My Impressions on Brawl - Eric's Thoughts

See that picture up there. That's me. In the sense that I was playing as Luigi then, and in the sense that he's tired and so am I.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is amazing. It's a blast to play and I can't wait to try it out with a group of my friends. I'm going to start off this post with a little bit of a story. The following takes place between 7:30AM and 11:15AM.

I woke up extremely excited to get SSBB! As I do every morning, I hop onto Safari on my iTouch and visit all of my favourite websites. But my excitedness quickly turned to anxiety, when I read on various news sites that Brawl was not working on some Wiis, returning Error Codes and Unreadable Disc codes to the player, because it uses a double-layer DVD disc. And if you had such a problem with your Wii, you would have to send it in for repair, delaying the Brawl playing at least another week. I immediately freaked out for two reasons. First being I never have any good luck when it comes to this kind of stuff, so my Wii probably would not work. Secondly, I had just received such an Error message a week or so earlier when I tried to play Excite Truck.

So, despite my worries, I headed out to Future Shop around 11AM. When I got there, Brawl was just sitting on the shelf, with tons of copies available. I was in and out in under 5 minutes. When I got home, I was so excited, yet nervous at the same time. But I popped the game in, it worked, and I was thrilled!

Now to the actual game. Multiplayer is fun as I expected. My brother and I played a ton of Brawl matches, and tried out almost every character. I have to say that Pit really surprised me. I haven't quite mastered his moveset yet, but he is a very well balanced character and he plays great. My favourite character is still Link, because I know how to kick ass with him. As far as controls go, we only tried one style: Wii Remote and Nunchuck. This is a Wii game, people! It's meant to be played with the Wii controller! The Remote/Nunchuck combo works great. It feels no different then playing with a Cube controller. All of the buttons are there and it's fully customizable. Another aspect I like is the Names feature. I never really played Melee, so Names is new to me. It's a great way to always have your controls perfectly set up.

All in all, Multiplayer Brawl is really the meat of the game. It's the mode you'll be playing the most and it still rocks!

On now to Subspace Emissary. I've played through and almost beaten SSE on Easy, and I've unlocked about 9 of the 14 hidden characters. I have to say that SSE is probably the easiest and fastest way to unlock characters! The game itself is fun at the beginning, but it's very repetitive and gets pretty hard, even on Easy mode. The storyline had me interested, though. It was interesting to see all of the characters come together to fight one evil. The cut scenes were amazing, and should be released as a full length movie! So, in my mind, Subspace Emissary is really just a way to unlock characters, however it is still a definate improvement over the original Classic mode. I would love to see a better polished Adventure Mode in the next Smash Bros. game!

That's all I can think of for now. Stay tuned for Smash screens, videos, and more impressions throughout the week.

Mini-Feature: Expect some announcements from Nintendo soon!?!

It's only the first half of 2008 and we're already seeing so much from Nintendo. Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which will no doubt be one of the biggest games of the year, launches in just a few short weeks. Wii Fit, a huge title for Nintendo this year, launches May 19th with the new Wii Balance Board. WiiWare will be launching May 12th, and will no doubt bring some awesome games to Wii. And Mario Kart Wii should be landing on North America shores sometime this April.

But, then what?

That's what I realized this morning. That's it. Nintendo has made no announcements on what's to come after these four things launch. The last of those being Wii Fit, which is coming in May, is two months away from E3. Would Nintendo really wait that long to announce new games.

This made me realize that no doubt E3 will be huge this year. In 2007, Nintendo had a somewhat mediocre showing at E3, taking time to sort of recognize Wii and DS success around the world. They made a few announcements, but not many new games were revealed, like at E3 2006.

So get ready. I'd expect at least one announcement before E3, and a ton more at Nintendo's E3 Press Conference! It's gonna be a big one this year!

Feature: What we Still need on Wii

If you haven't noticed already, it's November 19th, the 1 year anniversary of the Wii. I remember that day like yesterday: standing in the cold early in the morning in front of Zellers, eagerly waiting for that sought after system. Through the year we've seen some good games, some bad games, and some absolutely weird games. Nintendo is still on top when it comes to the games on their little white box, and with good reason. While the big guns have already been released, Nintendo still hasn't brought some of their other fine franchises to Wii. Below I am going to present the Nintendo franchises that were a hit on the past systems and explain why they should be on Wii.

