Pokémon Heart Gold & Soul Silver Confirmed!!!

The rumor has been going around for a few years, and been heating up the past few days when the Japanese show Pokémon Sunday revealed they would be revealing new Pokémon games on Sunday May 10th. However, Pokémon Japan has already leaked the games, called "Heart Gold" & "Soul Silver" and are due out this Fall in Japan.



Source: Pokemon.co.jp

I am so going to be importing Soul Silver! Maybe I'll import both who knows, and then buy both when they come out in English. We still have a couple of months to go so we'll just wait and see!

Nintendo US Conference Fall 2008

Nintendo Announces 'Significant Increase' in Q4 Wii Supplies over 2007

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 2, 2008 – Nintendo today disclosed a number of surprises, including new games, the ability to use the Wii™ console to chat with friends near and far, and the expansion of the popular Club Nintendo rewards program to North America.

Continuing its commitment to supply new game experiences for every level of player, Nintendo revealed a wide range of games for the 2008 holiday season and beyond. A number of games are slated for 2009, including a new Punch-Out!! ™ and Sin & Punishment 2 for Wii, and Fire Emblem™: Shadow Dragon and Mario & Luigi™ RPG 3 for Nintendo DS™. Consumers also can expect a new "Personal Trainer” series of titles designed to help users enrich their lives and learn new skills in fun and interesting ways.

Nintendo also announced that North American supplies of the Wii video game console between October and December will see a significant increase from 2007's levels, and that Nintendo DS will also be available in greater abundance than ever before.

"We have new games and new experiences for every kind of player this holiday season, and that will certainly fuel increased interest in Wii and Nintendo DS,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "While there's no way to gauge total demand for our hardware systems, we're trying to satisfy as many of those players as possible.”

The new Wii Speak™ Channel arrives on Nov. 16 and uses the Wii Speak™, a microphone that sits on top of your television. This accessory is sold separately at an MSRP of $29.99. People who buy the microphone are given a code that allows them to download the Wii Speak Channel from the Wii Shop Channel at no charge. The Wii Speak lets people in up to four locations who have traded Friend Codes chat with one another at no extra cost. When you use Wii Speak in real time, your Mii™ appears on your TV screen and mimics your chat. You also can leave audio messages for your friends and family members or use Wii Speak to narrate captions for your photos.

Gamers have longed for the expansion of Club Nintendo to North America for years, and now Nintendo is making it a reality for everyone. Club Nintendo rewards Nintendo loyalists who complete surveys and register Nintendo products with loyalty coins that can be redeemed for exclusive items available only to Club Nintendo members. Club Nintendo is set to debut in North America this holiday season.

Key software available for Wii this holiday season includes:

• Wii Music™: It's a new Wii experience that launches on Oct. 20 and gives you the ability to play a wide variety of musical instruments by using the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers to mimic the motions used to play real instruments. Everyone in the family will enjoy jamming together, while music fans will enjoy creating their own fresh, stylized takes on a variety of songs. Songs range from classical favorites like Beethoven's "Ode to Joy,” to pop hits like "Material Girl” or "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” to Nintendo standards like the Super Mario Bros.® theme.
  
  
• Animal Crossing™: City Folk: This game lets you live your life in a virtual community that's all your own. You can interact with the fun characters in your town, customize everything from your house to your clothing and even chat with other friends in the game using the Wii Speak. Animal Crossing: City Folk launches on Nov. 16.
  
  
  • WiiWare delivers great new games directly to Wii consoles that are connected to the Internet. Nintendo's downloadable game service will see games like:
    
    
  • Tetris Party: This game will feature 18 game modes, including 10 never-before-seen single-player and multiplayer variations of Tetris. Some modes will use the unique capabilities of the Wii Remote and the Wii Balance Board™.
    
    
  • Strong Bad Episode 3: This third episode in the series features humorous story-driven game play, music-themed collectibles and achievements and an old-school side scrolling shoot 'em up mini-game, as well as a special celebrity guest appearance by rock gods Limozeen!
    
    
  • World of Goo: This title is an award-winning, physics-based puzzle/construction game. Grab living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins and giant tongues.
    
    
  • Cave Story: This title is an action-adventure game with new, exclusive content and features created only for the WiiWare version.
    
    
  • Boingz: Developed by the award-winning studio NinjaBee and published by RealNetworks®, Inc., Boingz introduces players to bendy, stretchy little critters who've found themselves scattered about an alien world. Using the Wii Remote, players can grab, stretch and fling the rubber-band bodies of the Boingz to bounce them around the environments and help them find their way home.

Key games planned for Wii in 2009 include:

• Punch-Out!!: Nintendo is reviving one of its most storied and popular franchises with the first new Punch-Out!! boxing game in 15 years. Players will once again follow the exploits of the up-and-coming challenger, Little Mac, and take on a series of opponents, including favorites from the past like Glass Joe and King Hippo.
  
  
• Sin & Punishment 2: The announcement of a sequel to one of the most popular Japanese import titles ever is a dream come true for avid Nintendo fans. This new sequel blends intuitive Wii Remote pointing controls with the shooting and sword-swinging game play that made the original an instant classic and fan favorite.

