper sense of immersion to keep people interested.

We've seen this theory meet great success with the Wii. With the Wii Remote and Nunchuk playing your favorite video games are now more realistic than ever, and with the upcoming Wii Balance Board, it's only going to get better, but Nintendo must realize that these things are not enough. They must continue innovating and continue to make games more fun to play, because eventually, motion control may get repetitive and boring. But then what will keep us interested?

It could be something that casual and hardcore players alike have imagined and dreamed about. Virtual reality. Before you call me crazy take a second to think about this. When you played The Legend of Zelda for the first time, did you ever imagine that some day you'd actually be able to swing your controller and Link would swing his sword? Or how about when you were amazed by the updated visuals from the NES to the SNES? Did you ever fathom that maybe someday every game would be in totally realistic 3D? With each new technological breakthrough and boundary broken we're getting one step closer to total video game immersion that could be possible with virtual reality, but that's only one possibility. Maybe in the future there will be an entire Wii Suit. Your guess is as good as mine.

Only one thing is for sure. We'll never get there if every new generation all we get is better graphics and faster processors. Could there be another video game crash ahead? That will depend on the innovation of the console manufacturers and on you, the consumer. Because the manufacturers, publishers, and developers alike are all trying to get your money and if you demand innovation, creativity, and immersion then there will be manufacturers, publishers, and developers who will listen and take action and video games will continue to get even better.

What lies ahead none of us may know, but as long as we don't sit by and accept a lack of innovation then the horizon looks pretty bright for the video game industry.

Nanostray Review

2007-07-23T00:53:00.000-05:00

Although I've been very busy as of late, I've spent quite a lot of my free time playing video games, especially those handheld games I picked up from TRU. After finishing my personal favorite of that batch, Nanostray, I've decided I'd post a review in hopes of getting more people interested in this sleeper hit for the DS. So, I hope you enjoy reading and if you have a DS go out and get the game!

When the Nintendo DS first launched in 2004 there were a handful of games to choose from within the first few months. With big hit games like Advance Wars and Metroid not hitting shelves until the following year the early pickings were slim. However, there were some lesser known titles that turned out to be diamonds in what was a rough first six months. Among them was a gorgeous looking, fast-paced, futuristic shooter known as Nanostray. Developed by Shin'en, the makers of the Iridion games for the GBA, Nanostray puts you in control of a small spacecraft as you attempt to blast your way through waves of enemies and survive each level.

Nanostray is very light on any kind of story, as a matter of fact it's pretty much non-existent throughout the game, but basically your mission is to fly to each of the 8 areas and destroy everything that comes at you. Sounds simple enough right? Well as with most shooters the enemies are constantly swarming, attacking by the waves, and it becomes quite a task to clean-up all of them and survive the level, even more so if you're trying to get a good score. The top screen shows all the action and this is where your eyes will be glued. I would only take a seldom glance at the bottom screen, which shows a small map, the life and sub-weapon meters, your score, and the buttons to select your weapon. I barely had enough time to check my life meter in between all the action and eye candy on the top screen, much less my score or what was even on the map. While you may rarely look at it, the bottom screen does provide useful information, and it clears the way for a better view of the level on the top screen.

Each of the 8 levels has it's own unique design and theme. You'll visit lush green planets, journey to desert wastelands, and even battle through space stations. Everything looks simply gorgeous and is highly detailed. The graphics are still some of the best I've seen on the DS thus far. The stages all look great and as the locales change, so will the enemies. There is a great deal of variety in their design and in there strength. Some can be taken down easily with one hit, while others will take a few seconds of full blasting from your most powerful weapons. Not to mention the massive bosses at the end of each level which can easily take down your ship with only a few hits.

Luckily for you, there are four different weapons with their own sub-weapons at your disposal, as well as the life-saving smart bomb, which will completely clear the screen of enemies, but at the cost of destroying your score as well. The main weapons include the simple rapid firing vertical blue beam, a similar yellow beam, but which fires horizontally, a slow purple heat seeking weapon, and the very cool lightning weapon which latches onto an enemy until they are destroyed. While the main weapons have unlimited ammo, the much more powerful sub weapons deplete after prolonged usage. You'll be able to refill the sub-weapon gauge only by clearing an entire wave of enemies and collecting the blue coin that appears. As you can imagine the sub-weapons are basically the same as the main ones, but much stronger.

While all the weapons are useful you'll be mainly using the blue pulse beam, with the occasional usage of the yellow side-shot. This is do to the difficulty of switching weapons using the touch screen. All other controls are tied to buttons and the triggers. It's all very easy to learn and simple to use. However, you have to tap the large button corresponding to each weapon to switch and it is hardly easy to do when your using one hand to move your ship and the other to fire your weapons. I found it much easier to stick to one weapon for a whole level, but in some you'll need to switch, in which case I had to keep the stylus in my hand while I played which wasn't all that comfortable. It's one of only two big gripes that I have with the game; the other is the length.

There are only 8 levels to play through in the adventure mode, which increase in difficulty, but even with tougher enemies one could still finish the entire game in 3 or 4 hours. Good players could probably finish even quicker than that. Although I would have liked to have seen more levels in the game, it's not really over once you have beaten each area. Like in the best of the scrolling-shooting games you'll want to try and get a higher score and after you've finished a level you'll be able to do just that in the game's arcade mode. However, unlike other similar games, there is even more reason to try and get a better score, as you will receive a code that you can enter online at the official site and see where you rank on a worldwide leader board. Not only does it stack you up individually, but it categorizes players by their countries and ranks them to see which nation has the best Nanostray players. It's a very compelling way to keep people interested in playing, and the competition it fosters will bring some players back long after they would have with any other shooter.

Finishing off the single player experience is the challenge mode, where you are set with very difficult tasks, such as completing an entire level with only one ship or zero smart bombs. While the challenges are definitely hard, the reward is not so great. For each one that you complete you only get a measly artwork from one of the levels in the game. So the only real motivation is to test your own skill. It's a shame you couldn't unlock new weapons or levels. It would have made the challenge mode alot more interesting.

There is also a multiplayer mode in the game, which is surprisingly fun and well worth trying out with a friend. The game features single-card multiplayer which is gratefully appreciated. There are four modes to choose from in the multiplayer. There are two time limit modes, a two minute and one minute race to see who can get the highest score, a points race to 25,000, and a bonus race where you try and collect the most yellow coins from enemies. You can also add sudden death to the mix, where if you die before the level is over or time is up you lose instantly. The multiplayer captures the intensity and excitement of the single player and adds to it a friendly dose of competition. It's a real blast to play with a friend, but sadly there is no online battling. The addition of Wi-Fi would have been icing on this multiplayer cake.

Nanostray has an unrivaled sense of intensity, the non-stop action will keep you coming back for more, and with the dazzling effects and beautiful scenery you won't want to blink. Although it's biggest shortfall may be it's length, it makes up for it with a difficult challenge mode, an arcade mode with a worldwide leader board, and an awesome multiplayer. Don't let it's age on store shelves keep you from getting this game. Even though the DS library is now full of great hits, Nanostray can stand amongst the best out there. Quite simply if you can find it, buy it!

E3 2007

2007-07-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

Well the "new" E3 has come and gone for 2007 and I can't help but wonder if it would have really been all that different if it were still in it's previous form. It seemed pretty similar from my viewpoint in my chair in front of my computer screen, but obviously it was not nearly as extravagant as it has been for those who were actually there. It's still up for debate if it was better or not, but I believe it's all a matter of personal perspective anyway. Easier for the janitors and developers, worse maybe for the attendees. I was just happy to see more of my favorite upcoming games and listen to Reggie and Miyamoto announce some new stuff. I'm looking forward to this fall and holiday season, but not much more than I was prior to E3. Anyway, here's my personal commentary about the big Nintendo stuff that went down.

The Wii Balance Board was obviously the biggest announcement from Nintendo, while I have absolutely no interest in Wii Fit, it will do a terrific job reaching out to "non-gamers". I'm more interested in seeing what else can be done besides yoga and hula-hooping with the board. Like for instance, snowboarding or surfing. As both rely mainly on how you lean your body and where you put pressure they could be perfect fits.

I'm also looking forward to the other new accessory announced, the Wii Zapper. In it's previous prototype form it looked much like a shotgun, but I love the new two handed approach similar to something like an AK-47. Prior to the announcement I had only a mild interest in Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, but now I can't wait to try it out with the Zapper, especially if I can get two to play with a friend.

As for the games, the ones that I wanted to see the most weren't even at the show which was very disappointing. They included Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and the Harvest Moon games for Wii and DS. However, the games that were there looked better than ever, especially Metroid Prime 3. After what IGN said claiming it to play better than any FPS to date I can't wait to get my hands on it. Super Mario Galaxy looked good, but I'm not anywhere close to foaming at the mouth for it. Other than those two there wasn't much. I was glad to finally see Mario Kart Wii. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, and will be a great title to carry the weak Q1 and Q2 after holiday sales. The DS had The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, but where was everything else? Aside from a few other titles the DS was relatively quiet during E3.

Overall, E3 was just okay in my opinion. There wasn't much in the way of newly announced games from Nintendo, seeing Mario Kart Wii was nice, but we all knew it was coming eventually, Wii Fit will do wonders on expanding the market and games like Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy will satisfy the hardcore crowd for the mean time. While it may not have been as special as in the past the new E3 appears to be staying and I'm just glad it wasn't as bad as we all though it would be.

Melee vs Brawl Character Comparison Shots

2007-07-05T15:28:00.000-05:00

Doing my daily internet browsing I came across these interesting comparison screenshots on N-Philes Forums of some of the characters from Super Smash Bros. Melee and their new looks in Brawl. As a matter of fact, I found them so interesting I decided I would post them here as well. Take a look for yourself.

Notice the impressive detail in some of the characters, especially Zelda and Pit. Personally, I like the old Star Fox better than the new one, but other than him they all look smashing!

You see what I did there?

EA's Great Idea

2007-07-03T20:19:00.000-05:00

Sports video gamers used to come in two breeds; 2K Sports or EA Sports. However, within the past few years EA has taken supreme dominance over sports games thanks largely in part to it's exclusive rights deals with the NFL, AFL, NCAA, and NASCAR. Whether or not these deals have been for better or worse is still debated, however, until the contracts expire we'll just have to take what we get. Thankfully, EA hasn't used the deals as a way to sit by and do nothing to make their games better. For the most part each new yearly iteration is better than the former. New additions come each year, some better than others, but there are few drastic new innovations. However, no series has seen as many yearly updates as the Madden franchise.

Last year's Madden 07 game was the first of the EA Sports games to grace the Nintendo Wii. The new motion controls made Madden an entirely new experience on the Wii and while arguable, I'd say much more fun. Instead of every tackle, kick, throw, and shove tied to a button, now you can actually move the controller to imitate many moves. Want Peyton Manning to launch one deep to Marvin Harrison? Tap Marvin's corresponding direction on the D-Pad and throw one to him with the Wii Remote. While the new controls have made the game much simpler EA has decided to take it one step further and by doing so is opening the EA Sports games up to the entire family.

Enter the just revealed feature Family Play. Family Play is a brand new way to play Madden, FIFA, and NBA Live with just the Wii Remote. Now the computer will control movement and all the player has to is the motion controls tied to the Wii Remote. Such as passing, kicking, and shooting. I've included some IGN screens of some of the controls for all three games. (You can view more screenshots and read the entire article by clicking here.)

FIFA Soccer

Madden
NBA Live

Notice there are still some button presses, but for the most part it is motion based and much more so than if you were playing in the advanced mode with the nunchuk included. As the name suggests now the entire family can play or just newly converted Wii players. It's a perfect way to introduce newbies and then once they get the hang of the Wii Remote controls, they can simply plug in the nunchuk and play the advanced way.

It's a great idea and it expands upon Nintendo's mission to reach out to non-gamers. For once I'm surprised that I can say that EA has done a great job innovating their games. I for one will be among the first to pass the Wii Remote over to my family and other non-gaming friends and get them in on the fun.

The Toys R Us Odyssey

2007-06-30T20:27:00.001-05:00

Of course as an avid DS gamer I wasn't just going to pass by the opportunity to at least travel to my nearest Toys R Us to browse around and see what I could be getting and getting for free. So on Thursday along with one of my friends I hit up TRU to see what I could find. Like I said before I was hoping to snag Sim City DS, Brothers In Arms DS, and then some old games I haven't got around to picking up like maybe Starfox Command or Hotel Dusk. Much to my surprise the store didn't even open until 10 a.m. so I sat and waited for around 30 minutes. When it finally did open up my friend and I headed inside and were the first in the video game section.

Sadly, within my first pass I realized Brothers In Arms wasn't there, the number one game on my list, but there were to many games for me to just leave free money behind. I picked up one of the two Sim City DS games and started to browse around and see what else I was willing to buy. My friend quickly became bored with my indecisiveness over Sonic Rush, Starfox Command, and Brain Age and went off to dig through the bargain bin games that were 10 dollars each. After awhile I joined him, by this time he was making a large hole in one corner, when to my surprise he pulled a copy of Nanostray from the bottom. I've always wanted to get Nanostray, but I've never been able to find it, even when it launched, and the only copy I found was a used one that was just the cartridge. It was the diamond among the rough, as the only other DS games were some Texas Hold Em', Disney games, and several copies of Super Black Bass Fishing.