Animal Crossing
Probably one of the most addicting franchises to hit the DS and Gamecube, Animal Crossing is a perfect fit for Wii's networking capabilities. The Weather Channel, News Channel, and Internet Channel could all benefit the experience. Also, thanks to the Wii disk's superior amount of memory to the cube disks, we can look forward to more animals, more furniture, more clothing, more fish, and the list goes on. It's probably already in development as hinted in an early Wii message board screen and that quick fishing microgame in Warioware, so the game may not be far off.

F-Zero
The futuristic racer hit on the past systems is bound to be a hit on Wii. Using the remote to steer would ease in newcomers, and a massive online would be the icing on the cake. It would be a great alternative to Mario Kart.

Starfox
This one is a must. While the franchise has had its hits and misses, we all know that the action shooter series would be a perfect fit for Wii. The touch controls in Command were great, so it would be nice to see those translated to the pointer. You could also "Do a barrel roll" by shaking the nunchuck. If you don't like pointer controls, no problem. Smash Bros. already demonstrated that Wii games can have a variety of control options. The wiimote speaker would also be great for receiving messages from allies. Top that off with online dogfights and you've got a stellar game.

Pikmin
Pikmin is a concept that seems to be made for Wii, even though the game originated on the Gamecube. Commanding the little creatures with just the remote would make solving puzzles less of a chore. There could also be a level editor to send them to friends on Wiiconnect24! Maybe Miis could be playable in this game somehow? You never know.

Hopefully some of these games are in development, it would be nice to see some of them coming up next year. Even if Galaxy, Metroid, and the soon to be Smash Bros. are out of the way, Nintendo still has a stellar lineup for the rest of the Wii's lifespan!

Feature: When will Luigi get his own game on Wii?

Everyone knows Mario. He's Nintendo's mascot character and one of the most recognizable faces in the world. And I hope that every gamer knows that Mario has a brother, Luigi, who despite not being the center of attention all the time, helps Mario out a lot throughout his journeys.

So, why has Luigi been ignored by Nintendo? Since his creation in 1983, Luigi has played the part of the sidekick younger brother of Mario. In 2001, Nintendo decided to give Luigi his own game, Luigi's Mansion, which filled the gap left by Mario during the Gamecube's launch period. The game was mediocre at best, and received mixed reviews from the press.

Now, with Wii, Nintendo is back on top, and they've given Mario a stellar new adventure on the new platform in the form of an amazing game called Super Mario Galaxy. But, what about Luigi? Will he be ignored yet again, cast aside to lurk in Mario's overpowering shadow? My answer: No.

By now we all know that if you collect all 120 stars in Galaxy, you can play through the entire game as Luigi. That's all fine and good, but when will we see Luigi's game? And I'm not talking the sequel to Luigi's Mansion, oh no. It seems like an obvious choice. A game like Luigi's Mansion perfectly fit's the Wii Remote's intuitive control scheme. However, I'm talking the big time. Luigi deserves his own game, along the same lines of Super Mario Galaxy. So, will he get it? My answer: Yes.

If the perfect Luigi game were to be made, it would have to be just as good as Super Mario Galaxy. Graphics wise. Story wise. Gameplay wise. Music wise. Control wise. Everything has to be on par with Galaxy. I don't think it would be in Nintendo's best interest to make Luigi's Wii game a sequel to Mansion. Yes, a remake of Luigi's Mansion with Wii controls would be cool. But Mario's brother deserves so much more than that! So much more!

You might be asking myself, what got me interested in the Luigi Wii game. I was actually reading Luigi's biography on Wikipedia last night, and it got me thinking about how much I want a good Luigi game for Wii. I love Luigi! He's cool, green, smart, and he has this great personality. And that last point, personality, is one of the most important things because it distinguishes Luigi as an individual, and not just a clone of his older brother.

Lately, we've seen Luigi take on a more commanding and brave role. In Galaxy, Luigi decides to help Mario by collecting a total of 4 power stars for him, which shows that Luigi is braver than he has been portrayed in previous games.

In this feature, I've been reffering to the characters of Mario and Luigi as if they are real people. And that's one of the things that is so special about the Mario franchise. When you're playing a Mario game, you actually connect with the characters. Suddenly, Mario isn't just a game character. He's you. You are Mario. And suddenly, Peach isn't a 3D model anymore, she's a real person that you have to save. So, why is Nintendo treating Luigi as just a video game character? He hasn't gotten a fair chance.

Many gamers are worried about Wii and the coming year. With most of Nintendo's franchises already released for Wii (Mario, Metroid, Zelda), what does the Big N have left? I believe that the answer to that question is a tall man with a mustache wearing green overalls. Luigi. Please Nintendo, give our favourite video game brother his own game. And make it a good one.