Some Nintendo products available this fall for Nintendo DS include:

• Personal Trainer™: Cooking: This title launches on Nov. 24 as the first in Nintendo's new Personal Trainer series. Personal Trainer: Cooking includes more than 200 recipes from around the world and transforms the Nintendo DS into an electronic, interactive cookbook, complete with a glossary of terms and even instructional videos. In 2009, the Personal Trainer series will expand with Personal Trainer™: Math, a collection of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division drills based on the Kageyama method. Meanwhile, Personal Trainer™: Walking will introduce a wireless pedometer, letting consumers not only track every step they take, but also turn walking into interactive entertainment.
  
  
• Pokémon™ Ranger: Shadows of Almia: On Nov. 10, this new installment in the Pokémon Ranger series allows you to use the power of Pokémon to protect nature and help people in need as you strive to become a Top Ranger. Use the DS stylus to encircle and capture Pokémon with the "Capture Styler” as you explore the vast new Almia region.

Key games planned for Nintendo DS in 2009 include:

• Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon: A reinvention of the original NES™ titles with revamped graphics and intuitive touch control, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon will finally introduce longtime fans to the stories that gave birth to the series nearly 20 years ago in Japan, while introducing the Fire Emblem franchise to a broader audience of strategy and chess fans. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon also reveals the back story of Marth, the original lead character in the Fire Emblem series introduced and made popular in North America by the Super Smash Bros.® series of fighting games.
  
  
• Mario & Luigi RPG 3: The acclaimed Mario & Luigi series returns with another hilarious action role-playing game. Join the Mario Bros. as their travels take them far and wide.
  
  
• Rhythm Heaven™: If you can snap your fingers in time to music, you're ready to play this simple but infectious rhythm game. Just tap your stylus on the touch screen to the beat of the music.

Nintendo has a strong lineup of legacy games and accessories that have continued selling well, even a year after they launched. These include Super Mario Galaxy™, the Wii Zapper™ accessory, Wii Fit™, Super Smash Bros.™ Brawl and Mario Kart™Wii. These five products are expected to remain in high demand as shoppers look for ways to make their holiday dollars go further.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about these and other Nintendo products, visit www.Nintendo.com.

Now the real question is after all that news is...where is the US release date for Disaster: Day of Crisis? The game is out in Japan, coming to Europe & Australia this month, but no US date still >_>;

Wii Software Lineup

2008 Games
Wii Music (Nintendo) 10/16
Animal Crossing: City Folk (Nintendo) 11/20
The Melancholy of Haruhi (Kadokawa Shoten) 11/27
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes (Capcom) 12/11
428 (Sega) 12/4
Samba de Amigo (Sega) 12/11
Let’s Tap (Sega) Dec. 2008
Cooking Mama 2 (Taito) 12/4
Rygar: Muscle Impact (Tecmo) Dec. 2008
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (Activision) 10/16
Karaoke Joysound Wii (Hudson) 12/18
Sky Crawlers (Bandai-Namco) 10/16
Happy Dance Collection (Bandai-Namco) 10/23
Family Ski: World Ski & Snowboard (Bandai-Namco) 11/13
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (Bandai-Namco) 12/4
Taiko Drum Master Wii (Bandai-Namco) 12/11
Tenchu 4 (From Software) 10/23
Harvest Moon: Exciting Animal March (Marvelous) 10/30
Rune Factory Frontier (Marvelous) 11/27
Shape Boxing (Rocket Co.) 10/30

2009 Games
Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo) Spring
Start w/ 100 Conversations! English Conversation (Nintendo) 2009
Punch-Out!! (Nintendo) 2009
Trace Memory: R, Gateway of Memory (Nintendo) 2009
Kensax (Nintendo) 2009
Cosmic Walker (Nintendo) 2009
Spawn Smasher (Nintendo) 2009
Dynamic [illegible] (Nintendo) 2009
Takt of Magic (Nintendo) 2009
Sin & Punishment 2 (Nintendo) 2009
Forever Blue 2: Beautiful Ocean (Nintendo) 2009
Everyone’s the Star on the NHK Red-and-White Quiz Battle (Nintendo) 2009
Line Attack Heroes (Nintendo) 2009
Castlevania: Judgment (Konami) Winter 2008-2009
Dead Rising: Zombies’ Sacrifice (Capcom) Winter 2008-2009
FFCC: Echoes of Time (Square-Enix) 1/29
Sonic and the Black Knight (Sega) Spring
Fragile (Bandai-Namco) Winter 2008-2009
Arcrise Fantasia (Marvelous) Winter 2008-2009
Oboro Muramasa (Marvelous) Spring

Nintendo DS Software Lineup

Wagamama Fashion Girls' Mode (Fashion game from Nintendo)
Aruite Wakaru Seikatsu Rhythm DS (Game with Pedometer)
Hoshi no Kirby: Ultra Deluxe (Kirby Super Star Ultra)
Sekai no Gohan Shaberu! DS O-Ryouri Navi (Version of Cooking Navi that features Cooking Guide Recipes)
Taboo: The Sixth Sense 2K9! (fortune telling, tarot card)
Tomodachi Collection (Mii Interaction game)
Mario & Luigi RPG 3 (Mario & Luigi saga continues!)
Made in Wario (WarioWare)
3D Picross

Plus all of the 3rd Party Games

Nintendo DSi

Yes, I know I am late with this, but Nintendo revealed yet another DS redesign, called the "Nintendo DSi", which totally looks like it is copying the iPod revolution.