However, I now had a problem. The free game in the deal had to be of equal or greater value as the lowest priced game. So I would either have to get another $10 game for free or purchase a $20 or higher one to get Nanostray for free. I wasn't thrilled about spending even more money, but I didn't want one of those crappy games left in the bin. The only game I might have considered was Super Black Bass Fishing, just because I like to fish, but I remembered that it got a horrendous score on IGN, a 2.5 as a matter of fact. Even though I went on a long spill about how reviews shouldn't be the most important factor when purchasing a game a 2.5 is pretty darn bad, but as it turns out I wouldn't be a hypocrite after all. Although I was uncertain my friend was dead set on the game. He likes to fish as well and it wasn't his money. So after giving it much thought I decided what the heck I'll give it a try and got the game.

After putting a good amount of time into each game (Except for Sim City DS, I'm holding out and making myself beat my other games first.) I'm pretty happy with my haul. Super Black Bass Fishing isn't a 2.5 in my highly opinion, especially for those who do enjoy fishing out there. The multiplayer is actually kind of fun. Of course Nanostray is a blast and I'm positive I'll like Sim City when I get to it. Now I just got to get around to beating all my other games! But here's to hoping you took advantage of the TRU Buy Two Get One Free and found some great games too. We can only hope that this won't be the last time we get a deal like it.

Amazing DS Game Deal at Toys R Us

2007-06-25T18:58:00.000-05:00

While I contemplate on whether or not I really need to pile 3 more DS games on top of the load I already have I wanted to let you all in on this awesome deal. Toys R Us is having a buy two get one free on all Nintendo DS games both online and in stores through June 30th. 30 free dollars might be too much for me to pass up, even if I do have 3 or 4 games I haven't finished. I've been wanting to pick up the just released Sim City DS and Brothers in Arms DS. How nice would it be to get something like Hotel Dusk or Starfox Command for free? I'll have to do a bit more thinking, but if you've been planning to get some DS games and have been waiting now is the time to buy! Just think of all the fun you'll be having with 3 new DS games for the price of two. I promise I'm not a Toys R Us employee, just don't miss out!

Freedom From Video Game Reviews

2007-06-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

If you play video games and have internet access, chances are you've read a review or two for some games. Whether you like IGN, Gamespot, or Nintendo specific fan sites likes N-Philes we've all come across reviews at some point in our lives. They are very useful in learning more about a game and sometimes lead to full blown internet wide fights if a score is felt to be unjust (See IGN's 7.9 for Mario Kart Double Dash). While I don't suggest using one review as a justification to either purchase a game or not, looking over several reviews of a game can help you decide whether it's right for you if done correctly, but don't rely on reviews alone. You have the freedom to make your own decisions and you shouldn't let reviews control your purchases.

I feel that is a growing problem with today's video gamers. We put too much emphasis on the score a game gets. How many times have you been interested in a game only to mark it off your list and forget about it because it got a 6 on IGN? It's a scene all too familiar. Just ask those who were excited for Red Steel. Prior to the reviews this game looked to be a mega hit, then those early reviews from IGN and Gamespot came in and instantly people who were singing praises started slamming the title. There is no doubt in my mind that because of those reviews it severely hurt the sales potential of the game and that shouldn't be the case. Reviews shouldn't have that much power over us and our decisions.

Why? For several reasons. Just as you have individual tastes in clothes, food, and movies everyone has individual tastes in video games! Mark Bozon from IGN may like shirts from GAP and might hate stuff from Kohl's, but if you like clothes from Kohl's you don't start shopping at GAP just because he doesn't like it do you? The same should be thought of when it comes to video games. Maybe you absolutely love puzzle games, well do you think that if someone who dislikes puzzle games reviews one they'll give it a great score? It's poor decision making if you let their review greatly influence your decision to purchase a game.

Another problem I have with reviews is that half the time the reviewer hasn't even played more than a few levels of a game, if that! And it's a tiny percentage of reviewers who have actually beaten the game they are reviewing! You don't see people reviewing books after a couple of chapters or Ebert and Roeper giving a thumbs up to a movie they only watched 30 minutes of. Why should video game reviews be any different?

The current reason is our own impatience. Everyone can't wait to read the first review of a game, and news sites compete to see who can get their review out the fastest. This shouldn't be the case. Reviewers should be able to spend as much time as needed with the game to finish it, or in the case of games that can't be "finished" (Animal Crossing, racing games, etc.) enough time to make a good judgement on the game. So what if it takes 6 or 7 more days for the review to come out at least now we know they know what they are talking about. They have played the game enough to really understand the depth and all the intricacies, not just enough to get a gist of what the game is like.

So don't let video game reviews control your purchases anymore. Instead of trying to figure out why a reviewer gave a game a score that they did ask them how long they played the game. How far they got into it. Or is the ending any good. Don't forget to ask what their favorite types of games are. Then use these answers to base how much influence you let the review have on you. Don't let a number ever make or break your decision. You'll be more likely to find hidden gems and enjoy games you would have never imagined yourself playing. There are way to many great games out there to limit yourself by what some guy on the internet says.

Freedom of thought, freedom of choice, freedom of purchase, and freedom of playing. Long let freedom ring!

Samus Aran Brawlin'

2007-06-16T22:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's daily update at Smash Bros. Dojo featured one of my personal favorite Nintendo characters, Samus Aran. Sporting a graphically updated suit, now with extra metallic shine there's just too much to love about her mega arsenal of beams, missiles, and bombs. I posted some side by side screenshots below of the new Samus and Samus from Super Smash Bros. Melee. If you can't tell the difference you don't deserve to know.

Wi-Fi is a Royal Pain in The Butt

2007-06-13T18:44:00.000-05:00

I love that Nintendo now has an online service, but sometimes I absolutely can't stand the Wi-Fi service itself. If I had a nickel for every error code number I've had put together I'd be able to purchase 3 or 4 Wii systems and probably a DS Lite or two. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like for no reason whatsoever, my DS Lite or Wii will randomly not connect. Sure they'll be going good for a week or two, then bam, no changes to my internet connection, the system, or the USB connector, but it won't connect.

I'm sure I'm not alone.

The fact is it's not perfect and I want to know that everytime I try to connect to Wi-Fi it will connect. I want to be as sure as I know the sun will rise everyday, but that isn't the case. However, at least we have the error code system. Where I can take my error code and type it in online at Nintendo's support site and I can get helpful tips. Which 95% of the time do not work or are just the general "try this and see".

I don't want to sound like I don't appreciate Nintendo going online with their systems, I do, but as long as I keep getting those random error codes that keep me from getting my Everybody Votes Channel results in I'll still be complaining. Because I take my Everybody Votes Channel very, very seriously.

Only joking!

Wii Need More Mii Follow-Up

2007-06-10T22:50:00.000-05:00

I was just talking about how FIFA 08 would be the first third-party game using Miis and wouldn't you know it IGN posted a screenshot two days ago of, as I know it, the first known image of the Miis in action. Looks like some sort of juggling contest. This might be what seals the purchase for me. That and the fact it's planned to be online.

PC Games Allow Me To Introduce You To The Wii

2007-06-09T21:34:00.000-05:00

As we all know real time strategy (RTS) and simulation games are widely popular genres on the PC but haven't had much success on home consoles. A mouse's point and click is much more preferrable and easier than using the analog stick along with a 4 or 5 buttons. So us console gamers haven't gotten the same RTS and sim love that PC's have. There are some amazing RTS games out there, like my personal favorite Age of Empires II and alot of great simulation games like SimCity or Rollercoaster Tycoon. All of these games have found alot of success on the PC and haven't even really been attempted for console because of control issues, however, all of that can change thanks to the Wiimote.

Just like a mouse, with the Wii remote you can point, click, and drag over your screen any way, shape, form, or fashion. This is a clear advantage over the traditional analog and button dominated controllers, but it also has an advantage over the mouse and keyboard because it can sense depth and has motion sensing. So our favorite RTS and sim games should be right at home on the Wii so why aren't we seeing a plethora in development?

I have a hunch that it has something to do with a little computer company who recently became a console manufacturer, that goes by the name of Microsoft. Of course PCs dominate the computer gaming world and who dominates the computer world? Microsoft. Because they have the main operating system used with the PC games they have influence with the companies that make them and alot of them are owned by Microsoft, like Ensemble Studios, makers of Age of Empires. So if Microsoft has, dare I say it, a monopoly on computer gaming, that would give them key influence on any PC game developers making games for the Wii. Of course they don't want to add anymore fuel to the Wii blaze that has taken over the world so they'll keep as many of the PC exclusive games PC exclusive for as long as they can.

We can only hope that independent third party developers such as EA who has such PC hits as SimCity and Sims will start to take notice and take advantage of this expansion of the point and click userbase. Luckily for us, it appears that they might already have with the upcoming MySims game, but we can only hope that this is a beginning to many more PC exclusive games coming to the Wii.

Wii Need More Mii

2007-06-05T22:13:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love their Mii? From your family and friends to celebrities and even yourself we all have Miis. That is assuming that you play and own a Wii or play a friend's, but sadly they are limited to Wii Sports and Wii Play and I believe a small bit of Mario Party 8. They shouldn't be forever stuck playing sports or being chosen out of a crowd. There needs to be more for them to do. To put it clearly the Wii needs more games with Mii usage. On the horizon it appears that only one such game has announced using Miis as a feature and that's EA Sports' FIFA 08. The last game you would ever imagine being the first third party game to use them. Even though it's a step in the right direction it is a very small one, because as of this writing they have only been confirmed for usage in minigames. I'm still glad to see EA being a frontrunner, because we all know EA is known for being limited in it's updates to key franchises, but it's not enough.

There are plenty of games out there that could and should be using Miis. Either as the main characters or just in minigames. Imagine playing Sims with your Mii and your friends. Why do we have to create another version of ourselves with EA's character creator when we already have one on the system? There could even be a special mode of Super Smash Bros. Brawl where you could go head to head with your friend's Miis in a button mashing mayhem. Or how about being able to choose yourself as a driver in the next Mario Kart? It's simple additions like these that can make game experiences all the more personal and fun.

It could happen and needs to happen because my Mii is getting tired of riding cows and playing baseball he wants to expand his horizons to bigger and better things.

1000 Downloads Per What?!

2007-06-02T21:54:00.001-05:00

While browsing around IGN I found a very interesting bit of news that also relates to my current poll. Nintendo announced on Friday that there have been 4.7 million game downloads from the Virtual Console since the Wii launched or 1000 downloads per hour! Until Friday Nintendo had kept us in the dark on specific figures for the VC. I recall them only saying something like it was very popular and doing better than they expected, but I doubt that anyone would have ever imagined 1000 downloads per hour.

2D Metroid - Gone Forever?

2007-05-29T20:30:00.000-05:00

I'm a huge Metroid fan if you didn't already know, heck on some forums my username is "MetroidHunter". Lame, I know, but I was younger when I thought it up and so tradition keeps it alive, but it just goes to show how much I like the Metroid series. Of course I've played the classics, and I'm still waiting for Super Metroid to arrive on the Virtual Console. It might be the first game I finally get around to downloading instead of just thinking about downloading. However, though I hotly anticipate Metroid Prime 3 personally I can't help but wonder if there will ever be another 2D Metroid.

One of my favorite games in the series and probably my favorite GBA game (tied with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance) was Metroid Fusion. An amazing title that continued Samus' adventure from it's real 2D platforming roots. Hopefully it won't be the last. There was the rumored "Metroid Dread" that was even listed in Game Informer as an upcoming DS game, but sadly it was either cancelled by Nintendo or a mistake by GI. The first Metroid DS game, Metroid Prime: Hunters, was a nice game with some great multiplayer, but still did not satisfy my handheld hunger. I can get 3D Metroid on the GameCube or the Wii so while it was a nice deviation from the typical handheld Metroids I hope 3D isn't here to stay.

New Super Mario Bros. is a great example of how even today 2D platforming games still have a niche in the market. I shouldn't even say niche, seeing how it's one of the top selling DS games thus far. There is still a broad audience that likes flat platformers, and Nintendo shouldn't turn it's back on them with the Metroid series, or any for that matter.

New Poll Question

2007-05-23T16:20:00.000-05:00

I've had the same poll for quite some time as those of you who have visited more than once can attest to. So I finally got around to changing it. The new question is about the Virtual Console on the Nintendo Wii. How many VC titles have you downloaded? I think it will be interesting to see just how popular the feature is and how many of you out there are big classic gamers.

Now vote!

Busy As A Bee

2007-05-20T19:56:00.001-05:00

In case you all were wondering I haven't died or abandoned the site. I'm still here, just extremely busy. With school winding down and track finishing up I've been busy as ever and that means I haven't had any time to post anything new. Luckily for you it won't be long till I'll be back to a normal schedule. Sleeping till noon, staying on the internet and playing video games half the day, and eating. How glorious summer break is. Except this year I'll have to throw in the occasional work and lawn mowing time. Oh well.

So anyway, I'm still here, and I'll still be posting (ASAP), and I am certainly still playing video games.

2007 Japanese Wii Lineup

2007-05-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, IGN posted Nintendo's official 2007 Japanese Wii Lineup and to say the least it is loaded. Now granted it is still just the Japanese release list, but most, if not all these games could make it here this year or by this time next year.

Donkey Kong Taru Jet Race (DK Jet or DK Bongo Blast, US) - June 28, 2007
Wii Health Pack - 2007
Disaster: Day of Crisis - 2007
Mario Party 8 - 2007
Project H.A.M.M.E.R. - 2007
Wii Music - 2007
Super Mario Galaxy - 2007
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - 2007
Battalion Wars II - 2007
Forever Blue - 2007
Mario Strikers Charged - 2007
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - 2007
Mario and Sonic at the Olympics - 2007

If this had been back in the GameCube era, we wouldn't have seen a Mario, Metroid, and Smash Bros. game all in the same year. It would have been one a year with the rest of these games trickled in between. Don't mistake this as complaining, I am not complaining in anyway. I love Nintendo's aggressive new strategy. Unlike in the past when we would have to wait several months in between big game releases now we'll have plenty to keep our hands full.

