Ugly Baby Studios » Wii

E3 2009: Rise of the Mo-Cons

Jason Ward — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:45:47 +0000

I’ll be updating the site with impressions of what I’ve seen today, but one thing is crystal clear: motion controls are in: WAY in. Both Microsoft and Sony showed off new motion controllers, with MS by far taking the lead in a “next gen” motion control system. Sony’s by comparison is more of a “wiimote evolved” scenario, which is all well and good. I’m a fan of the wiimote, after all, so Sony’s approach feels like a natural extension of that, at least from what we’ve seen.

Beyond that, we also have the new Tony Hawk skateboard controller, which from what I saw is very impressive. Not to be forgotten, of course, is Nintendo’s own Wii motion plus, which finally brings true 1:1 control to that platform.

For me, this sudden flood of motion controllers is in many ways Nintendo’s vindication; yes, they shipped a system with less horsepower than Sony or MS, but they took a gamble with motion control that paid off so well that they have now redirected the efforts of Microsoft, Sony and the entire games industry. Love or hate the Wii, there’s no longer any way to deny it: Nintendo was right.

E3 2009: we’re here!

Jason Ward — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:12:49 +0000

So we got here and got checked in, but what have we learned? That the press room is hotter than hell (games journalists don’t need air conditioning!), the show floor is eerily closed until noon and the wifi sucks so bad that I’m actually better off posting from my iPhone.

New Zelda for 2K9?

Jason Ward — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:48:42 +0000

As reported over at mega-blog Kotaku, Analyst Colin Sebastian joins always-ready-with-a-prediction Michael Pachter in stating that he expects Nintendo to ship a brand new Zelda title in time for Holiday 2009. Now, at the risk of sounding all naysayerish, duh. I mean seriously, Holiday 2009 will mark 3 years since the last console Zelda title shipped, that title has obviously worn off some of its polish–and let’s face it, it wasn’t really a native Wii game anyway, it was a ported Gamecube game. A nice launch title, to be sure, but let’s not pretend it was something other than what it is, OK? I hate that shit.

With that said, it would truly behoove Nintendo to maintain their huge momentum with the Wii platform by not only bringing out a new Zelda title in time for holiday 2009 worldwide, but to ensure that the game pushes the system to its absolute maximum limits in all areas from graphics to gameplay. It’d also be beneficial for the game to require and ship with a Wii Motion Plus peripheral. Heck, I’d be onboard with Balance Board support, too. Whatever else is true and in spite of what the other manufacturers like to say, the momentum of this console generation is truly with the Wii platform. The question going forward is, how will they sustain this momentum, and how long until Wii 2 (Wii HD, whatever) hits? What do you think?

WOW…That’s a lotta Wii’s, Mario!

Jason Ward — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:15:16 +0000

So I was scoping the local Fry’s for an iPhone condom when I was struck by a Holy Frickin’ Crap (HFC) moment. What, pray tell, could surprise me? How about an entire aisle full of Wii’s, numbering over 100 in total. Scary; who knew they traveled in packs so large? Pic’s after the jump!

Anecdotally, 360 ain’t in da house!

Jason Ward — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:11:13 +0000

For the sake of curiosity I spent a little time wandering the local stores after the Xbox 360 price cut. I live in a fairly major metropolitan area (Orange County, CA) so it’s fair to say that there is a pretty high population density here. While anyone could have easily predicted an upsurge in 360 sales, what I found was pretty shocking: Not a single 360 of any flavor in stock anywhere. My visits included a couple of Targets, Wal Marts, Best Buy, Circuit City, and even a Gamestop. Not one place had a single 360.

So this basically begs another question: Is it possible that the 360 will, in fact, outsell Wii for September? There is a strong contingent who believe that the Wii sells solely based on price alone (I tend to think they’re wrong), but if that’s indeed the case then what we should see is a 360 powered leapfrog of the Wii, not just for this month but on an ongoing basis.

What’s it like in your area? Leave a comment and let us know!