This new DS features 2 built in cameras, built in web browser, SD card slot & support, built in memory, DS Store (download apps and games that are free, 200, 400, or 800 Nintendo Points), music playback, bigger screens, synch with Photo Channel on the Wii, and a new interface. The system is also thinner, and thus the GBA slot was cut from the system. :(

The DSi will be released in Japan on November 1st, with the rest of the world to receive it sometime next year. It will be launched in two colors, White, and Black.

Nintendo has stated that the system is not a priority for the US at this time, due to the sales of the Nintendo DS Lite still being strong. The system has lacked sales in Japan for a while now, so Nintendo has announced this new DS in order to gain more sales over competitors.

Elebits: The Adventures of Kai & Zero Trailer

Finally, a video that shows us what the game is about. It actually looks kind of like an RPG Puzzle game, I am really interested in this game. I should really go back to the original and play through it. There is also supposedly another Elebits game coming to the Wii sometime, so be on the lookout for that. I can't wait, but I need to finish my other games.

Dead Rising Wii is real!

Well, we have received confirmation that Dead Rising is in fact coming to the Wii. It looks like Capcom will be doing the same thing like they did with Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition and Umbrella Chronicles, where you have to push buttons on the Wiimote or shake it to perform certain actions.

No word yet on whether it will come to the Wii in the US. We know Resident Evil 0 isn't coming to the US, but hopefully Dead Rising comes here on the Wii! Anyway, you can check out several magazine scans here!

Samba de Amigo Downloadable Songs Confirmed

Today at E3 SEGA announced that Samba de Amigo for the Wii will feature downloadable songs presumably through the Wii Shop Channel. The game will have song packs instead of individual songs, and pricing has yet to be announced. The first song pack will be available to download at the games launch on September 23rd:

Song Pack 1 - 09/23/2008
I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow
Are You Going To Be My Girl? - Jet
Mambo Mambo - Lou Bega

I was hoping this was true when we saw the Pay to Play logo on the boxart several months ago. When I was on Nintendo's E3 Press site I downloaded the kit for Samba and the boxart still had the Pay to Play logo on it, making me jump for joy! I am definitely picking up this game day one, I just love music games!!! I don't love Guitar Hero though, it gets annoying after a while and kind of tiring on the hands. At least with Samba I can have a lot of freedom and kind of dance to the music instead of looking constipated while playing Guitar Hero. Here's hoping that Samba is awesome, I never got to play the original but I am really looking forward to this game. I am so glad it was brought to the Wii!

Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia

Pokémon® Ranger: Shadows of Almia
Format: Nintendo DS™
Launch Date: Nov. 10, 2008
ESRB: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief and Mild Cartoon Violence
Game Type: Action Adventure
Players: 1
Developer: Creatures

KEY INFORMATION
Become a Pokémon Ranger and protect nature, rescue people and help Pokémon in need.

• Pokémon Ranger is a unique action-adventure series that features a fun, different way to capture Pokémon with the Nintendo DS stylus, which controls an item called the Capture Styler in the game. Players circle the Pokémon they want to catch by drawing circles around them on the touch screen. When you complete certain Quests, the Ranger Union awards you with power-ups, which add new upgrades and functions to your Capture Styler, allowing you to advance as you work to eventually become a Top Ranger (the most revered Ranger of all).

• Now you can partner with a variety of different Pokémon of each type to complete Missions—giving you many options on how to approach different challenges. Every Pokémon is different, and capturing a Pokémon allows you to use its abilities to overcome various obstacles and challenges you will face along the way. The job of a Pokémon Ranger is never done: your duties will include fighting wildfires, rescuing people or even delivering an important package.

• Your journey to become a Top Ranger takes you to the new region of Almia. This game has a larger world, more Missions, more adventure and more to do than the previous Pokémon Ranger game. It has a storyline full of adventure and the ability to travel to and explore many exciting new areas in Almia, including oceans, forests, deserts and more with the help of your Partner Pokémon.

• This is the first game in the Pokémon Ranger series to feature Pokémon from Pokémon® Diamond and Pokémon® Pearl.

Game storyline: In Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, you once again play as a Pokémon Ranger, working to help people, Pokémon and nature in a new area called the Almia Region.

Starting out as a Student Ranger, you quickly earn the title of a full-fledged Pokémon Ranger. As you succeed in more and more missions, you will aspire tobecome the highest Ranger rank: Top Ranger. Along the way you meet and capture all kinds of different Pokémon.

How to progress through the game: Capture wild Pokémon and create a team to clear obstacles and puzzles encountered along the way. After using a Pokémon’s ability, it will leave your team; however, you will have a Partner Pokémon that will always stay by your side. As you progress through Missions and Quests, your Capture Styler becomes more powerful, giving your Styler more Energy and eventually advancing you to the level of Top Ranger.