This could seal the deal for Nintendo to push even further away from Sony and catch up with and perhaps even surpass(?) the 360. It could happen with all these system selling games. As it stands now I'm going to be forking out $450 and it could be more if some of the other games turn out better than I expect. Also remember that's not including all the DS games I wanted to purchase and that Nintendo hasn't even revealed release dates for!

While this is fantastic news, it's not for me personally because I might need to get a second job.

Video Game VS Partnership Announcement

2007-04-29T21:59:00.000-05:00

I am proud to announce that as of tonight Nintendo Chronicles will be partnering with VideoGameVS.com. Video Game VS is a website where users can post their opinions on a variety of video game topics and debate with others. You will be able to see my posts in their "Featured Arguments" section where other writers and bloggers from various sites debate and share their thoughts on different subjects pertaining to video games. For right now I only plan on posting arguments that you'll have already seen here at my blog. However, if you'd like to see what others might have to say to counter or agree with my opinions you can check them out at Video Game VS under Featured Arguments.

To visit VideoGameVS.com click here.

15,000 Blocks For Just $15

2007-04-26T22:55:00.000-05:00

I always hated memory cards. I never could remember what game saves I had on which one and it would always turn out to be the memory card that I tried last. Thankfully Nintendo has included a good amount of memory built in to the Wii and most games only take up a few blocks of space. Heck, Zelda only takes up 1 block and you get close to 2000 blocks to start with. So, most of us will be good for some time, but in the event you do need more space you can always invest in an SD Card. That is if you don't already have one. You can purchase the official Sandisk 1.0 GB Nintendo SD Card for about $40, and I believe it's $60 for the 2 GB. That seemed quite too high for me, so I decided not to get one. Besides, I wouldn't even need it for at least a year, unless I started downloading alot of Virtual Console games, which I did not forsee myself doing anytime soon.

However, I came upon a deal on a 2 GB Kingston SD Card that I simply could not refuse. The first time I had found the deal I waited too long to act and it expired, but I made sure to keep watching it and sure enough they had another rebate offer on it, but this time it was even lower! Buy.com had it for the original price of $39.95 (That's still much cheaper then the Nintendo/Sandisk card.) but with a rebate it was only $14.95! For those of you not good at math that's $45 dollars less than Sandisk's 2GB Wii SD Card and $25 less than the 1 gig! I made sure I didn't miss this opportunity and quickly ordered my own.

It wasn't long until I recieved it in the mail, I was eager to find out just how many more blocks this would add to my memory space and I figured it would at least double the amount already on the system, maybe even triple it. So I plug it in, go to the memory screen in the options and check my SD Card and find out that it added an absolutely staggering 15,709 blocks!! It didn't double it, nor triple it, not even quadruple. No, it nearly octupled it! And for just $15. I could barely believe it. Of course I'll never need this much space, but at least I'll never have to worry about running out of room even if I download every single Virtual Console game that is ever available or purchase 200 Wii games.

So, if you're looking for a cheap way to get alot more memory space for the Wii check out Buy.com's deal on the Kingston 2GB SD Card. The rebate that I had is still going on if you'd like to go ahead and get one, but if you wait and it ends, just wait awhile, they have them every so often. You can always pass it by though and go purchase a different one for more than double the price, but if you like saving money like me, this deal is for you.

Happy Diamond and Pearl Day

2007-04-22T14:00:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't already know today is the release of the newest Pokemon RPGs, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo DS. Why is this post worthy? Well because these games are likely to be not only the fastest selling DS games ever, but highest selling ever and an event like this only comes around once every two years or so. Pokemon trainers everywhere are flocking to local gaming stores to purchase the games and you'll be lucky if you can find them even though it's just 2 o' clock.

There's a new region to explore with more than 100 new Pokemon so you're going to have to catch them all again, but this isn't the biggest selling point. Oh no, it's the new Wi-Fi battling and trading system. No longer are you confined to trading next to your friend, with their code you can now trade and battle your Pokemon all over the world.

I personally haven't decided if I'm willing to purchase one of the new games, I was once in my younger years a big Pokemon fan, but since then Ruby and Sapphire have left a bad taste in my mouth. They were the only Pokemon games I didn't complete. However, when I pass by the game in the store my inner Pokemon trainer urge might overcome me. We'll just have to see. If any of you have them and can recommend them leave a comment or send me an e-mail. I'd be glad to listen.

Vince Young You Poor Man

2007-04-20T22:25:00.000-05:00

You were doing great Vince, you were one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, you turned your team from another losing season into a near playoff contender, and everything looked to be going your way into this coming season. Your best players back, more experience, some new talent, but now it's all meaningless, because you Vince Young have been cursed. You are receiving the "honor" of being on the cover of Madden 2008 and with it the curse.

Some may argue against it, but I for one am a believer. Just take a look at this excerpt from Wikipedia's page on the subject:

Garrison Hearst (1999)

Garrison Hearst was the first player to ever be featured on a Madden cover, appearing on Madden NFL '99. Hearst's 1998 season was the best of his career, rushing for 1570 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the San Francisco 49ers to the playoffs, but on the first play of the game versus the Atlanta Falcons, he suffered a bad ankle break. He would not play again until the 2001 season.

(It is worth noting that there are two versions of the Madden NFL '99 cover, one with Hearst and one with John Madden.)

Barry Sanders and Dorsey Levens (2000)

Barry Sanders shared the cover with the then-customary picture of John Madden on Madden NFL 2000. However, a week before training camp began in 1999, Sanders abruptly retired - ending his career and leaving the Detroit Lions without their star running back of the previous 10 years. Sanders' part in the curse is debated because he is not pictured alone on the box, and he had willingly retired. Dorsey Levens was featured on the 2000 cover that was released in PAL regions. After rushing for 1,034 yards in 1999, he gained only 224 yards from scrimmage in 2000. Ultimately, Levens was cut by the Green Bay Packers after the 2001 season. Levens managed to hang on for three more seasons of journeyman work with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. Levens retired as a Packer after the 2004 season.

Eddie George (2001)

Eddie George, then of the Tennessee Titans, who graced the Madden NFL 2001 box, is often said to be the next 'cursed' player, even though in the year he was on the cover, he had career highs in yardage and touchdowns. Curse advocates point to the 2001 season following his appearance on the cover, during which he averaged only 3 yards per carry and rushed for career lows of 939 yards and 5 touchdowns. For the rest of his career, he never averaged more than 3.4 yards per carry.

George's curse can be argued to have started the year he was on the cover because in 2001 AFC Championship game George had a costly fumble that lost the game for Tennessee. He also fumbled 7 times during the 2000 regular season, losing a career high 4 fumbles.

(It is worth noting that curse advocates ignore the season following the appearance on the cover for some of the other listed players, notably Vick who had career bests in a number of categories in 2004 after being on the Madden 2004 cover).

Daunte Culpepper (2002)

Former Minnesota Vikings star quarterback Daunte Culpepper appeared on the Madden NFL 2002 cover after throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 470 yards and 7 more scores in the 2000 season. But Culpepper struggled with turnovers in the first 11 games of the 2001 season, throwing 13 interceptions and only 14 touchdown passes. A knee injury ended his season in the 11th game. Culpepper followed 2001 with two average seasons before a stellar reemergence in 2004. However, the following season, Culpepper struggled as the Vikings posted a 2-5 record to start the 2005 season. In the seventh game, Culpepper was carted off after suffering a potentially career-ending knee injury. He would later be traded to the Miami Dolphins. Culpepper started the 2006 season as the Dolphins' starting quarterback but his mobility was limited and he was benched after 4 subpar games. He recently went under the knife for a second surgery and his return to the Dolphins is questionable.

Marshall Faulk (2003)

Running back Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams, who was on the Madden NFL 2003 box, suffered an ankle injury, missing five games. He did amass nearly 1,600 total yards and 10 touchdowns in limited time in 2002; however, it was a steep decline from his 2,000 yard and 21 touchdown campaign of 2001. He never broke through the 1,000 yards rushing mark for the rest of his career.

Michael Vick (2004)

Five days after Madden NFL 2004 was released featuring Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on the cover, Vick was injured during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, suffering a fractured right fibula. Vick played in only the last 5 regular season games, finishing with just 585 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs and were already out of contention by the time Vick returned from his injury. The "curse" forced the Falcons to finish the season with a record of 5 wins and 11 losses, a stark contrast to the team's 9-6-1 record the season prior.

Ray Lewis (2005)

Madden NFL 2005 featured Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, the first defensive player ever to appear on the cover of a Madden game. He broke his wrist, an injury that kept him out of the last game of the regular season. It was also Lewis' first season without a single interception, after posting a career-high 6 the previous year - although admittedly, interceptions are a secondary statistic for linebackers. The Baltimore Ravens also failed to make the playoffs that season (2004), after winning their division the year before. Furthermore, in Week 6 of the 2005 season, Ray Lewis' season was ended by an injury.

Donovan McNabb (2006)

After leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles' star quarterback Donovan McNabb was on the cover of Madden NFL 06. Throughout the 2005 season, McNabb had had a highly-publicized feud with his teammate, wide receiver Terrell Owens. During the 2005 season, McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons. Even though it needed surgery McNabb continued to play through the injury.^[1] In the tenth game of the season, McNabb re-injured his groin when he threw an interception that was returned by Roy Williams of the Dallas Cowboys, and subsequently decided to have season-ending surgery for his sports hernia. ^[2] ^[3]

Shaun Alexander (2007)

Prior to the 2006 season, Alexander had never missed a full game in his entire seven-season NFL career. In the 2006 season, however, Madden NFL 07 cover-athlete and reigning NFL MVP Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks suffered a fracture in his 4th metatarsal in his left foot which he received during the first game of the season against the Detroit Lions. Alexander attempted to play through the injury, but was relatively ineffective. After the Seahawks third game, it was announced that his injury was worse than originally thought, and Alexander missed the next six games.^[4] Alexander rushed for 896 yards (3.6 yards per carry) in the 2006 season, as opposed to 1,880 yards (5.1 yards per carry) in the 2005 season. In addition, Alexander's record of most touchdowns per season lasted only one year, as his 2005 record was broken by LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.

This all does not bode well for Mr. Young. It was a shame, such a bright future and such a promising young quarterback, I can only hope that you manage to break the curse, but of course still lose to the Colts.

Here I Come Tiger

2007-04-19T11:32:00.000-05:00

A Wii owning friend of mine just recently purchased Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007. I'll go ahead and mention that he also enjoys golf, but you should have already guessed that. I've tried on countless occasions to play golf, but I have yet to get the hang of it. My most recent attempt was over Spring Break, when I went to a driving range and managed to hit around 3 balls out of a bucket full of 30 into the air and over 50 yards. Anytime I do make contact I have an awful slice that goes in a sharp curve to the right. So, any of you golf pros reading I wouldn't mind getting some free lessons. Anyway, the point is I'm terrible at golf, but alas, the Wii makes things that you might not be so great at fun.

Or does it?

He brought the game over one afternoon and after getting it set up we were ready to golf. He took the first swing, a perfect motion by my standards, that went in a nice straight path. Then I step up to take my drive. Of course it looks much easier then real golf, and you don't have to worry about humiliating yourself in front of other golfers who actually know how to play. (They always make me feel so incompetent.) I line up, and take a few practice swings with my awkward swinging motion, and try to get the gist of it and I feel like I'm ready to go. I get into position, pull my Wii remote back and swing. I watch painfully as my ball slices off to the right into the rough.

I wasn't necessarily angry at first, but amazed at how realistic it was. There went my ball sailing past trees to the right just like when I go up to the local Country Club. Then I felt like crap again, realizing just how inept I am, but as we kept playing I slowly started to loosen up and I started playing better. When I did poorly I didn't start burning with embarrassment like I would out on the real golf course with people watching. It was actually fun, I could laugh at myself, because it wasn't real and it wasn't serious. It was just my friend and I playing some golf in my living room and I had a lot of fun, unlike when I try to play a round in real life. Who knows maybe I can keep practicing at the video game and that might translate into the real game. It's no big deal if it doesn't, because now I can enjoy the game of golf even if it's just on the Wii.

So Long Spring Break 07

2007-04-11T14:47:00.000-05:00

Put another one down in the history books, because for me at least, Spring Break is over. I have returned to snow, rain, and general cold from where I had a brief period of warmth and sunshine, but I'm glad to be back and it's taken me up until now to get settled back in. I'm still busy as ever, but with school winding down for the year I'll be able to post more frequently, or at least I hope so. I hope you all enjoyed your Spring Break if you had one and if not, well that sure sucks.

I put a lot of time into Age of Empires: The Age of Kings DS which is quickly rising through my ranks of favorite DS games and played some Theme Park. I also purchased a nifty Pelican "Travel Kit" for the DS Lite which saved me on the long car rides from seeing the red light. The car charger worked great for me and there's even a cool key chain light. They have also included an adapter so that it can work with every current Nintendo handheld. So if any of you are planning long car rides in the future it could be a good investment to look into it. I purchased it at a Best Buy for around $10. So it's not that bad of a deal for you frequent travelers.

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know I didn't abandon you. Check back later on this week for some new posts and maybe even a short review if I've got some time.

Spring Break Vacation

2007-03-29T22:50:00.000-05:00

It would figure that the week I go on spring vacation there is so much to talk about. From Mario and Sonic in the same game, to a 3D Ninja Gaiden game on the DS and Gamestop claiming Nintendo is intentionally slowing production, I had enough material to talk about that I could have posted twice a day! Maybe not that much, but that's just how it goes.

So, this will be my last post until at least April 9th. I'll try to post again as soon as I get back and get things back in order. Until then play on my friends, play on.

