Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Not long ago, we spent a little time talking about the games you were looking forward to next year. Today, we want to do the opposite. What upcoming hyped game just doesn't do it for you? Are you so over The Conduit? Could you possible care any less about anything to do with Punch-Out!!? If you're ho-hum over anything, we want to know about it.

Looks like Monster Games -- the folks behind the Wii launch title Excite Truck -- are hard at work on a super secret new project for the console, and have been for a long time. How secret is it? So secret, apparently, that they have to turn down their monitors when unauthorized folks walk into the office. Sounds like anything but an Excite Truck follow-up, eh? There aren't many reasons to keep that a secret. So what could it be? Monster Games only seems to put out racing titles, so we're gonna bet there will be vehicles and high speeds, but that could cover a lot of ground. Some have guessed that it might be an all-new F-Zero, but frankly, we're holding out for something that's really new and not a revival. Not that we wouldn't enjoy a little F-Zero, but we like new things, too.

[Via The Tanooki]

You may or may not like the changes that are coming for the Play on Wii release of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, but we're willing to bet that you'll like at least one thing -- the game's updated look. While the changes aren't particularly obvious at a glance, when they're side-by-side with the originals, you can easily see the refinements and additions, which is why we've got a few comparisons here, just for you. You can even see some of the refinements in the tiny image above, like the scales, but if you want the full effect, you're going to want to step into our gallery below.



[New images via Dengeki; old via GameSpot]

Nintendo's logo isn't the only thing that seems to be missing a little color lately; the latest batch of screenshots from Sonic and the Black Knight are noticeably washed out in comparison to the last set we peeped. Those last screens were lush, bold, and beautiful, and while these look good, they just don't look as bright. There's something gritty in this new batch, though, something that's a little dark and a little dirty and very appealing. Go forth, young knight, and see for yourself.

If you're in the U.S., it's Black Friday, and by the time you get around to reading this, all the best deals are already gone. Isn't that crazy? It's not if you ended up with a pile of games, gifts, or both! So did you brave the crowds (or the clicks) at the crack of dawn this morning, or did you stay home, snuggled in bed, sleeping off the after-effects of tryptophan? If you snagged some deals, please share 'em with us, so that we may salivate with jealously.

Over the holidays, when Auntie Mabel starts railing at you for your inability to put down that "Nintendorn GameWii thing," you can happily tell her (or whomever) that it's perfectly okay -- you're not addicted to gaming. After a lot of fuss over long hours of gaming, a rehab center in Amsterdam that began a treatment program for video game addiction a few years ago. Now, however, those same individuals who began the program no longer think that gaming is the issue. Instead, the root of the problem lies elsewhere.

Keith Bakker, the clinic's founder, says that "ninety percent" of the kids they're treating are not addicted to gaming, though the symptoms are sometimes similar to people in the throes of substance addiction. But now that they've worked with so many patients, Bakker believes the root of the problem lies with parents, and with schools, for not noticing the feelings of isolation and social frustration that can often lead young gamers to escape for hours each day with their consoles.

This is interesting to us, of course, as gamers, because it reinforces the same things many in the community have said when games are linked to various crimes. Now, if only we can take games completely out of the equation -- because they're just a convenient tool for escape, after all, and now even science knows they're not the cause -- maybe we can start to help kids who are struggling to find ways to fit in.

[Via Terra Nova]

Have kids, or maybe younger siblings or cousins? If so, it's likely that, sometimes, you play games with them -- but what to play? The Brainy Gamer has a list of actually-good games that are also kid-friendly, and while this set is definitely a great place to start, we're betting you can add some more. Obviously, Wii Sports will always be good family fare, but with the holiday season kicking into gear, we'll probably be playing more and more games with the family. So what do you choose?

So the Wii is two years old now. Huzzah! But looking back, with everything you might have bought for your system (excluding games), do you feel like it was a bargain? It was the cheapest of this generation's home consoles, after all, and the bargain aspect was played up by a lot of people. At this point in time, do you feel like you got a good deal on your Wii? Even if you don't, was it/is it worth it?