Characters: Hundreds of Pokémon. Players can choose to be a boy or girl Pokémon Ranger.

Special powers/weapons/moves/features: Use the Capture Styler to capture wild Pokémon. Once they are captured, wild Pokémon will follow the player around until their powers are used (either in a Poké Assist or a Field Move).

• A Poké Assist is when the player uses an already captured Pokémon to help capture another wild Pokémon.

• A Field Move is when the player uses a captured Pokémon’s power to clear an obstacle in the way or perform another helpful function.

Check out screenshots and character art here!

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby Super Star™ Ultra
Format: Nintendo DS™
Launch Date: Sept. 22, 2008
ESRB: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Game Type: Action/Platformer
Players: 1-4 (2 using multiple game cards, up to 4 using DS Download Play)
Developer: HAL Laboratory, Inc.

KEY INFORMATION
• With so many adventures waiting to be unlocked, there’ll never be a dull moment as you run, float, copy enemies and use Helpers to fight the likes of King Dedede and Meta Knight.

• On top of a slew of new adventures, the original modes found in the beloved Super NES® game, Kirby Super Star™, are all here with updated graphics and fully rendered movie scenes.

• There are also three new touch-screen-controlled mini-games that you can play with up to three friends via DS Download Play—Kirby Card Swipe, Kirby on the Draw and Snack Tracks.

Game storyline: There are different plots for each of the games, ranging from Kirby’s fight to stop King Dedede from stealing all the food in Dream Land to Meta Knight’s quest to train for the ultimate battle. While most of the modes are traditional adventures, several of them, like Megaton Punch and Samurai Kirby, are quick mini-games.

How to progress through the game: Run, float and fight your way through the adventure games as Kirby®, gobbling up enemies as you go. Kirby can inhale enemies and spit them out as stars, but the main game play comes from swallowing foes and copying their abilities, then using the abilities to defeat other foes and advance past obstacles. In other games, you race King Dedede for food, compete in a punching contest or even adventure as Meta Knight.

Characters: Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight and many enemies, both new and old.
Special powers/weapons/moves/features: Besides his usual method of copying the abilities of foes, Kirby can also create Helpers out of Copy Abilities—these guys will fight alongside you and be controlled by the CPU or another player.

Check out screenshots and character art here!

Rhythm Heaven

Rhythm Heaven™
Format: Nintendo DS™
Launch Date: TBA
ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)
Game Type: Rhythm
Players: 1
Developer: Nintendo

KEY INFORMATION
Rhythm Heaven is a simple and infectious rhythm game that anyone can play. If you can tap your finger in time to music, you’ll get the hang of Rhythm Heaven in no time!

• Players hold the Nintendo DS system sideways like a book and tap their stylus on the touch screen to the rhythm of the music. Players tap, slide or flick the stylus to hit the right beat.

• Rhythm Heaven features catchy tunes, charming characters and a wide variety of rhythm games.

• Well-known Japanese music producer TSUNKU♂ helped direct Rhythm Heaven and composed the music for it.

Check out screenshots and character art here!

Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat?

Cooking Guide: Can’t Decide What to Eat? (working title)
Format: Nintendo DS™
Launch Date: Nov. 24, 2008
ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)
Game Type: Cooking Training
Players: 1
Developer: indies zero

KEY INFORMATION
Cooking Guide turns your Nintendo DS into an interactive cookbook, complete with recipes and video demos.

• Cooking Guide includes more than 200 recipes from around the world. So no matter what you’re in the mood for, you can find something new and tasty to make for dinner. Users can search a map by country to find regional dishes or select options for low-calorie foods, specific ingredients or short cooking times.

• Each recipe contains step-by-step directions and photos to make it possible to prepare dishes you’ve never tried before. Use the stylus or simple voice commands to “turn the page.” A tap of the touch screen lets you adjust the serving size automatically, and users can write and save cooking notes, just as they would in a paper recipe book.

• The Cooking Guide chef talks you through the entire cooking process. Recipes include photos of the dish as well as instructional videos on how to perform different cooking techniques, such as how to chop an onion or clean a fish. Users can access a handy reference function to explain unfamiliar terms and cooking techniques when they appear.

• The software includes a timer and calculator, as well as a search function to help you find what you’re looking for. Cooking Guide also includes an ingredient checklist to use as a shopping list – just put a mark next to the items you need and bring your Nintendo DS to the grocery store.

Check out screenshots here!

Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir

Mystery Case Files™: MillionHeir™
Format: Nintendo DS™
Launch Date: Sept. 8, 2008
ESRB: E (Everyone) – Violent References
Game Type: Seek and Solve
Players: 1-4 using multiple game cards
Developer: Big Fish Games / Griptonite Games

KEY INFORMATION
Spot hidden clues to find the rightful heir. It takes a keen set of “private eyes” to identify the heir in this interactive detective story. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir presents a new generation of seek-and-solve games for a new generation of Nintendo DS owners. Whether you like to play for minutes at a time or hours a day, Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir has your game experience covered.

• Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir showcases a multitude of beautiful, intricately detailed painted scenes in which players seek out cleverly hidden items to progress through an interactive detective story. There are 12 potential heirs to examine, 30 detailed scenes to peruse and more than 1,000 hidden objects to find.

• With the game’s intuitive touch-screen control, fans can quickly delve into the world of Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir and begin their investigation. Players use special analytical tools and interact with on-screen objects simply by using the Nintendo DS stylus.

• Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir is the only Mystery Case Files game to include multiplayer options. In multiplayer modes, players can search for clues together or compete head-to-head. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir also includes game-sharing with DS Download Play so friends and family can share the experience.

Game storyline: Shortly after returning from six months on his ultra-plush yacht visiting the far reaches of the globe, eccentric millionaire Phil T. Rich mysteriously disappears from his mansion and is presumed dead. Hired by Mr. Rich’s estate, a highly skilled Master Detective is brought in to solve the case and find the rightful heir to his fortune.

How to progress through the game: Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir takes a bold step into Touch Generations with a new game in the accomplished Mystery Case Files series from Big Fish Games. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir is a seek-and-solve game in which players assume the role of a detective who investigates a set of unique characters by finding cleverly hidden items in their environments. The objects are displayed in plainsight but are seamlessly interwoven into the illustration, making them challenging to find. Once a player finds enough hidden objects in a certain area, the character and area will be considered investigated. The player will then be prompted to move to the next potential clue.

Characters: Phil T. Rich and a rich cast of possible heirs.

Mini-games: Finding hidden objects is not the only activity in Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir. Between investigations, players are presented with entertaining brain teasers that must be solved in order to progress. These mini-games add to the depth of the experience by including game-play mechanics that reach beyond the core searching elements. All of the mini-games use the Nintendo DS stylus in ways that provide a true Touch Generations experience.

Check out screenshots and item art here!

Mario Super Sluggers

Mario™ Super Sluggers
Format: Wii™
Launch Date: Aug. 25, 2008
ESRB: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Game Type: Sports
Players: 1-4
Developer: Namco Bandai

KEY INFORMATION
Let the Wii Remote™ controller be your bat as you join Mario™, Luigi™, Peach™ and the rest of the gang in a rocking, socking baseball extravaganza.

• Newcomers to gaming or sports titles will be up and running on Mario Super Sluggers in no time. Simply swing the Wii Remote to smack a home run, or use a pitching motion to toss the ball over the plate.

• Two, three or four players can pick up Wii Remote controllers and challenge one another to a full baseball game or compete in a host of baseball-themed mini-games. There’s even a home run hitting contest.

• Mario Super Sluggers boasts more than 40 playable characters, all Nintendo favorites. The single-player adventure mode allows the player to explore Baseball Kingdom, tackle dozens of fun baseball challenges and unlock new characters that can be used in any mode. You can also play with your Mii™ characters in Exhibition, Toy Field and Minigame modes.

Modes: Whether by yourself or surrounded by friends, there’s a Mario Super Sluggers game for every occasion.

• Challenge: Trek across Baseball Kingdom in this single-player mode. Defeat characters in a variety of baseball-related challenges to persuade them to join your team. Once you’ve assembled an all-star team for the ages, throw down with the baddest baseballer in town: Bowser™! The single-player Challenge Mode is a sports fan’s dream.

Explore the rich and varied landscape of Baseball Kingdom as you gather teammates for your fight against Bowser. From lush tropical jungles to modern urban landscapes, each area of the kingdom is a new experience.

Like high-powered free agents, the characters in Mario Super Sluggers won’t join just any old team—they want to play for a winner. When you find a new character, he or she will test your skills on the field. Only by
besting them in hitting, pitching and fielding contests can you get them to join your side.

In Challenge Mode, you can control one of five captains, each with personal special powers. Yoshi® can jump through manholes, Wario™ has the power of magnetism and Donkey Kong® can climb vines and shatter barrels.

• Exhibition: Hit the field and try your luck with a team of your choice. You can play against either the computer or up to three other players.

• Minigame: Challenge yourself or take on up to three other players in nine mini-games. From home run contests to pitching duels, you’ll have more fun than a rookie at his first spring training.

• Toy Field: Battle against three other players in a hitting and fielding extravaganza. You can set your turn limit and the skill level of your computer opponents, or just play against friends.

• Training: Learn the ropes in an extensive tutorial mode.

Characters: More than 40 characters from the Mario universe come together in Mario Super Sluggers.

Special powers/items/moves/features: This isn’t your typical baseball game. From special moves to obstacle-filled stadiums, there’s always something new around the corner.

• Special Moves: All of the captains have unique Star Skills that allow them to perform special moves while pitching or batting. Mario can turn his fastball into a fireball, Daisy™ can create a flower garden in the outfield and Luigi can turn infield hits into a raging tornado. Non-captains can also use Star Skills to put a little extra mustard on hits or pitches.

• Chemistry: Just as in real sports, certain characters in Mario Super Sluggers have a special connection on the field. Known as chemistry, this connection allows players to make spectacular leaping catches, gun down speedy base runners and use items to interfere with fielders.