The Settlers Postponed

2007-03-28T22:22:00.000-05:00

In my eager anticipation of purchasing Ubisoft's The Settlers for the DS this week I was browsing around the internet and various gaming sites looking up some more information on it when I discovered a large problem. There were differing release dates on different sites and not by just a few days or even a week. Gamespot had the game listed for this week, March 27th, but several other sites including IGN had it listed for May 22nd! Once I did some further research Gamespot had it down as this month, but when you looked in their New Releases week by week list it wasn't shown until the week of May 22nd.

Now I've been looking forward to this game for quite some time. You can check out my description in my early post about the strategy games of this month, but basically it's a game where you settle a land and build towns, roads, etc. and an army to protect or invade other lands. It sounded totally awesome to me. Heck, I used to do the same thing in dirt piles when I was a little kid with toys. I had planned on playing it all spring break. So you can imagine my disappointment when I found out that it had in fact been moved back to May.

So all three of that also had the same plans and level of anticipation just realize and begin to cope with the fact you'll have to wait a little longer, but hopefully it will be worth the wait. In the mean time I guess I'll go get Theme Park or StarFox Command. Maybe they are worthy substitutes.

Wii Can't Meet Demand

2007-03-25T20:28:00.000-05:00

One of my good friends is in the search to find a Wii. He has come to me several times asking for help and I really don't know what to tell him. Most the time it's, "Sorry you just have to call every electronic selling store every single morning and hope you get one." I was lucky to get mine. My father waited in line for several hours in a Wal-Mart one weekday morning. But why should this be the case? I mean I understand that the demand is huge but Nintendo should be able to at least get more then 3 shipped to each store in America every week or two weeks. Or at least that's the case around here where I live.

But the thing is, the problem isn't just occurring with the Wii, the DS Lite is also suffering from major shortages. If you read my story from my birthday post about the ordeal it took to find mine you know what I'm talking about. Now for the Wii just coming out a few months ago and being so wildly popular it's sort of understandable, but for the DS Lite, a much easier product to manufacture and that has been out for almost a year there isn't any excuse. Nintendo isn't meeting demand and there is no doubt in my mind that they are producing at and maybe even above their maximum capacity to produce so what would be the obvious solution?

OPEN UP MORE PRODUCTION FACTORIES!

Not having enough systems to meet demand is not good. It's only going to turn away hopeless customers who try for weeks and months and still can't get what they are looking for. Sure it's going to cost some money, but it's not like Nintendo doesn't have it. The Wii and DS Lite are tremendously successful and Nintendo is going to have to come to the realization sooner or later that they need some more production facilities.

I just hope it's sooner rather than later.

6 Million In 4 Months?!

2007-03-21T21:54:00.000-05:00

We all know that Wii consoles are selling like hotcak ...no better yet... Playstations. (You see what I did there?) But with all the numbers being thrown out each week of the hundreds of thousands sold I think it's easy to miss just how well it's doing. The latest numbers from VG Charts have the Wii at 6.03 million units sold which is in just slightly over 4 months. In comparison it took the GameCube 5 years to sell 21.52 million units. That's a measly 4.3 million units a year. 12 Months to sell 4.3 million and it's only taken 4 months for the Wii to sell 6 million! Granted this is including the launch figures which contribute to the largest sales of any console but if the Wii has any legs at all it could surpass the sales of the GameCube in less than two years!

So in simple terms the Wii is one of the best things to happen to Nintendo in recent years. Nintendo took a big risk straying from the normal path and so far it's paying off tremendously.

Never Fear I'm Still Here

2007-03-14T22:51:00.000-05:00

Just because I'm not posting at my regular intervals doesn't mean I've gone and left old Nintendo Chronicles. I'm still here, just very, very, very busy. So don't you worry, I've got a state competition coming up in forensics (Do some research on your own for that one.) this weekend, but after that I have plenty to say and tell that I've been waiting to find time too. In the mean time why don't you all check out this awesome Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 Wii commercial.

Announcer 1: "Looks like Tigers got a turkey avocado sandwich."
Announcer 2: "I make them all the time Jim."

That's golden.

Early Impressions From Age of Empires: Age of Kings DS and Clubhouse Games

2007-03-06T23:45:00.000-05:00

Today I decided I would make the journey to my nearest EB Games to purchase Age of Empires: Age of Kings and Clubhouse Games. Two DS games I've had my eye on for quite some time, but for whatever reason (Lack of money and time.) I didn't get them. After not finding Age of Empires at EB I traveled the whole quarter of a mile, if that, to the local Gamestop where much to my satisfaction they had both games and AOE was only $19.99 new. So after returning home and playing both games, even a little multiplayer in Clubhouse here are my early impressions of each game.

It's pretty much what I figured it would be. It's not a game for you to sink yourself into like a Zelda or Animal Crossing for hours on end or for really long car rides, unless you are a major card player, but for short trips on a bus or just to pick up and play really quick it's fantastic. If I just randomly feel like playing chess, within 5 clicks I'm there and I don't have to worry about setting up the board or getting the pieces all aligned. It's the simplicity that makes this game great. In single player the stamp mode is a nice way to introduce you to each game and sort of force you to learn them so that you don't just pass up on them because you've never heard or them or don't know how to play. The multiplayer was actually a lot of fun. Texas Hold Em was the personal favorite amongst my friends, I just wish it could last more then five rounds and you could pick your own bet. Hopefully in the new one that was just recently announced, World Clubhouse Games or something, this will be fixed. It's a little too simple in some games, but it's still fun. As far as I can tell so far I'm glad I purchased it.

The AOE franchise is one of my favorites on PC. I absolutely loved Age of Empires II and I'm a huge strategy fan so it is no surprise that I really wanted to get this game, even if it's not in real time. Yes, the game is turn based, but it's still retains the feel of the AOE games. It has a grid and the different units have different strengths and weaknesses. It's like Advance Wars with the tanks and airplanes replaced with knights and archers and that is perfectly fine in my book. I've only played a few missions in the campaign and I'm really into it. The sounds are nearly perfectly imitated from the PC games and the storytelling or historytelling, even without the voiceovers is top notch. If you love Advance Wars, turn based strategy, or Age of Empires games you'd be a fool to pass up on this game. Especially when it's only $20.00!

So as you can probably tell I'm loving both of my new games. After I get much more time with them I might post some reviews, but don't expect them any time soon because I'm going to be plenty busy playing them first.

March Is Unofficial DS Strategy Love Month

2007-03-04T18:58:00.000-05:00

Any of you strategy or simulation fans, like myself, better get a DS and prepare to start spending your money because March is going to be full of fantastic DS strategy/simulation games. "Full" might be an overstatement, but there are going to be more this month then any time in recent memory. There are four different games that will satisfy your strategy needs and each of them are very different. While only one is a "pure" strategy game, they are all still under the broad genre of strategy.

All four titles will be releasing in the later half of the month but the first to kick off the strategy palooza is Konami's Steel Horizon which releases March 20th.

Steel Horizon was the "pure" strategy game that I mentioned. While the other games are a blend of genres or simulation this game is what most people would refer to as a true strategy game. Based on WWII naval warfare Konami is bringing us a unique blend of real time strategy and turn based strategy. Positioning your fleet is turn based, but when it's time to fight the enemy it's in RTS. This is going to make for one interesting combination and it sounds like it could be a lot of fun if implemented correctly. In single player you'll follow the story of an American Naval Captain as you try to fend off your Axis enemies. You'll have to fight and win your way through more than 20 different missions both in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. However, the game is not limited to single player, as you can challenge your friends via wireless multiplayer.

The second game is EA's own version of Rollercoaster Tycoon, Theme Park, which releases the same day as Steel Horizon.

Theme Park puts you in control of your very own amusement park. You'll add new attractions, monitor day to day activities, and try to keep your customers happy and coming back. There will be 29 different attractions, 17 shops, and six types of entertainers that you can choose from. You'll also be able to set your own fees and manage the staff. EA has confirmed Wi-Fi connectivity where you can unlock new attractions and exchange messages with other park owners. You'll even be able visit their parks to get new ideas. I have always been a big fan of Rollercoaster Tycoon for the PC and now I have a similar game that is portable and that I can take with me anywhere. That's worth it for me by itself.

The following week we have two more strategy games to send March out with a bang. First up the sequel to Konami's strategy/adventure game Lost in Blue, Lost in Blue 2 washes up on shore March 27th.

While most people might not consider it a strategy game I do, because to survive on this island it takes some serious planning and thinking. Lost in Blue 2 is very similar to the first game. You wash up on an island with a girl and you'll have to take care of her and explore the island for resources to stay alive and to get back home. You'll gather together different items to make furniture, food, and tools. If you enjoyed the first game, you'll definitely like this one. If you were interested, but never purchased the first, the small improvements here and there make this game worth picking up.

Finally the last game and the one that I am personally most looking forward to is another game that blends strategy and simulation. Based on the classic PC franchise Ubisoft is bringing The Settlers to the Nintendo DS.

While I've never played the PC titles I've always been fascinated with the idea of discovering and colonizing a new land. In The Settlers you'll do just that. You'll start off with a small settlement that you can grow and develop. You choose where to lay roads and where to construct buildings. You have the freedom to decide if you'd like to be a peaceful civilization or if you would rather expand and take over other lands. There will be several different play modes including a regular campaign and a free world mode. For whatever reason The Settlers will be a Gamestop exclusive title. So make sure you check out your local Gamestop and maybe even EB Games March 27th and to let the colonizing begin.

So there you have it. Four great strategy games to keep you plenty busy at the end of March and throughout the following months. You better start saving now.

Busy But Still Gaming

2007-03-01T22:29:00.000-05:00

Right now I am putting off sleep and studying for two major tests because I felt like it was important that I share this with you, my loyal dozen readers. (Maybe even less then that.) As is apparent from the large gap in my past post to this one, I've been fairly busy over the past week. School, work, track, girlfriend, etc. But even though I've been lucky to have anytime to sit down I still find some way to squeeze a few minutes out of the clock for some video game time and I believe that's one of the signs of a true gamer. It might take getting a little less sleep or maybe putting off the work a little while longer, but a true gamer, who has the will, will find a way and some time to play some games.

Now in no way do I support sleep deprivation to play video games and definitely not putting off school or work for video games, but I do support breaks. After an hour, maybe a half an hour, heck sometimes even 15 minutes of homework or studying or whatever, take a break, turn on your DS, GBA, Wii, GC, or whatever it is you have and play for a few minutes. It'll be hard to break away at first, but used in moderation you can learn how to effectively use video games as a break time booster. Falling asleep while reading that boring book for English? Take a 5 minute breather and play a race in Mario Kart. You'll get your focus back and feel energized again once you get back to work.

The key is getting back to work, you have to practice and understand you can't waste too much time or you're just going to have to make it up later and lose even more precious video game time then you would have before. That's sort of like what I'm doing right now so I'm going to wrap this up. Just remember video games can be your go to source for relief from boredom and lack of energy and focus when used in proper moderation!

Ocarina's Time Is This Coming Monday

2007-02-24T00:34:00.000-05:00

With all the frenzy about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time being released in Europe Friday for the Virtual Console it was quickly unveiled that it would be coming stateside as well this Monday. This is an exciting addition as Ocarina of Time is heralded as one of the greatest Zelda games and even one of the greatest games of all time. Now you can own it for just $10 and have it to play anytime you want.

So you would think I would be all over it right? Well your wrong. Even though I still haven't completed the game I will not be purchasing it through the VC. Why? Well aside from the fact I have tons of new games I need to finish I already own it in two other ways and neither of those are on an N64 cartridge!

Yes, I own both the Wind Waker pre-order bonus The Ocarina of Time/Master Quest and The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition. So anytime I want OOT I can just plop one of those bad boys into the Wii and with all this Zelda hype I've been getting very inspired and tempted to try and complete them all. That will be no easy feat as I've only completed The Wind Waker and Minish Cap. It's not something I plan to do anytime soon, but if there for some reason should be a drought in the Wii games and I have a lot of free time it would be a nice little challenge to dig into. I think it would also enlighten me as a Nintendo fan and help me better understand just what Zelda is and how it's progressed throughout the years.

But just because I won't be purchasing it doesn't mean you shouldn't. If you have never played OOT, never completed it, or already owned it for the N64 but haven't played it in awhile you should definitely get it on the Virtual Console. You don't have to beat it to know it's a one of a kind masterpiece that everyone should play at least once and for $10 why not?

Sonic Is Not Dead

2007-02-23T15:45:00.000-05:00

With Sonic and The Secret Rings officially released and actually purchasable today I thought I'd make an honorary post to celebrate. Well not celebrate, I just actually thought this would be a good day to make a post about this topic. Sonic and The Secret Rings is the first Sonic title for the Wii unless you're counting the Virtual Console, which there are already several Sonic titles available for it. We'll put it this way it's Sonic's first genuine Wii game. Anyway, now that we have that clarified let's talk a little about it and the history of Sonic.

We all know Sonic was a very fun game back in the age of 2D. That little hedgehog is one quick fella and it was awesome blasting through levels. With each new game it seemed he only got faster. But as we all know, then came the magic of 3D. Mario had a fantastic transition with Super Mario 64, but that wasn't the case with Sega's star. Many 3D Sonic games have come and all have failed to live up to Sonic's former glory. Sonic Team has just had a lot of trouble getting the sense of speed to be the same or to even get the camera to work right. Now at best we can only hope for mediocrity. With each new game we were promised that changes had been made that would make the game a major hit, but we were repeatedly letdown.