We've said a lot about Castlevania Judgment -- some good, some bad, some after giving it a go. But the time has come to see what's really going on with it, now that it's in circulation. And so, with bated breath, we present ... other people playing Castlevania Judgment, and then talking about it.

Nintendo Power (70/100) says not to expect Castlevania from this Castlevania: "If you forgo your expectations of what a Castlevania game should be--or are simply looking for a respectable 3-D fighting game--you should have a good time with Judgment."

1UP (16/100) kind of, well, hated it: "Beyond the strange art direction, Judgment suffers from jarring mechanics that disregard established fighting conventions. The uncompromising camera displays the action in a bizarre, disconcerting manner that tracks players in a 3D area filled with environmental hazards. And in combat, the camera's way too difficult to control. "

IGN (75/100), however, did not: "The combat is deep and entertaining, the characters are well balanced and very unique as a full-on roster, and everything from sub-weapons to specials, combo attacks, in-level traps and monsters, and epic super attack animations are well done and true to the source material."

After the recent back-and-forth, is-it, isn't-it on the fate of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers, Game|Life's Chris Kohler sat down and did a little in-depth examination of the situation, and in his opinion, things aren't looking too great for Square Enix fans hoping for an epic SE experience on the Wii. While he grants that Square Enix stated outright that the game still exists and is still in development, he calls it vaporware and seems to doubt that the title will ever see a release. There's some interesting analysis of SE's press release that's worth looking at, as well as prior statements on rumors from Electronic Gaming Monthly.

Either this is going to be the best game ever, or something -- like Dragon Quest IX and Final Fantasy XIII? -- is diverting resources. Even SE can only make so many sprawling gaming experiences at a time. We diehards need to just settle back and wait for the dust from Final Fantasy XIII and co. to clear (if it ever does); after that, we'll probably get word on The Crystal Bearers. Chris Kohler may not agree, but if Square Enix says The Crystal Bearers are coming, well, we'll just believe they are. Someday, at least.

Hey, look! It's an offbeat action/puzzler all about your quest to spray everything with various liquids! You might think we've been here before (uh, except for the spraying), and you might be right. Not that this means we're making any predictions about the fate of Tecmo's SPRay. Nope, we're just going to sit back and insist that you look at the footage. That we can recommend. The voiceover? Not so much.

There's not much we'd rather do on the weekend than stare for hours at the gorgeous MadWorld, but since we can't look at the real thing, we'll have to settle for a few new screenshots. Not everyone agrees (blasphemy!), but we can't find anything wrong with a little black and white violence. Study the new screens (located in our gallery below) and see if you agree.

[Via GoNintendo]

It's well-established that most average gamers don't seem to think too much of Wii Music, but what about all the casual and irregular gamers in your life? Do they even know about Wii Music, and if so, what do they think of it? Heard anyone asking for it, or know anyone who's gone out to buy it? Nintendo seems to think the title has a lot of potential in the home stretch, and we want to try to measure that by what you've heard and seen.

So, with the holidays creeping up, and statements about expected stock, we thought it might be a good time to ask who you know that might be looking for a console this holiday season, and also, what your general predictions are about Wii sales this year. Now that it's been out for a while, will the holiday demand be quite so crazy? Particularly with the economy doing, uh, a little poorly, it seems sales might not be quite so robust this year, but stranger things have happened, particularly when it comes to the gaming industry.

Update: Huzzah! Square Enix says the game is still on.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers is more than just a long title -- it's also a questionable game with a sketchy history. It's a history that may finally have come to a close, however: after back-and-forth rumors of the game's continuation and demise, apparently the latest issue of EGM points toward the game's cancellation. While the EGM rumor may be off track, we're certainly not surprised if it does turn out to be the truth. We've been considering it gone for some time, and only now, as we are reminded of what could have been, are we saddened again. Lament with us in the comments, if you wish.

[Via GoNintendo]