• Stadiums: There are nine unique stadiums in the game, everything from an ice-filled castle to an urban cityscape. Many stadiums can be accessed at both day and night, allowing you to play a doubleheader under the lights.

• Nunchuk™: Experienced gamers can also attach the Nunchuk controller for a more advanced gaming experience.

Check out screenshots and character art here!

Wario Land: Shake It!

Wario Land™: Shake It!
Format: Wii™
Launch Date: Sept. 22, 2008
ESRB: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence
Game Type: Platformer
Players: 1
Developer: GOOD-FEEL, Ltd.

KEY INFORMATION
Wario™, Nintendo’s greedy, uncouth and rude anti-hero, returns to his roots. The Wario Land series is where Wario first appeared, and it’s back in all its side-scrolling, platform-jumping glory.

• With the Wii Remote™ controller turned sideways, veterans and newcomers alike can run, jump and smash their way through hectic side-scrolling stages. By shaking the Wii Remote, you can shake down your enemies, free coins from treasure bags and even cause earthquakes.

• Each stage is a masterfully crafted side-scrolling obstacle course of puzzles, enemies and assorted hazards. Every stage holds numerous secrets and treasures to discover (and steal). And each stage has multiple “missions” to keep you coming back again and again to unlock everything, collect more coins or just improve your best time.

• Wario returns to form, with all the jumping, power-dashing and butt-stomping we’ve come to expect. This is surly Wario at his finest.

Game storyline:
Wario receives an antique globe and telescope that allow him to travel to the once-idyllic Shake Dimension, now conquered by the tyrannical pirate, the Shake King. With the assistance of his longtime rival, Captain Syrup, he must rescue the Merfles, denizens of the Shake Dimension imprisoned by the Shake King. Only by defeating the bosses of all five continents of this strange world can Wario find and confront the Shake King, rescue Queen Merelda, queen of the Merfles, and, most importantly, claim the Bottomless Coin Sack, a never-ending supply of gold.

How to progress through the game:
Each stage has Wario navigating an obstacle course of dangers and traps to find an imprisoned Merfle. Once he frees the little fellow, the countdown begins and he must find his way back to the starting gate before time runs out. Wario must also defeat a boss in each continent, and then buy a map of the next continent from Captain Syrup. Once all five continents’ bosses have been defeated, Wario takes on the Shake King himself.

Characters: Wario, our “hero.” Captain Syrup, a female pirate (and rival from previous games) who aids Wario on his quest. The Merfles, helpless natives of the Shake Dimension, and their queen, Queen Merelda. The Shake King, leader of a ruthless pirate band who has conquered the Shake Dimension.

Special powers/weapons/moves/features: Wario can jump and dash, as per previous Wario Land games. New to this game is the ability to shake the Wii Remote for various effects.

By default, a shake of the Wii Remote makes Wario punch the ground, causing a small earthquake and dazing enemies. Wario can then pick up dazed enemies and, with another shake of the Wii Remote, shake them for rejuvenating garlic and occasionally gold. Enemies can also be thrown, and you aim by tilting the Wii Remote.

Wario also takes control of three different vehicles during the course of the game, all of which are piloted in part by tilting the Wii Remote. The controls are standard for a Wii Remote held sideways (D-pad, buttons), but with an important twist: most of Wario’s special moves are accomplished by shaking or tilting the Wii Remote. This allows great versatility but without forcing the player to remember complicated button combinations.

Check out screenshots and character art here!

WiiMusic

Wii Music™

Format: Wii™
Launch Date: Holiday 2008
ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)
Game Type: Music
Accessories: Wii Remote™, Nunchuk™, Wii Balance Board™
Players: 1-4
Developer: Nintendo

KEY INFORMATION
Create a musical masterpiece with up to four players. Anyone can play the huge selection of instruments in Wii Music with simple motions—like strumming and drumming.

• It’s easy to play improv jams. Musicians in your band jam by simply playing their instruments to the beat of a song or by improvising to their heart’s content. Play faster. Play slower. Skip a beat, or throw in 10 more. No matter what you do, Wii Music automatically transforms your improv stylings into great music. There are no mistakes—just playing for the pure joy of playing.

• Wii controls immerse you in the music. You can play most of the 60-plus instruments in Wii Music using simple motions with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers. Strum to play guitar, banjo and sitar. Drum to play jazz drums, congas and marching drums. Hammer away to play piano, vibraphone and marimba. Unlike most music games, Wii Music doesn’t make you use complex buttons. You only need to imitate playing the instrument.

• Wii Music offers virtually endless ways to make music. You choose the song and instruments and decide whether to blaze through a rock take on classical songs, put a jazzy spin on folk tunes or transform Nintendo classics like the Super Mario Bros.® theme into Latin-flavored numbers. The song list is only a takeoff point—it’s how you improvise with the songs that matters.

• Send your band-jam recordings to Wii Friends who have Wii Music. They’ll see your Mii™ band members, your players’ improv styles and your instrument selections. They can watch your recordings, or play over parts of your song, then send their modified recording back to you. Improv jams can be sent back and forth over WiiConnect24 and changed again and again.