However, thanks to the innovative Wii controller Sonic was given another chance. Here was an opportunity to take Sonic back to his roots, but still be in the 3D world. So like many other Sonic fans I was very optimistic. It looked and seemed like it could be a lot of fun. Now we are starting to get reviews in and it looks like it may be yet another disappointment to some people expecting a hit. IGN gave it a 6.9 and Gamespot a 7.6. Alright scores, but nothing spectacular. However, I'm here to tell you that Sonic and the Secret Rings is a step in the right direction and probably the largest one in quite awhile. Sonic Team may have something with the Wii remote that can turn this franchise around. With some minor changes, especially with the camera, a sequel (Which is not out of the realm of possibility.) could turn out to be an amazing game.

Sonic is showing some signs of life with Secret Rings and if I didn't already have 6 Wii games that I still need to complete, I would definitely pick this one up. It's not a bad game at all in my opinion. So any of you Sonic fans or anyone looking for a decent game check it out.

Sonic games are still not where they should be, but with this game they are getting much, much closer.

Need For Speed Carbon

2007-02-18T01:04:00.000-05:00

After playing the game all afternoon and having a lot of fun doing so, I felt like I should post a short review of it for all 9 of my Nintendo Chronicles readers, because maybe some of you have thought about purchasing it or were interested in the game. So without further delay here is my brief review of Need For Speed Carbon.

When it comes to street racing EA's got you covered with it's Need For Speed franchise. This is the 16th game in on going series (including handheld games) that dates back all the way to the original NFS game in 1994. There have been a few updates to the game, but at it's heart it's always been arcade-style racing. Though it may sound like I'm a huge Need For Speed buff, Need For Speed Carbon is the first NFS game I've ever owned. Quite frankly it's the only one I can even remember playing and I might not have gotten it had I not received it as a gift, but I'm sure glad that I did.

If you didn't already know the new thing for Carbon is the territory control. You will battle over different parts of the vast Palmont City and have to defend your turf. For a strategy fan like myself this is an awesome part of the game. It's like a unique blend of strategy and racing with a ton of customization thrown in. There are so many different ways that you can change your car it's at first mind boggling. Especially with the autosculpt feature that can change individual parts to your preference. It's a great feature to have and much appreciated. I like the fact that I can add all sorts of different enhancements to my car, even if I normally just stick with upgrading my performance.

Like the multitude of choices for customization there are also several choices for control. However, most of you, like myself, will probably just stick with the standard horizontal "steering wheel" control. You hold the Wii remote on it's side and press 1 and 2 for gas and brake. It takes quite a bit of getting used to, especially if you don't choose a car with good handling, but after a few minutes of practice you get used to the sensitivity and have it under control. I haven't tried the other control schemes, but the standard one is easy and a lot of fun to use.

The graphics look great in the game for the most part. The cars and Palmont City look amazing, however the "hottie" who starts each race isn't so hot. Actually she's pretty darn ugly. You would think they could have spent a little more time with what appears to be the only character model in the game. Everyone else and the cut scenes are done in a sort of pseudo game/real life thing. Where the people are real but everything else isn't. You'll see what I'm talking about in the opening sequence for the game.

All this blends together along with the racing experience itself for a really fun game to play. If you like racing games you'll have a blast in career mode defeating rival crews and taking new territory, as well as running away from the cops and tricking out your vehicle. The multiplayer experience isn't so bad either. I just wish there could have been four player support. If you were on the fence about this game I would suggest you go ahead and get it. You won't be disappointed. If you weren't interested before I'd at least give it a rent, it's worth taking a look at. With all the awesome features in the game and because it's just so fun to play I'd recommend Need For Speed Carbon to just about anybody.

Final Score: 8.8/10

Birthday Bash

2007-02-14T22:13:00.000-05:00

If you didn't know, today is my birthday. You may think that you celebrate today with your special someone by giving them flowers or candy to show how much you love one another, but you're wrong. You actually do that to celebrate my birth and use the gifts as a representation of the love you have for me. No joke. Valentine is Spaenguesian for my name. To some of you this may be earth shattering but for me I knew all along and I actually enjoy people doing this on my birthday.

So now that you know what the true meaning of Valentine's Day is let me give you a low down on the awesome presents I received. The biggest gift was a Black DS Lite that we had to hunt all over for. Zero at EB Games, zero at Best Buy, zero at Wal-Mart, 18 at Target. Go figure. So if any of you are looking for a DS Lite go check out your local Target you might be surprised. Other then that awesome beauty, which I've provided photos of below for your viewing pleasure, I was also given several Wii games including Need For Speed Carbon from my girlfriend, Red Steel, and Rapala's Tournament Fishing from my parents. I think that last game was secretly a gift for my Dad cleverly disguised as a birthday present, but it's all good. So it was a pretty awesome birthday. Now I'm getting off here so that I can go play some Wii!

It looks even better in real life. What are you waiting for? GO BUY YOUR OWN!

Video Game Awards

2007-02-11T22:44:00.000-05:00

As many of you know there are no "official" awards for video games like there are for music, movies, and television. Even though the video game industry is the third largest entertainment industry and well on it's way to passing music and eventually movies to take the top spot. I put quotations around official because there are many places and sources that claim to be the "official" awards, but they really aren't. No Spike TV, no G4Tech TV, no IGN, no Game Informer, not even AIAS. If I had to pick one as the most "official" it would probably be the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, but even they have their own problems and limitations that hold them back. Such as the fact that they don't even judge games from companies who don't pay a membership fee and that's why Capcom has never won an award and why Resident Evil 4 got snubbed out of Game of the Year. What's fair about that?

So what happens because of this? Well for starter's there's no true Game of the Year. The title every game would like to have and what game every player should own. Instead there are usually two or three, because unless it is completely unanimous among every single magazine, website, or T.V. show then it's completely up for debate. Now I'm not saying an official awards system would put an end to that, because everyone has their own personal tastes and opinions, but it would help and would give a game credit where it is due.

I also think it really holds the industry back from being seen as a true formal type of entertainment. Video games are seen in the same light as toys and we all know they are far from it. If the industry had a set awards that were formal and on the same caliber as something like the Grammy's or Oscar's it would be taken more seriously.

To make this happen it's going to take the united effort of the entire industry. Ideally there would be a board of the biggest names in the industry that would judge every video game for that year. I'm talking the heads of the major video game companies, the men and women who have been in the industry for years and really know the ins and outs of video games. Not just some random people from a website or who write about video games. Well respected individuals from the industry.

The thing is, all those people are too busy worried about making the next big games then judging and choosing them.

The industry is growing and maturing every year, but a certified official awards program would just make it that much more developed and accepted as one of the most popular worldwide forms of entertainment.

Wii Sports Training

2007-02-06T19:04:00.000-05:00

Aggravating, addicting, frustrating, and fun. Those are the words I use to describe Wii Sports Training. Yes, for those of you who are too busy trying to increase your skill level or beating your friends at multiplayer there is in fact a training mode. You can train yourself in different techniques and specializations in three different training sessions for each sport in hopes of getting better. It will also help you out in your fitness age test. But be forewarned, you will get addicted to some of these simple little training "mini-games" and this is where the real Wii remotes start to fly. Not from slipping, but from pure 100% testosterone injected aggravation.

They look simple enough, and they are, but once you get started you won't want to stop. You'll want to get another high score, even after you just beat the last one that you set yourself! The latest training modes I've been getting a workout through are the power and spin throw training in bowling and the target practice in tennis. If you want to get frustrated by your own incompetence then play these modes. After getting to the 16th lane on spin throw training I soon found myself having trouble hitting the first few "easy" lanes. Then I'd start over and over and over until I finally got past the first few without mistakes only to find myself losing in the 15th lane. That's when I declared war. I played for almost an hour just trying to get past the 16th lane and you know what? I couldn't. So I just had to stop and settle with my own inconsistency.

If anything good came out of all this training it better be a higher score in my next bowling game. If not, then the training mode serves no other purpose then to be a frustratingly addictive single player mode.

Wii Graphics Complaints

2007-02-03T01:04:00.000-05:00

It's almost a daily thing on any message board nowadays. Someone posts new screenshots from an upcoming Wii game and instantly everyone rails on the graphics and even the game itself! I don't even know why I bother looking at discussion that is taking place about new screenshots, because unless it's from Nintendo, there's going to be a whole lot of complaining.

Back in the day when the PS2 had the worst graphics it was always fun to pick on it and say how crappy they were compared to the GameCube or Xbox, but the sad thing was, it didn't really matter how bad the graphics were because the Playstation 2 destroyed both the GC and Xbox in hardware sales. Now that the tables are turned and the Wii has the worst graphics out of the three all those people who were dogging the other system's graphics are now dogging their own! They'll even go as far as to say the game isn't good, because it doesn't look good! They are acting just like current Sony and Microsoft fanboys who think that the only important thing in a game is the graphics.

Well I'm here to tell you ladies and gentlemen that the most important factor in a game is this and this alone. HOW MUCH FUN IT IS TO PLAY! I don't care what it looks like, if it's fun, then it's a good game.

Some of these people will go as far as to say the developers aren't even trying. Are you serious? Do you seriously think that the developers of a game are purposely trying to make the graphics look bad? Every game developer out there knows that a majority of gamers, though a sad fact, are graphics whores. So of course they want to produce a game with some great eye candy. They want the game to sell well.

So to all you Wii owners out there who are complaining about the graphics of upcoming games take your Wii, sell it, get $350 more dollars and spend that $600 to buy a Playstation 3. They are everywhere, you'll have no problem finding one. Because if you want good graphics and if you want to see the sweat roll down your player's arms, go pay the money for it. I'll be just content having a blast swinging my Wii remote around like a tennis racket with a character that doesn't even have arms.

The Prince of Persia: Rival Swords Dilemma

2007-01-24T21:40:00.000-05:00

What's on my mind tonight? Well, like I often do, I'm thinking about future video game purchases. Which games I should get, which I should pass, and which I should wait and see. Prince of Persia: Rival Swords falls right into that last category. In case you haven't already heard Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones is being remade by Ubisoft as Prince of Persia: Rival Swords and will be tailored to the Wii controls. 1UP.com just recently had an interview with the producer of the game and it got me thinking more about it.

But before I go any further let's take a trip down memory lane...

Back in the good ol' days of the purple cube when I was enjoying games like Super Smash Bros. Melee and Metroid Prime two new games caught my interest. It was the fall of 2003 and they were both very similar. They were both action adventure games and were both in an Egyptian setting. Most of you will remember one of them as the first Prince of Persia game, The Sands of Time. The other, not so many of you will remember. It was THQ's Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. It did not go on to have the same success as The Sands of Time, which is why it fell by the wayside.

Anyway, I decided I would give one a rent and if I liked it I might try the other and give one a purchase. So, like the idiot preteen that I was I rented Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. It wasn't awful, but I would come to later realize The Sands of Time was much better. By this time however I had already decided, based on Sphinx and The Cursed Mummy, that neither was my kind of bag, and ended up passing on them and the next two Prince of Persia games.

However, back to present day, I am much wiser and now realize that the Prince of Persia games are very good and could warrant a purchase, but I don't feel like going back and purchasing old GameCube games. Especially when that money can go towards current generation games or even virtual console ones for that matter, but now as we already know Ubisoft is remaking the last in the series for the Wii. So should I get Rival Swords even though I haven't played the others in the series because it is probably a good game or buy a game that is completely new that is originally made for the Wii and I don't have to worry about not understanding what's going on in the story?

I guess as the game's current category is named I'll just have to wait and see.

DS Games I Need To Purchase And That You Should Too

2007-01-20T23:09:00.000-05:00

While the Wii has been in the spotlight in the media, in stores, and in most of my video game playing time, I've neglecting my good old Nintendo DS, like I'm sure most new Wii owners have been. It's only natural that you want to play with the new puppy more then the old dog, but that doesn't mean you still shouldn't spend time with the old dog. Dog analogies and metaphors aside, the DS has some awesome games out now and coming soon that you and I both know we need to purchase. While Wii owners are slowly starting to complain that the Wii needs more games (Which it looks like we'll have to wait until March to get some really good titles.) the DS has tons of great games already out for it. So I'm going to dish out a sample of a few of the games that are on top of my "To Buy" list and why I think I (and you) need to purchase them. I've also included the box arts, because we all love to look at pictures.

Clubhouse Games
This game might win the award for most replay value in the history of video games. I've never even played it, but I can only imagine that out of the massive collection of 42 games there would be some that would keep me coming back to play when I'm on a boring car ride. You've got classics from Checkers to Rummy and then action games like Billiards and Darts. There's also Wi-Fi which means I can go online and kick some butt in Texas Hold Em and not lose any money in real life if I don't either! This would be the perfect game to just pick up and play anytime, and a great asset to any DS collection.

Starfox Command
Starfox finally returns to his "roots" back in the air, which is where he should stay in my opinion and many other fans of the series. So we already know the game won't be crap, and it's developed by Nintendo, who we all know doesn't make crappy games. So if you take the crap out of a game, that only leaves you with an awesome touch screen pile of goodness. I'm in need of a good adventure game and something fresh like a flight simulator is just what I need.

Age of Empires: Age of Kings
My favorite PC game of all time is Age of Empires II, strategy games are my favorite genre, and I love the Advance Wars turn based style. I must be out of my mind to not have purchased this game by now. While it's not completely RTS it's still Age of Empires and it's portable. That's a major selling point just right there. You've got 5 of the best civilizations (Britons FTW) plus 65 different types of units to battle with. For those of you who aren't so good at math, that equals good. Very, very good.

Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Unlike the other games I've listed, this one hasn't released yet. Hotel Dusk's release date is this Monday, which means I'll be able to purchase it by Wednesday. It's made my the same group that did Trace Memory, which didn't really interest me, but this game looks really cool. I'm digging this whole 70s mystery in the middle of nowhere sort of thing. It's a very unique setting and a unique looking game. You even hold it in a unique way on it's side. I've been looking for something different to add to my DS collection and this looks like just the game, but because Trace Memory apparently wasn't all that great, I'll wait a little while to see how it fares in the reviews.