Guitar Hero III Wii version first taste

Jason Ward — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:48:23 +0000

I’m going to do this a little bit differently than your typical review in that I’m going to start it before I’ve actually completed the game. The idea is that as I progress through the game, I’ll make some extra notes here, tell you about my experiences thus far, and either bitch & moan or fawn lovingly. Knowing me, probably a bit of both, so we might as well start it off right.

Guitar Hero III for Wii is fun. “No shit”, you’re thinking, all the freaking GH games are fun. Yeah, but this is more fun, and it’s that way for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it’s 10 bucks cheaper than the PS3/360 versions. What can I say, I like saving cash, and 10 bucks off the cost of entry is 10 bucks I’ll spend on addons from DLC to peripherals down the way. Second, having vibration feedback let you know when Star Power is available and then when it’s active, kicks ass. Third…

I was really surprised at how much it caught my attention to hear my numerous screw ups emanating from the guitar itself rather than from the TV. That may seem like a trifle to the hardened GH fan, but I enjoyed it a great deal. It added an extra layer of interactivity to the game and drew me in just a little more than I otherwise would have been (which is a good thing, I’ve always enjoyed the GH series but can’t say I’m particularly good at it on the harder modes nor have I ever been utterly swallowed by the series, but after not realizing I played for 4 hours tonight, I have to say that yeah , I was sucked in).

As you’re already aware, the graphics aren’t on the level of Xbox 360 or PS3, and you’d be loco to expect them to be. That said, this isn’t a game about graphics, and it never was: this is a game about Music and the way you play it, pure and simple. It could have a black background with the fret bar and music and it’d be just as much fun for the player (though to be fair, onlookers would be bored faster). As it stands, the graphics are very serviceable, a shade nicer than the PS2 counterpart, with better lighting and particle effects when they do appear.

“What about the Guitar!?” you ask? Well, let me put it this way: The Wiimote powered Les Paul is the best Guitar Hero controller to date, hands down. It is heads and shoulders above the Xbox 360′s X-Plorer and the PS2′s Gibson SG. We could debate the aesthetics all night (some folks love the SG and are bitching about the Les Paul on forums; personally I like the Les Paul. I thought the SG was serviceable but nothing extraordinary, and I liked the X-Plorer until I owned one, now I can’t stand the POS). The controller has a fair amount of heft to it, though it’s not significantly more so than the older guitars, and when you put the Wiimote in it feels just a bit heavier. I know, I know, imagine that more mass would add to the weightiness of an object!

More to the point, the wireless works as flawlessly as you expect, with no discernible lag. The Wiimote tucks into the back of the guitar quickly and comfortably, with room for the little strap and a small cable to connect to the Wiimote nunchuk style. The fret buttons all have ample squish feedback (that’s the technical term, I swear! Look it up!), and the face buttons all work as you’d expect. I know, a real shocker. The strum bar clicks quietly, more so than on previous versions, and is barely audible at all during gameplay. The good news about that is that when you screw up, the Wiimote’s tiny speaker is that much more audible thanks to the strum bar being quiet. Ah, being reminded that you’re a screw up was never so satisfying

For tonight, that’s all I’m going to give you, bedtime calls and tomorrow, the real job calls too. Dammit. In the next update I’ll tell you a bit about my first boss battle, my first online battle, and what I think of the song selection as it’s been revealed to me so far. Please, for the sake of my ego, remain on the edge of your seats…

Guys? Guys?…Hello?

Cool: RetroZone to offer Wii Adapters for Old Controllers!

Jason Ward — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:50:03 +0000

The other day I was commenting to my girlfriend, whilst playing a Virtual Console game on my shiny new Nintendo Wii, “Now all we need is for someone to offer adapters so we can use the old NES/SNES controllers on the Wii!”. And what, just 2 days later, do I see? RetroZone has announced just that, for both the NES and the SNES. Now all we need is for these guys to send us review copies to try out! Oh, and since you obviously are into the whole “let’s make adapters” thing, why not whip out some adapters for the Genesis, N64 and TG16 controllers while you’re at it?