Beyond the Jam:

Wii Music includes many other modes besides the main band jams, including several musical games and an enhanced video playback mode for recorded jams.

• Play it again: Use the playback mode to see your jam recordings brought to life with dramatic camera angles.

• Pick up the baton: Command an orchestra in the conducting game where you’ll wave the Wii Remote controller like a conductor’s baton to lead a Mii orchestra through orchestrated music. Make them play quickly, slowly, strongly or gently.

• Ring a bell? Play a handbells game where you’ll swing your Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers to play your two handbells as part of a larger ensemble. Everyone on the team has a job to do: Play one of your notes only when the tune demands it.

• An ear for music: Take a tone quiz that tests your musical ear by giving you challenges, like putting note-playing Miis in order from lowest to highest pitch.

• Bang the drum: Play a virtual drum set in the drumming mode, the one mode in Wii Music that also uses the Wii Balance Board accessory (sold with Wii Fit™). You’ll use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers as drumsticks, and place both feet on the Wii Balance Board—which work as virtual pedals for the bass drum and hi-hat cymbal.

Check out Wii Music screenshots and lifestyle images here!

Wii Sports Resort

Wii Sports™ Resort
Format: Wii™
Launch Date: Spring 2009
ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)
Game Type: Sports
Accessories: Wii MotionPlus (included)
Players: 1-4
Developer: Nintendo

KEY INFORMATION
Wii Sports Resort is a new collection of fun sports games that anyone can pick up and play.

• This sequel to the popular Wii Sports™ makes use of the Wii MotionPlus accessory, which gives players the most responsive and realistic experience possible. The Wii MotionPlus accessory, which is included with Wii Sports Resort, plugs into the base of the Wii Remote™ controller and, combined with the accelerometer and sensor bar, provides an experience that gives players an even greater sense of immersion.

• Just as with Wii Sports, people will love competing against friends and family. As the competition heats up, Wii Sports Resort is as much fun to watch as it is to play. First-time players will find it easy to pick up a Wii Remote and jump into the action.

• Wii Sports Resort takes place on a tropical island. A wide range of activities will keep players coming back for one more round. Some sample activities include Sword Play, Power Cruising (racing a water scooter) and Disc Dog, which involves accurately tossing a disc to a cute, Mii-like dog.

Check out the Screenshots here!

Animal Crossing: City Folk

Animal Crossing®: City Folk
Format: Wii™
Launch Date: Holiday 2008
ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)
Game Type: Community Simulation
Accessories: WiiSpeak microphone (sold separately)
Players: 1-4 alternating, 2-4 simultaneous via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection
Developer: Nintendo

KEY INFORMATION
If life were an endless vacation, what would you do? Go fishing, collect shells or watch fireworks with friends? Build a snowman, exchange presents with family or decorate your house for the holidays? Take a trip to the city, go on a shopping spree or visit friends from all over the globe? In Animal Crossing: City Folk, life moves at a relaxed pace, but the world brims with endless possibilities.

• There’s always something new to do. In the living, breathing world of Animal Crossing: City Folk, days and seasons pass in real time, so there’s always something to discover. Catch fireflies in the summer, go trick-or-treating on Halloween or hunt for eggs on Bunny Day. If you’re in the mood for something a little faster paced, take a bus to a new urban city area that’s unique to Animal Crossing: City Folk. There you can catch a show at the theater or check out the sales at Gracie’s boutique. But if you don’t show your face back home for too long, your neighbors will miss you.

• Up to four people from your household can live and work together to build the perfect town. Design clothes and patterns, write letters and post messages on the bulletin board for each other, or invite up to three friends to visit your town using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. With the new WiiSpeak microphone, it’s like you’re all in the same room. The microphone sits atop the sensor bar and picks up the conversation of everyone in the room to encourage a more inclusive experience.

• Get to know your neighbors. The heart of Animal Crossing: City Folk is building relationships with the animals in your town as well as with other players. Befriend your animal neighbors by exchanging letters, gifts and favors. Animals can also move from town to town, bringing their memories and stories from their old towns with them. And since animals are notoriously loose-lipped, they spill all the juicy details. – more –

• Express your personal style. Customize your town, your house and yourself by collecting bugs, fish, fossils, art, furniture, clothes and accessories. You can also go to the salon in the city to change your hairstyle and get a Mii™ makeover. Plus, if you design clothes in the tailor’s shop, animals will wear them and maybe even bring them to other towns.

Check out the Screenshots & Character Art Here!

I will have a trailer of the video up later.

XSeed E3 Lineup

Torrance, Calif., (July 11, 2008) – Marvelous Entertainment USA and XSEED Games today announced its E3 plans which include a stellar line up of games for both Nintendo platforms, the Nintendo DS and Wii, as well as the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. Both companies will display their portfolio of upcoming titles at E3 2008 which will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 15th – 17th. E3 attendees are invited to visit the Marvelous Entertainment USA and XSEED Games booth located at Concourse Hall Pavilion #427.