Brain Age: Train Your Brain In Minutes Each Day!
Remember that game that created a huge craze in Japan? The one that has you do math and read out loud. Yeah, that one you thought could never be fun. Well you're wrong mister. This game is pretty good and it's at the budget price of $20 which is awesome. Paying 10 to 15 dollars less for a game that is fun and interesting is a deal in my book. Plus it has Sudoku, which I've never played and still don't know how to pronounce, (Is it So-doe-kew or Sue-dew-ko?) but apparently is fun and addictive. If I get around to purchasing this, I may finally learn how to play and I can train my brain. In minutes each day!

Wii Sports Can't Do Multiplayer Alone

2007-01-15T21:57:00.000-05:00

In my last post I stressed the importance of sharing the Wii with other people to make it reach it's true sales potential and that the best way to do that was through multiplayer games, like Wii Sports. Wii Sports is a fantastic multiplayer game to showcase the Wii and it's just plain fun to play, but Wii Sports can't do it by itself. The Wii needs more multiplayer games and fast! Sure my friends and myself included love playing tennis and bowling and the other sports games, but that won't last forever. In a few months we'll eventually get tired of playing the same thing as will many other Wii owners. Nintendo and other developers need to get on the ball and churn out some more multiplayer games that are in the same vein as Wii Sports.

By this I mean simple to learn, fun to play, and fun to keep playing over and over. For example, Madden Football is a good multiplayer game, for me to play with my guy friends who like football, and who have the time and patience to learn the controls, but as a game to play with my Dad or girlfriend, it's not the best. While Wii Sports is a great party game for everyone to play regardless of age or ability. Everyone knows how to hit a tennis ball or throw a punch, but not so much on how to call an audible at the line of scrimmage.

If we want to keep people coming back to play the Wii and keep them interested in purchasing one, the Wii needs a constant supply of fresh, fun, and simple multiplayer games. Their are plenty of different games that could be put on the Wii that can accomplish this. Darts, Table Tennis, Air Hockey, heck even Cornhole just to name a few. It doesn't have to be so simple as the games will be in Wii Play, it can be a fleshed out version of one of those. Instead of the Ping Pong in Wii Play where all you do is move the paddle into the position to hit it, how about something like Rockstar's Table Tennis? Unlike past and other consoles, the Wii will need more multiplayer-centric games, because it is just so much fun to play and to play with others.

The sooner developers realize that, the better it will be for all of us Wii owners and our friends and family.

Wii Potential

2007-01-15T19:26:00.000-05:00

The Wii is an amazing video game system and anyone who owns one (Apparently there are three who have viewed this blog.) knows this, but for those who don't and haven't played one it's just a small white console with a weird controller and a funny name. Nintendo said it themselves, "Playing = Believing" but it's not just Nintendo's job to sell the console, it's those who purchase it as well. You may not care if your friends or the general public ever plays the Wii or owns one, but for people as passionate about Nintendo as me it's important. Everyone should be able to enjoy video games as much as those of us who play them constantly and the Wii is the perfect system to share the experience.

This doesn't mean you should shove it down people's throats like some fanboy. By no means am I suggesting that. The best way to convince other's to purchase a Wii? Let them play it! Now that I have my own Wii I invite friend's over all the time to come and play. I don't explain to them how awesome it is or try and prove how it's better then other systems. I just let them come over, pick up the controller, play a few games of tennis and let them say, "Wow, I gotta get one of these." It never gets old watching someone play the Wii for the first time. Try it a few times and you'll see what I mean.

So that's why it's you, the Wii owner's responsibility to share the Wii with everyone you know, all your family, your friends, their friends, maybe even their family! Because then, and only then, will the Wii reach it's true potential.

IGN's Online Wii FPS Rumor

2007-01-10T16:14:00.000-05:00

So this afternoon I was doing my regular browsing of N-Philes forums when I see a discussion going on about a big rumor IGN apparently started in their latest mailbag. Here's the direct quote from Mark Bozon, of IGN Wii:

"As of right now there's no announcement of any online FPS for Wii though. The cat is pretty much out of the bag as far as why no games were online at launch, and if you're late to the party we can catch you up by simply saying "Nintendo wasn't ready" and leave it at that, but we also know that online is on the way, and from the sounds of it the Wii will be getting some support. Obviously our mouths are sealed right now, but let's just say we're hearing rumblings of Wii-specific versions of at least one of the main FPS franchises out there. Oh, and when we say "Wii-specific" we don't mean tacked on controls that claim to make it a new experience. We're talking an immersive, competitive experience built from the ground up for Wii. Here's hoping everything works out as planned, as I look forward to be fragging each and every one of you ASAP."

So you can go and read the rest of the mailbag at IGN Wii, but this was the reply that got everyone into a major discussion about this rumor and what game it could be. People started getting excited thinking it might be Rainbow Six or Unreal Tournament, but in the midst of all this commotion I couldn't help but think, "Duh!".

I mean seriously, that's probably the most obvious rumor you could ever start. Game developers would have to be mentally handicapped if not a single one didn't develop a Wii-specific online FPS. Since the controller was revealed it's just been screaming, "Use me as a gun!" and with online enabled games only shortly away it's just a matter of time before someone will put them together.

Good grief.

If you want to hear some real juicy information I'll let you in on a secret. There will be a Wii-specific online racing game from a main franchise. It will have automobiles and you will actually hold the controller horizontally to steer the vehicle.

But you didn't hear that from me.

More Site Updates

2007-01-09T18:02:00.000-05:00

If you haven't already noticed underneath the "About Me" section there is a brand new feature to Nintendo Chronicles. A poll. I thought it would be an interesting addition to the site. So there it is. The very first Nintendo Chronicles poll asks the question, "Have you purchased a Wii?" Now you know where it is and what the question is so go vote!

You may also notice that I have decided to place Google advertisements on the site. I hate ads just as much as the next person who uses the internet so I tucked them out of the way. They are located on the right side underneath the Blog Archive and at the very bottom of the site. Though most of the time they are worthless I have found useful stuff from them before, so I decided I'd put a few on the site to take up some empty space.

So I've added a few more things to the site, all to make it a more interesting and enjoyable blog to read. I'm going to be constantly looking for ways to make things better and if you have any suggestions feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment. I'm hoping by my next post I'll be settled in enough to get back into the regular swing of things and start talking about Nintendo and video games again. That might be tonight and it might be next week.

We'll just have to wait and see.

Nintendude Returns

2007-01-08T16:13:00.000-05:00

After a very long break, I have decided to return to posting on Nintendo Chronicles. In the past I attempted to make this blog into somewhat of a typical Nintendo fan site. With different features, reviews, and news, but that became too much of a chore and wasn't really that much fun. Now, I intend on focusing the site more about my personal opinions on video games and industry related news. I still might do some of the old features every once and awhile if I get bored, but I won't be doing them nearly as often as I used to. However, I still expect to do reviews of games that I purchase, so that you can see what my opinion is on the game, and maybe I can help you decide whether it is right for you.

I don't feel it is a negative change, but a necessary one for me to make to this site, so that it can be both enjoyable for me to do and something unique and hopefully interesting for you to read.

Aside from the shift in focus with the update to Blogger I have been able to tweak a few things in the layout and I may continue to change things until I find something I like. The most notable change is that the headings to each post are now blue, which better fits in with the color scheme of the site, as opposed to the dark red.

I'm excited to get started posting again with a fresh start and new attitude for the site. I hope you'll keep checking back regularly because I'm bringing Nintendude back.

Yep!

Playing = Believing and Advertising = Convincing

2006-07-13T17:31:00.000-05:00

The Wii is a hard sell to most people. This is the typical conversation with me and one of my friends or in this case some random person:

Random Person: "What is it?"

Nintendude: "Well it's Nintendo's new video game console with a motion sensing controller."

Random Person: "Well what's that?"

Nintendude: "The controller can tell when it's being moved around, like for example, if you play Madden instead of pushing a button to throw to someone you make a throwing motion with the controller."

One of these responses usually follows:

"That sounds cool."
"That's gay."
"It will suck compared to the PS3."

What's this thing do?

Sadly, I don't hear the first answer enough. Mostly I get the second one and often I've gotten number three. However, there are still many out there, including myself and every single E3 attendee who played one, that knows how awesome the Wii could and should be. But, as the great philosopher Reggie Fils-Aime said, "Playing is believing." That's why I know that once people try the Wii and play it they'll love it, it's just hard to make them understand through words how great it is to have a motion sensing controller.

This is where I foresee a problem with Nintendo and it's Wii. The advertising. You can say playing is believing but how do you convince someone to play? Most of the time the technique used by companies to get someone to use or buy a product is through.... That's right, advertising! But if it's hard just to explain what it is, how much harder will it be to explain why you should try it and buy it? Nintendo is going to need a great marketing and advertising campaign with the Wii. It will have to be one of the best they've ever done, and Nintendo isn't known for it's great advertising. Who remembers the awful Who are you? campaign, or the Super Mario Sunshine commercials? Stuff like that just won't cut it.

Nintendo needs a solid advertising strategy and I think their best bet, as they have done with their official site, is show people playing games and telling what they think about it. You can't just show some videos of games and show the controller and the console and hope they'll go out there and get it. You need to show people playing these games with the new controller and having fun. More emphasis needs to go on the players and the fun and less on the videos of the games. When someone watching T.V. sees an average person like them, in a living room like there's, playing video games with this controller and has a big smile on their face they might just get it. They'll get it a lot more than if they just showed some screenshots and videos of the games for the system, that's for sure.

You tell them Reggie!

Playing may equal believing but sometimes people need convincing to play in order to believe. Let's hope Nintendo pulls off the advertising campaign of the century and has people everywhere lining up to play and even more important, to buy.

Nintendo World Part One: The Mushroom Kingdom

2006-07-11T17:32:00.000-05:00

You could say this is another one of my bright ideas but this has nothing to do with a new video game. It's something I've thought of many times and it makes me feel like a 6 year old again. In the likeness of Disney World, imagine a Nintendo World! That's right an entire collection of theme parks all centered around Nintendo. Now before you call me crazy and tell me how it will never happen just read the article and see if your imagination isn't running wild dreaming of a Nintendo World theme park.

We'll start with the Mushroom Kingdom, Nintendo's version of Disney's Magical Kingdom. In the center is a giant castle, no not Cinderella's, Peach's! The same castle we've seen in Super Mario 64 and past Mario Karts stands in the center of the park for all to see.

Move over Cinderella's Castle...

...there's a new princess in town!

In one corner of the park there will be Mario Kart styled go-kart tracks, complete with karts designed to look exactly like the ones in the game. There can even be the two seat karts from Double Dash for two people to ride together. People can ride through the same tracks they've been playing in the Mario Kart games for years and in the same go-karts as well!

Of course it wouldn't be a Nintendo theme park without a massive Nintendo arcade. I'm talking every single arcade game released by Nintendo. You can play them arcade style on the old machines, but you'll also be able to play all of Nintendo's home console and handheld games on their original systems and with their original controllers. Nintendo could even put demos of new games that aren't playable yet in stores.

All around the park all the Mario characters including the bad guys will be in costumes for people to take pictures with and sign autographs. Just imagine standing next to a Koopa and getting your picture taken! At night different characters will come out like Boo! Instead of tiles the streets will have Tetris blocks, and the trash cans can be modeled to look like warp pipes. There will be all sorts of scenery and bushes shaped like Mario and other characters and giant mushrooms that look like they've come straight out of them game.

They'll have much better costumes than this.

Instead of riding Dumbo you can take a ride on Yoshi's back as he jumps up and flutter kicks into the air. Another popular attraction at the Magical Kingdom is Mickey and Minnie's house, for the Mushroom Kingdom you will be able to tour Mario and Luigi's house!

A big part of the park will have to be devoted to Mario's many sports titles. Mario Tennis courts, Mario Baseball fields, even soccer fields. Mario is an active player in many sports so that he can stay in shape and you can have fun playing sports Mario style!

There has to be some place where the parents, especially the men can relax, and that's why there will be Mario Golf courses surrounding the outside edges of the park. They'll be created just like the designs in the game. They can also make some Putt-Putt courses styled after the big ones in the game for the younger kids. Instead of those lame PVC pipes that take your ball down a level, now there are warp pipes!

I'd like to see Tiger try this course out.

I won't forget about the teenagers and young adults out there who like to have a good time at dance clubs and that's where Mario Party comes in. Instead of the boring boardgame now it's an actual party! While their younger brothers and sisters play in the park they can have fun hanging out with friends and meeting new people and raising the roof at a Mario Party.

However, this won't be all. There are many more games and many more ideas I know Nintendo could come up with to make the Mushroom Kingdom even better. This is just a taste of what could happen and how it could be, but we all know Nintendo isn't just known for Mario. There are many other big franchises that will have their own parks styled after their games. Who doesn't want to get lost in the Lost Woods? Or fly Samus' spaceship? Or even swing with the apes in Donkey Kong Country? This possibilities are endless in Nintendo World!

Coming up for Part Two: Hyrule

60 Second Reviews: Pikmin for Nintendo GameCube

2006-07-10T16:11:00.000-05:00

Way back at launch of the GameCube there was a new strategy/action game that came from the ideas of Shigeru Miyamoto himself. He got the idea for the game while out in his garden. You take command of small creatures called Pikmin to try and find your spaceship parts which fell off your ship when you crash landed on this strange planet.