Nintendo issues “Wii Safety” bulletin

Jason Ward — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 13:29:45 +0000

Apparently taking the issue of people getting overzealous in their Wii playing seriously, Nintendo has issued an email–presumably just to registered users, of which I am one–asking users to be sure and follow the safety guidelines when playing with their Wii’s. While the warning is certainly justified (the number of idiots hurting themselves, others, or even their possessions due to overly rough play is pretty staggering–if not kind of funny–as documented by the fine folks at Wii have a Problem).

The official content of the email follows after the break, so click that “read more” deal to see for yourselves. Ideally, you’re already smart enough not to hurt yourselves while playing, but if there are any doubts in your household, we definitely recommend printing this one out.

Wii(TM)
http://l.nintendo-news.com/l/r/04N5X5Z30WlJG0GGjX

Hello,

We hope you are enjoying your Wii. When using the Wii
system, please review this safety information to insure an
enjoyable and safe play experience.

Wear the wrist strap when using the Wii Remote.
Make sure all players use the wrist strap and that the strap
lock is correctly tightened. When sharing the Wii Remote
between multiple players, make sure each person using the
remote properly uses the wrist strap. Wearing the wrist
strap will prevent you from accidentally dropping or
throwing the remote during game play which could damage the
remote or surrounding objects, or cause injury to other
people.

Do not let go of the remote during game play.
For example, in a game like Wii Sports bowling, the ball is
thrown by simply releasing the B Button on the remote, not
by letting go of the remote! Hold the remote securely and
avoid excessive motion during game play. If your hands
become moist, stop and dry your hands. Excessive motion may
cause you to let go of the remote and may break the wrist
strap.

Allow adequate room around you during game play.
Stay at least three (3) feet away from the television. Make
sure objects and other people are out of your range of
movement or arm motion to prevent damage or injury.

For more information on Wii safety, please visit
nintendo.com/consumer/wiisafety.jsp:
http://l.nintendo-news.com/l/r/04N5X5Z30WlJG0GGjX

Thanks and we hope you are enjoying your new product!

Nintendo of America Inc.

The Return of Samurai Shodown

gustavo — Wed, 17 May 2006 21:21:56 +0000

At E3 I had a brief interview with SNK’s President
Ben Herman on the Samurai Shodown series.

UBS: Will we see any release of the Samurai
Shodown 1 to 3?

Ben Herman: We are not planning releasing
any of the older Samurai Shodown games.

UBS: Are their any plans to release a new
Game based Around the Samurai Shodown?

Ben Herman: We are planning on creating a
new Samurai Shodown game.

This was all the information I was able to get from Mr. Herman on the Samurai Shodown. It is unknown if the game will remain 2D or if it will follow the path of the new King of the Fighters games and make the move over to 3D. With SNK focusing development on Nintendo Wii it could be possible it can become a Wii only game.

First Impressions of Wii: Red Steel

Scott Pohlers Games Columnist — Fri, 12 May 2006 10:44:19 +0000

During E3 I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the new Nintendo Wii in order to try out a game that just may be one of the system’s killer apps. Red Steel is a first person shooter set in modern day Tokyo; it is being developed by Ubisoft. The game makes excellent use of the system’s unique controller (affectionately referred to as the Wii-mote) for aiming, moving, and shooting.

The Wii-mote took a little getting used to, as it is extremely sensitive and responsive, but after a couple minutes it became very intuitive and natural to use. I was easily using the Wii-mote to aim and fire my gun onscreen. Also, at one point in the game I was able to use a Samurai sword to combat my enemies and again the controller performed flawlessly as the sword slashes on screen matched my hand and wrist movements.
The game itself played well and looked fantastic.

For being a Wii game, I was surprised with the amount of detail that went into the lighting, shading, explosions, and environment. Visually it looked about as good as Perfect Dark Zero for the Xbox 360. The Wii is certainly not as lacking in the graphical department as reports would lead you to believe, plus it looked fine on the HDTV that I was playing on. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with both the game and the Wii in general and I had to keep reminding myself that what I was playing is only a demo of a game that is still months away from release. In closing, Nintendo is proving that they are still very much a force to be reckoned with and all I can say is that I can’t wait to buy my own Nintendo Wii so I can immerse myself in games like Red Steel.