”We’re very pleased to be able to give the North American audience a sneak peak at our upcoming lineup,” stated Yasuhiro Wada, Managing Director of Marvelous Entertainment. “This is just the beginning of some of the great games that we’ll be releasing in the US under our Marvelous Entertainment USA banner.”

“It’s been an amazing year for us, and we feel that we’re well positioned going into E3,” said Jun Iwasaki, President of XSEED Games. “We’ve got a fantastic partnership with Marvelous Entertainment which we greatly appreciate, and the overall line up of titles we’re showcasing is strong and diverse, which we’re exceptionally excited about.”

Games being shown under the Marvelous and XSEED Games partnership are:

Avalon Code DS

From the creative minds behind Rune Factory and Harvest Moon with the development studio responsible for the Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy IV DS remakes comes Avalon Code, an action RPG boasting incredible graphics, a deep and engrossing story, and innovative game play mechanics. Using the main character’s ‘Book of Prophecy’, players can modify the rules of engagement during battle as well as weapon and monster attributes. The player even has control over the story as it changes depending on which gender the player chooses to play as, enhancing the ability to immerse themselves into the story. Avalon Code DS is scheduled for release Q1 2009. The game will be published in Europe by Rising Star Games*, a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment.

Rune Factory: Frontier Wii

From the creators of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory for the DS comes the first installment of Rune Factory for a home console. Developed exclusively for Wii, Rune Factory: Frontier features stunning graphics and takes full advantage of the Wii’s unique controls to fully immerse players in the Rune Factory universe. Rune Factory: Frontier incorporates an open-ended structure that allows players to choose the type of game they wish to experience. Whether it’s growing crops, expanding the town, fighting (or befriending) monsters or even falling in love, the experience is unique to each player. Rune Factory: Frontier Wii is scheduled for release Q1 2009. The game will be published in Europe by Rising Star Games*, a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment.

LITTLE KING’S STORY Wii

Little King’s Story has an art style that is very ‘story-book’ in look and a magical fairy tale quality that will intrigue and delight gamers. The storyline, visual look, and lyrical music of Little King’s Story, work in concert to transport players to an interactive, enchanting, fairy tale world. By combining gameplay elements from life-simulation, real-time strategy, and adventure genres, the many aspects of creating a vast kingdom come to life! As King, players will manage and involve their townspeople in the goals of creating this new territory; enlisting them to dig for treasure, build new buildings and otherwise better their community. Of course, leadership is a two-way street, so as King, players will try to conquer rival nations to create a single unified kingdom, while also granting the requests of townspeople at whim. The game transforms the Wii Remote™ to a royal scepter and offers players the chance to be the best king in the world! Little King’s Story Wii is scheduled for release Winter 2008. The game will be published in Europe by Rising Star Games*, a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment.

Populous™ DS

Based on the original Populous PC classic from Electronic Arts, Populous DS brings a re-imagination of the classic game, which pioneered the God simulation genre. Featuring touch-screen controls that utilize the dual-screens, players manipulate 5 elementally-imbued gods, each with their own unique miracles, within an extensive single-player campaign. Within the multiplayer wireless mode, up to 4 players can unleash earthquakes, tidal waves and raging volcanoes onto rival players’ lands. Populous DS is scheduled for release Fall 2008. The game will be published in Europe by Rising Star Games*, a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment.

KORG DS-10

Designed after the famous KORG MS-10 music synthesizer, KORG DS-10 is a music-creation program for professional and aspiring musicians alike. The sound sources in the KORG DS-10 come from KORG, one of the world’s top musical instrument producers, and no effort was spared in the replication of creating high-quality sounds. The Nintendo DS’s touch-screen controls are utilized to the fullest to provide an authentic feel and operability across a dual-screen layout that is unsurpassed in portable music creation. A 6-track/16-step sequencer enables precise control and provides a wide range of musical possibilities, and up to eight DS units can be linked via wireless connection to play together or to exchange sounds and songs. KORG DS-10 is scheduled for release Fall 2008.

Retro Game Challenge

An original game based on the popular Japanese GAME CENTER CX TV series, Retro Game Challenge reinvents how classic games are played. Featuring a story-driven progression, players complete short challenges in a wide-variety of fictional retro-games. Specific challenges in shooting, racing, action and even an epic role-playing game are integrated into the story, while the in-game magazines offer cheat codes as well as fake 80’s news stories paying tribute to the rich history of the gaming industry. Released to raving reviews as Game Center CX: Arino’s Challenge in Japan, the game received a Gold Award from Famitsu with a 33/40 review score. Retro Game Challenge is scheduled for release Winter 2008.

I only posted the Nintendo related stuff for obvious reasons. Game Center CX is coming to the US finally! I'm liking that companies such as Atlus, XSeed, and Askys are releasing these niche games in the US. I thought the DS would kind of calm down this year but now that I see all of these games coming out for it I think I'll have to change my tune. Also, supposedly NGamer magazine says Band Brothers DX is receiving a localization for the US, but that is a rumor for now.

Sonic Unleashed Promo Trailer is Awesome

That was really interesting trailer. Reminds me of what SEGA used to do back in the day. I know it doesn't show any game footage but I still think it is a cool trailer. Let me know what you think about it in the comments!