The game's mission is simple enough, use the Pikmin to find the parts, but it's the challenge in finding and obtaining the parts that makes this game fun. I don't like the rush of the time limit but it's not too bad, as long as you can get at least one part a day you can finish in the 30 days you get. It doesn't take long to beat the game, but there is a good amount of replayability. The graphics look really nice and the controls are easy to learn. The sound is great, I really like the background music in some areas. After beating the game I think that Mr. Miyamoto should spend some more time out in his garden and see what else he can come up with because Pikmin is a great original game that's perfect for strategy fans.

Final Call
8.5/10

Where Is Nintendude?

2006-07-08T15:24:00.000-05:00

To all my loyal readers out there, all 3 and a half of you, and any other people just passing through I'm sure your wondering why there haven't been any posts in a few days. I try my best to post something each day or at least every other day, but recently I've been working on several site projects at once. It takes me a little longer when I work on several at the same time instead of working on one at a time. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned Nintendo Chronicles. I've got some great stuff coming, so stick around.

Hurry Up Nintendo

2006-07-04T21:27:00.000-05:00

Maybe it's just me but I'm getting a little impatient with Nintendo. I like to plan long ahead for big purchases, especially for the launch of a new console. I want to know how much money I will need for the console, what will come with it so I know what I need to get extra like controllers, and exactly what games will be at launch for me to buy. However, Nintendo has not announced these three important pieces of information. I know Nintendo likes to take their time and is very secretive, but come on! We've only got 3 months before Q4 (The final three months or fourth quarter of the year.) when Reggie said we would be playing the Wii.

I'm short on cash and I need to know if I need to start standing on the corner to make some money or if some odd jobs and mowing lawns will do. I also need to plan ahead if I want to wait it out and see if I can't ask for the Wii for Christmas or if it's going to be too long and I need to wait in line at Best Buy. Without a date Nintendo I can't make the decision! At least I have an idea of what games will be available at launch. We know for sure that some titles will be there on day one, like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, but others haven't been confirmed for the first day. This is crucial information if I have any hopes of planning for my purchase and without planning I might not even be able to purchase.

So come on Nintendo just spit it out already!

GameCube Dilemma

2006-07-03T15:12:00.000-05:00

So a few days ago I managed to get to my local EB Games and purchase a used copy of Pikmin and a new copy of Pikmin 2 and let me just say they are great. I'll probably post some 60 Second Reviews later on this week, that is, if I can ever tear myself away from them. They are all that I hoped for, except that they aren't long enough. Thankfully they have good replayability.

Anyway, after getting these two awesome games, I started thinking about the possibility that there were still several great GameCube games that I've never purchased or played. I could miss out forever on some terrific or at least good games, just because I passed them up for others, forgot about them, or didn't even give them a chance.

I have a large collection of games for the GameCube, 34 to be exact. I dwarf most of my friend's collections despite being the only one with a GameCube, the system that gets the most flack for having the least amount of good games. At least I know that's not true, which is why I've purchased so many games, but if I just found Pikmin and Pikmin 2 now in the final months of the GameCube's life, how many more games have I missed out on?

Surely not many or at least I hope not.

60 Second Reviews: Super Mario Strikers for Nintendo GameCube

2006-06-29T23:20:00.000-05:00

Mario takes to the soccer pitch for the first time in this game created by the developers of Sega Soccer Slam, Next Level Games. The gritty and even sometimes violent style clearly seperates this game from past Mario sports games, but with the banana peels and koopa shells flying you know this is how soccer goes down in the Mushroom Kingdom.

The game isn't played like typical soccer, with no penalties there's alot of hard hits going on which makes for a fun game on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively there are alot of cool moves you can pull off, like the super strike, which make for satisfying scoring. The game is lacking in the single player, there isn't much to unlock or a story mode, but it is an absolute blast to play with friends. Controlling your team takes a few minutes to learn, but by the time you play one game you have it down. The graphics are nice and clean just like you would expect, so is the sound. I was hoping for alot of unique and interestingly designed stadiums, but most look the same. If you are looking for a good multiplayer game you should definitely get Super Mario Strikers.

Final Call
8/10

Strategic Purchases

2006-06-28T11:36:00.000-05:00

If you didn't know I love strategy games. I'll play and buy anything that is fun, from any genre, but my absolute favorite games are strategy games. One of my favorite games for the GameBoy Advance was Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. For DS which game have I logged the most hours in? Advance Wars Dual Strike. 91 hours and counting. But, when it comes to the GameCube, I really haven't had my appetite for strategy games fulfilled. I bought Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, because I love strategy games and liked playing Fire Emblem on the GBA, but I didn't really like it at all. In fact I got a headache from playing it. It wasn't nearly as fun as the handheld games.

That's basically the only strategy game I have for the GameCube. So the other day I was browsing around a forum when I read a post about how cool it would be to play Pikmin on the Wii. That's when it hit me. I love strategy games, but I've never purchased Nintendo's own strategy game, Pikmin! Or for that matter neither Pikmin 2! Then I started to ask myself why, and I really couldn't come up with a good answer. Back when the GC launched I wanted three games, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Luigi's Mansion, and Pikmin. Well I only got two, and Pikmin was left out. So then as new games came out I lost interest in Pikmin and basically forgot about it.

That was until I played a copy at my friend's house. I really liked it and he let me borrow it, but for some reason I didn't play it a lot. I can't quite remember why but I think I might have become really frustrated over something and because of that I just stopped playing. I can imagine that I probably didn't save early on and was just playing it straight through and got far into the game and died and had to completely restart. That's one of the biggest things that frustrates me when playing games. No matter what the reason I didn't beat it, or play it very much, and eventually I returned it to my friend.

But now I have this craving to play Pikmin and Pikmin 2. If it wasn't for my lack of money and a lack of a job to earn money I would go right now and buy both of them. I looked around at some sites for some prices and I can get Pikmin for around $12 and Pikmin 2 around $20! $32 dollars for a double whammy of strategy goodness. If any of you have either or both of the games and you could tell me more about them and if they are any good I would really appreciate it. Leave me a comment or email me.

Bright Idea: Luigi's Mansion 2 for Wii

2006-06-27T12:05:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I was looking around for some artworks of Luigi in Luigi's Mansion to make some avatars and I got to thinking about the game. You all remember Luigi's Mansion right? It was a launch game for the Nintendo GameCube way back in 2001 and Luigi's second game where he was the hero and had to rescue Mario. (The first was Mario is Missing! for the SNES.) Luigi had mysteriously won a contest he never entered and won a huge mansion, the only problem was that it was full of ghosts and they had captured his brother Mario! He had to go around sucking up ghosts with his vacuum machine a.k.a. the Poltergust 3000, to purify the mansion and save his brother.

Make it happen Nintendo!

Anyway, now that your minds have been refreshed, you probably remember how it was an okay game. It wasn't anything amazing, but it was a good game. I know that I enjoyed it, but back in the day if they had made a sequel for the GameCube I would probably have just passed it up. Now that the GC's life span is coming to the end it's apparent that Nintendo didn't think it was really worth a sequel either, but now that we have the Wii and it's amazing new controller everything could change.

Let's imagine for a moment. The Wiimote could be used a your Poltergust 3000 and the motion sensing in the Nunchuck attachment could be used as the flashlight. You're walking through a room when BOO! a ghost jumps out at you. You point your nunchuck controller at the ghost and press the trigger the flashlight flashes right in his face and freezes him. Then you point your Wiimote in the direction of the ghost and press and hold A to suck him up. The controller vibrates as you pull him in and makes all sorts of sucking sounds.

Use the Wiimote as your flashlight and Poltergust 3000!

Of course there will be all sorts of new ghosts and tricks they play on you, but to combat their new strengths you'll have to get upgrades of your Poltergust 3000! The money you collect throughout the game can now be put to use and you can purchase upgrades that Professor E. Gadd has worked up as you progress. Maybe certain ghosts can't be sucked up with just your regular 3000 so to advance you'll need to purchase a new one. As they get better and have more suction maybe they will be easier to handle. The original Poltergust 3000 may vibrate and rumble the controller a lot, but as they get better they will be easier to control and they won't vibrate as much. You could also buy better flashlights that shine brighter or stun the ghosts longer. Now the money can actually be used for something other than how big your house is at the end of the game.

I don't really have any ideas for the story, but I'm sure that Nintendo could come up with something. They always do. Maybe Peach's castle has been overrun with ghosts and they've taken her and Mario hostage and now it's up to Luigi to save them. Pretty much anything could work for a story that Nintendo comes up with.

Luigi you're going to go ghost hunting again!

After giving this a good amount of thought I'm actually getting excited about the possibility of a sequel for the Wii. After the flashlight demo game for the Wii there were a few rumors going around that maybe it was the ground work for another Luigi's Mansion. Nintendo knows they've got something special with their controller and it can work as a many number of things from guns, to tennis rackets, to swords, and even Poltergust 3000s. I hope someone at Nintendo realizes this and turns this dream into a reality.

Return of the Posts

2006-06-26T13:54:00.000-05:00

Well I'm back. I apologize for the short break in posts. I went on an internet free mini vacation, but now that I'm back I'll be posting regularly again. I've got to catch up on all the Nintendo news and all that's been happening in the video game world since I've been gone, but I might try to get something posted today or I'll work on something for tomorrow. Keep checking back here while I get back into the groove of things.

The First Day of Summer

2006-06-21T13:18:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't already know, today is the first day of summer and the sunniest day of the year here in America. So to celebrate I'm posting the American release dates for all the games that will be coming out on Nintendo's current systems this summer. I'm even going to include the GameBoy Advance. To give it a little more meaning I've created a color coding system.

Hot - This is a game you should definitely get.
Sizzlin' - This is a game that you should keep an eye on and might want to purchase.
Cool - This is a game you can pass up.

Nintendo DS
The DS is the only system not nearing the end of it's life, so it has by far the best lineup of games this summer compared to the other two systems. There are several great titles to keep your DS busy this summer.

June 23 Soduko Mania
June 26 Sudoki GridMaster
June 27 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
June 27 Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi: The Genie and the Amp
June 2006 Konductra

July 11 Freedom Wings
July 18 Monster House
July 25 Bubble Bobble Revolution
July 25 Micro Machines V4

August 15 Harvest Moon DS
August 15 Suite Life of Zack & Cody: The Tipton Trouble
August 22 Madden NFL 07
August 28 Star Fox Command
August 2006 Starberry Shortcake: Strawberryland Games
August 2006 Hardcore Pool

September 11 Mario Hoops 3-on-3
September 12 Final Fantasy III
September 12 Contact
September 12 Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
September 12 Mega Man ZX
September 12 LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Triloy
September 18 Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team
September 19 Open Season

Nintendo GameCube
Like it or not our favorite purple cube is in it's final summer. There aren't hardly any titles worth getting at all. But let's not look at this as a bad thing, it's a good thing. Now you can save your money for the Wii!

July 18 Monster House
July 24 The Ant Bully
July 25 Barnyard

August 8 Backyard Baseball 2007
August 22 Pac-Man World Rally
August 22 One Piece: Grand Adventure
August 2006 Super Monkey Ball Adventure

September 5 One Piece: Pirates' Carnival
September 12 LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
September 12 Open Season
September 19 Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2

GameBoy Advance
It appears that the GBA is not outright dying, but slowly being replaced, as more and more companies are putting their money into the DS. If you like movie and Disney games there will be a lot still to love, but for most of us, the DS will satisfy our handheld needs.

June 27 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
June 28 Babar - To the Rescue

July 11 Battle B-Daman
July 18 Summon Night
July 18 Monster House
July 24 The Ant Bully
July 25 Barnyard

August 8 The Cheetah Girls
August 22 Phil of the Future
August 29 Uno / Skip-Bo
August 2006 LarryBoy and the Bad Apple

September 12 LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
September 18 Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
September 19 Battle B-Daman 2
September 19 Open Season
September 2006 Danny Phantom: Urban Jungle

So this summer is all about the Nintendo DS. Unfortunately there are only a handful of games that are even sizzlin' on the GC and GBA, but luckily there is plenty on the DS to keep you busy. What money you would have spent on games for the GC or GBA save it for the Wii. Trust me, you'll need it.

Trademark Trouble

2006-06-20T18:24:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've heard recently about the three new Wii trademarks Nintendo has filed for, WiiPointer, WiiCulture, and !!M. It's been on several Nintendo websites and forums, starting a buzz about what they could be. I don't understand why this is such big news, Nintendo files for trademarks all the time. Why suddenly are these very important?

Most likely part of the reason is that Nintendo fans are desperate for any new news on the Wii. While Nintendo has already put most of it out there, there is still that small amount of secrecy. However, despite the fact that I am a Nintendo fan, I did not get excited because of these filings. Why? Because Nintendo files for trademarks all the time, they have hundreds, maybe even thousands of trademarks, most that they won't ever use. The reason why they do this is to keep other companies and people from getting them. This way in case they want to use it later on they can. I've seen countless ones that Nintendo has filed to attach onto the end of GameBoy. Maybe for future handhelds or for some sort of peripheral. Nintendo has trademarks for all sorts of things, so it's not that big of a deal.

!!M has caused the most commotion. If you haven't already figured it out, it's Wii upside down. To a surprisingly large amount of people these two exclamation marks and a M are apparently the trademark for an instant messenging service on the Wii. Here's what one site (Wiiloaded.com) had to say:

"The first thing that comes to most people's minds when they see "!!M" are IM. IM is an abbreviation for Instant-Messaging, which is the basis for such programs as AIM (AOL Instant Messanger)."

What? Are you serious? Those are two exclamation marks not "i"s! Obviously it is not an abbreviation of IM and does not resemble IM at all because there are two exclamation marks and there is no "i"! That was definitely not the first thing I thought of when I saw it. I believe that Nintendo saw how it was Wii upside down and didn't want anyone to take it and possibly use it so they trademarked it.

WiiPointer and WiiCulture haven't really been talked about as much. WiiPointer is most likely just another name for the Wii controller. To me WiiCulture is the one out of the group that has the greatest potential of being used. I think that WiiCulture could be the name of an online community for the Wii created by Nintendo. Maybe like the current site for WiFi or it could be more like what Live is to the Xbox.

I don't know if Nintendo will ever use these trademarks but I do know one thing for sure, !!M has two exclamation marks, not "i"s and doesn't even closely resemble an abbreviation of IM. Good grief.

60 Second Long Reviews: New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS

2006-06-18T20:31:00.000-05:00

Mario is back in classic sidescrolling, goomba stomping, brick breaking style. Just how most of us originally met and fell in love with him back on the NES. However, this time it's Bowser Jr. who has kidnapped Peach and who you must defeat to save her.

This game is classic Super Mario with a few new things tossed in. The most obvious update is with the graphics. It looks terrific and Mario doesn't seem like he's paper flat but the game stays true to the 2D form. The controls are just like you remembered them which keeps the game simple enough for anyone to play. There are 8 different worlds with several different levels as well as a few hidden levels. They all have their own unique style. The new items like the super mushroom and koopa shell are a blast and a great addition. There's also a brand new multiplayer mode, the Mario and Luigi VS Mode where you can race against a friend. Nintendo also included all of the minigames from Super Mario 64 DS to give you something to do in between levels. This is one DS title that you should definitely not miss out on.

Final Call
9.5/10

Bright Idea: Dinosaur Hunters for Wii

2006-06-15T18:43:00.000-05:00

I've always loved paleontology, for those of you who don't know it's the study of dinosaurs. Growing up as a young boy I was fascinated by these huge prehistoric creatures and loved searching for fossils. I still do to this day, and my fossil collection even rivals my video game collection. I know that I'm not the only one out there who has dreamt of searching for dinosaur bones in Montana or the Gobi Desert or any of the many other fossil rich locations throughout the world. With the new abilities of the Wii controller I think it's the perfect time to create a fossil hunting game. Enter Dinosaur Hunters for the Nintendo Wii console.

Don't worry they won't be alive.

Just imagine, you take the role of a paleontologist, choosing either a male or female character. You start off in your backyard. You move your character around with the analog stick and then you see a small rock. You point to the space where the rock is and tap A. You move over to the area and the camera zooms in to take a closer look. This short experience will serve as a tutorial teaching you the basics of fossil hunting and collecting. You use the Wiimote (Wii controller) to carefully scrape dirt away from the rock until you are able to remove it from the ground. As the game progresses you will have different tools to use that can be chosen by the directions on the control pad. From shovels, to brushes, to small picks, even jack hammers. All can be used like you would in real life to uncover a fossil with the Wiimote. However, you will have to be very careful so that you do not damage it.

Real digging and excavating action made possible with the Wiimote!

After uncovering the fossil you take it to a local museum, where the curator is astonished by your find. So much so that he pays you for it and hires you to work as a paleontologist for the museum. Here's where the game really begins. You will start off alone traveling to local areas like rock quarries searching for and collecting fossils. Each time you bring back a fossil to the museum, depending on it's quality and rarity, you will get some money. This money can be used to purchase better equipment, like tools. Better tools will lead to finding more fossils and keeping them in better condition.

Throughout the game as you continue to progress you will be given larger assignments further away from the museum. Eventually you will join a team of paleontologists and travel across the continent to places like Montana's Hell's Creek, which is a gold mine for dinosaur bones. After more successful missions you will get promotions and become a team leader and travel even further away to search for fossils and dinosaur bones around the globe.

Eventually you will lead a team searching for fossils and dinosaur bones.

The game won't be in real time, but there will be day and night system. You'll set out each morning and while you won't race against the clock, you won't be able to completely excavate an entire dinosaur in one day, you'll have to head back as it gets dark, just like in real life. The first few days of an expedition will be spent searching and you'll get a little taste of the frustration and the fun of finding fossils and bones. After you discover something you will spend time carefully working to remove it and prepare it to take back to the museum.

You can also team up with friends and have them be apart of your team and you can work together, either on one T.V. or online, or maybe you'd rather be rivals and try to out do one another and see who can have the most successful hunts. It's up to you. Aside from the story mode there would also be an expedition mode, where you can choose your location from the areas you've been to and unlocked in the main game and the game will randomly place fossils throughout the area you choose for you to find. Each time you play the fossils won't be the same or in the same place.

While not everyone may share my love for paleontology I think it could be a really fun game and could even be enjoyable for those who aren't always looking to the ground for a rare fossil. It's a unique idea that's something completely new and in today's age with development costs rising most developers aren't willing to take the risk, but I can see a profit being made with my bright idea in Dinosaur Hunters.

New Feature: Bright Idea

2006-06-14T15:21:00.000-05:00

The second brand new feature of Nintendo Chronicles is one that I like to call Bright Idea. This feature consists of ideas from your's truly for new video games. They might be spin offs for an existing franchise or a completely new idea. I like to think of myself as an imaginative person with some creative ideas that could, in my opinion, lead to potential blockbuster titles. Anytime I think up something good I'll make sure I post it here so you can all read my bright ideas.

As with all newly announced features look for one to be coming soon.

The Wii's Final Secret?

2006-06-13T12:06:00.000-05:00

CubeParty is reporting that some companies received an E3 CD from Nintendo with more details and information on the Wii. On this "CD" is a picture of the Wii with the front slot opened. What's behind that front slot has led to a lot of speculation, especially that it might hold a camera. Here's the picture:

It appears that there is a slot for an SD Card and then a peculiar looking object right above it. Is this a camera? Is this shot even real? You can decide for yourself, but here's what I think.

First off, let me talk about what I think about this CD and the image it supposedly has. If there were really a CD then why isn't there a full shot of it? As of right now this is the only picture that has surfaced on the internet of this CD. It is also extremely convenient that "Wii Backstage 2006" be right next to the image, a little too convenient if you ask me. If the Wii with the opened slot is the main point of taking the picture why would you take the shot just so "Wii Backstage 2006" would fit in there? Something smells fishy to me.

Now let's talk about the possibility that there is a camera under the front slot. It has been rumored for sometime that a camera is one of the items behind the slot and I do think that it could be possible. I wouldn't put anything past Nintendo after all they've done with the Wii and it's controller. It is more likely however, that all that is behind it is an SD card slot, but as the picture shows us it could fit both. This could just be yet another time when Nintendo fans are getting overly excited for something that could be nothing, but not me, I'm already overwhelmed with the Wii and it's capabilities and it won't be that big of a deal to me if there is or isn't a camera. Personally, I would suggest taking this with a grain of salt and waiting for the big N to announce it themselves.

DS Lite Launch Day!

2006-06-11T13:38:00.000-05:00

Today is the official date that the DS Lite becomes available in stores. It retails for just $129.99. However, many retailers had already been selling them prior to today. Even my little Wal-Mart in my rural hometown had 5 for sale on Friday. So if you've already snagged one, good for you, because I've already heard that several stores have sold out. If you want one you better get out there and get it now.

Regretfully, I will not be purchasing a DS Lite. Not yet anyway. I've decided to wait until Nintendo releases the black DS Lite in America, which they've already done in Europe. I want a black one to match my black iPod Nano, black GBA SP, and my future black Wii. It's all about matching and I think black looks much cooler than white. I'm hoping they will release a black DS Lite this fall before the holiday season to bolster sales a bit, like they've done in the past. I can only hope so or I might have to import from Europe.

So what makes the DS Lite better than the current DS? Of course it is much smaller and much lighter. It also looks much better and can now rival the PSP in any beauty contest. The buttons are now "pushy" and not "clicky" which helps control and their locations are slightly different. The start and select buttons have been moved below the ABXY buttons and the power button is now on the side. The microphone is now in the middle of the system. It and the battery light are now on the hinge. The stylus is now larger and it's container has been moved from the back of the unit to the side. There is one more large feature that you may not notice just from looking at it. There are now 4 levels of brightness similar to that on the GameBoy Micro. The brightness puts the old DS to shame and really makes a difference in some games like Metroid Prime Hunters.

So to celebrate I have included some images of the sexy new DS Lite as well as some comparison shots with the old DS.

And here is the amazing black DS Lite that I will be waiting for that is currently only available in Europe.

Now stop drooling and go out and get a DS Lite before they are all gone!

60 Second Long Reviews: FIFA Soccer 06 for Nintendo DS

2006-06-10T18:12:00.000-05:00

In honor of the World Cup starting I thought I would make my first 60 Second Long Review about a soccer game. EA Sports' FIFA Soccer 2006 for the Nintendo DS. This is the first soccer game on the DS and I'll tell you how it fairs in the first 60 Second Long Review.

FIFA Soccer 06 for Nintendo DS

EA has brought the Nintendo DS it's first soccer game by way of it's successful soccer franchise, FIFA Soccer. FIFA Soccer 06 sets the bar high for future soccer games, but still leaves room for improvement in future FIFA games on the handheld.

If you like soccer you'll have a lot of fun with this game. It's really fun to play and there are several different modes. The most notable being the career, my club, and challenge mode. Which add a lot of depth and some variety to the game. The controls are also good. There is barely any touch screen control at all. The only thing is that the defensive button for tackle and the offensive button for clearing are on the same button which can cause some trouble, but you get used to it. The graphics are good for a DS game, they're nothing special, but look alright. Hopefully they will get better with future games. I really liked the sound, there are several different tracks that play and some top notch sound effects. There are also a few cool camera features like foul replays and complete control of goal replays via the touchscreen. It's a solid soccer title from EA and I would suggest it to all soccer players and fans.

Final Call
7.5/10

New Feature: 60 Second Long Reviews

2006-06-10T15:32:00.000-05:00

I would like to announce a brand new feature here on Nintendo Chronicles, the 60 Second Long Reviews. When thinking about a review system for the site, I came upon the problem that doing a typical review in my style would be an extremely long post and I think that many viewers wouldn't be interested in reading the whole thing. So I solved the problem by creating the 60 Second Long Reviews. As the name implies it's only 60 seconds long, which means it should only take you around one minute to read the entire thing. Give or take a few seconds. I feel like it should be just enough time to let you know about the game and if it's something you might want or not, and it's brief, so it won't get boring. There will also be a final call where I give it a rating out of ten. With ten being the best and one being complete garbage.

I hope you enjoy this new feature, make sure you check back later today for the first 60 Second Long Review.

They named it what?!

2006-06-08T12:51:00.000-05:00

I thought for quite awhile what should be the first thing I shared my opinion on concerning Nintendo. It had to be something that people would actually care about, and even if they didn't care about my opinion at least something interesting. I think that I've found something that achieves both.

Wii

Yes, the name of the innovative new home console following up the GameCube that Nintendo will be launching later this year. Previously known by it's code name, "Revolution" on April 27th Nintendo dropped the bomb revealing the final name of the system just before E3 setting the internet ablaze with discussion on the choice of "Wii". At first it was met with a large amount of disgust, few people liked it at all. As Reggie Fils-Aime, current President and Chief Operating Officer for NOA joked at Nintendo's E3 press conference, "We want to thank everyone who wrote good things about the name the day you heard it... both of you."

Nintendo did have some what of a meaning behind the name and the odd spelling, as it is pronounced "we".

From the official Nintendo site of the Wii:

"Wii sounds like “we,” which emphasizes this console is for everyone.

Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii."

Source

The two "i"s in Wii are also suppose to symbolize the shape of the controller and the interaction between players.

So it wasn't like they just pulled it out of nowhere and eventually people began to accept it. It was just the surprise of that being the name when we are used to things like Playstation and GameCube. As we heard, read, and said it more it became more accepted.

So what about me? When I first saw the name I was extremely shocked. It was an experience identical to the one when I first saw the controller. Unknowing of the proper pronunciation I thought Wii was said like "why". I asked myself "Why why?" it wasn't until a few minutes later that I found out that it was "we", which made more sense than "why" but only slightly more.

After reading the philosophy behind the name I thought it was a bunch of crap. The two "i"s symbolize two players and the controller? Yeah, okay. But after watching the press conference Wii videos with the "i"s hoping around and playing tennis I could see where they sort of resembled people playing and the controller. (You can see these videos at Nintendo's official site for the Wii. I've conveniently placed the link on the side of the page to visit.)

Once I said it more I got used to it and the shock eventually wore off. I can't say that I love the name but I do like it. I think it's a very unique name for a very unique console. I'm glad that they chose to do a different name like Wii as opposed to GameCube 2 or something along that approach because it sets it apart. Some may snicker at the name, "Ha ha Wiiner!" or something like that, but as long as their maturity level is past High School that won't be a problem.

So don't be embarrassed when you finally get your's and invite your friends over to play with your Wii.

Accept it. Love it. Embrace it. The name is Wii.

I promise they won't always be this long!

The First Post

2006-06-07T21:44:00.000-05:00

First off I would like to welcome you to the newest Nintendo blog on the internet, Nintendo Chronicles. Here I will share my thoughts on Nintendo and the video game industry as a whole, but mostly Nintendo.

Now allow me to introduce myself. To all of you out their in cyberspace my name is Nintendude, I'm your typical teenager who loves to play videogames. I've been a Nintendo fan since I played my first NES game way back and not only do I love the company, but I love to talk and share my opinion about them as well. When something big happens with Nintendo expect me to have a voice on the matter. I will also occasionally review and preview games, especially the big titles.

That's about it for my first post. I hope I haven't bored you enough to keep you from ever visiting again. Come back anytime to read what I have to say about the greatest video game company of all time, Nintendo.