Feature: The Channels we want. Will we get them or not?

When Nintendo first announced the Wii Channels, they were touting the infinite possibilities for new channels, that could be downloaded via WiiConnect24. Well, we've been brainstorming, wishing, and praying for some of our most wanted Wii Channels. The question is, will we get them or not?

YouTube Channel
A YouTube Channel is a no brainer for any video game/computer geek! Although the Wii Opera Browser supports YouTube, the playback and controls still don't work 100%. A dedicated Wii YouTube Channel could have superb controls, search, and higher quality video that looks good when It's played on Wii. The only question is, with Apple and YouTube dealing together for iPhone, is a YouTube Channel possible?

Multimedia Channel
Yes sure, the Photo Channel can playback crappy .avi videos, but we need more! We need a dedicated Multimedia Channel for video and music playback via SD cards. Imagine all of your favourite videos, podcasts, video podcasts, music, and more all playing through a sleek looking Wii Multimedia Channel interface. The big dilemma here is file formats and sizes. With the widest supported format, wma, belonging to Microsoft, Nintendo would have to find another format to use for video playback.

Wii Demo Channel
This doesn't necessarily have to be a whole channel on it's own, but it could be built into the Wii Ware section of the shop channel. Nintendo could use this channel to market some of the highly anticipated games. Imagine, being able to download a level of Super Mario Galaxy, or being able to test out Metroid! A dream come true! Nintendo's big problem here is file size. If they don't release a harddrive soon, they're in big trouble, and a Demo Channel could never happen!

Nintendo Power Channel
Reggie and Nintendo Power execs have hinted that a Nintendo Power Channel may be in the works. It would be cool to go in and read through all of the old NP content. They could also provide interactive content, like videos, high res screenshots, etc. Knowing Nintendo, there would be a yearly/monthly payment of Wii Points to access the channel, just to make it fair for all of the subscribers out there. Myself included.

So, those are my top 4 picks for Wii Channels. Let me know what you think! What do you want to see as a new Wii Channel?

Feature: Wii has a great lineup of third party games coming.

Finally, third parties are starting to see the potential of Wii!
by Eric Leamen

Wii has a ton of third party games as of late. But are any of them good? Some, but most of them are last generation ports. Is that any way to embrace a next generation system? I don't think so.

So this year, I was pleasently surprised to see all of the amazing third party titles heading to Wii.

Zack and Wiki is one of Capcom's first original IP's for Wii. With a graphical style similar to Wind Waker, Zack and Wiki promises to deliver amazing and mind busting puzzles! Simple point and click controls allow this game to appeal to all audiences, not just hardcore gamer. I am excited for this game because it uses the Wii controller very intuitively, and although it looks like a kids game, from what I've seen in videos and articles so far, it will take a lot of brain power to complete the game!

Dewy's Adventure is the second Wii effort by Konami's Elebits team. With a somewhat wacky yet well imagined storyline, and a control scheme similar to Marble Mania, Dewy's Adventure is one game that would not work without the Wii remote!

Trauma Center: New Blood is the second Trauma Center game for Wii. The first was really fun, so the second has me really excited. One of the coolest new features about the sequel is the inclusion of co-op surgeries and online leaderboards! If this game is as good as the first, there will be a ton of happy wannabe surgeons when New Blood launches this fall.

Guitar Hero is finally making the jump to Nintendo's platform with Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock. Although I suck at Guitar Hero, and I know 2 of the songs announced so far for GH3, I am excited at the prospect of wireless guitars, online play and downloads. My brother wants to get this game, so hopefully I'll improve with practice!

Boogie is a combination karaoke and dancing game that comes bundled with a microphone peripheral. Although there is no DDR like gameplay mode, Boogie is another third party game that is trying to bridge the gap between hardcore and non gamers. Rumours also state that Boogie will support 3D glasses with the video editor!

MySims is the first original Sims offering for Wii and Nintendo DS. With an exclusive cartoony art style and the ability to build furniture from scratch, MySims takes Animal Crossing to a whole new level! If only it had online! MySims also changes up the character customization, with random styles chosen with just the click of the cursor. Hopefully there will be enough tasks and goals in the game to please players!

Other notable third party games include de Blob, Mario and Sonic, Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles, and the whole series of sports games headed to Wii thanks to EA. de Blob looks simple at first, but when you take a look at the vast cities that need painting, it's not going to be a simple task to take on. Mario and Sonic finally puts the two best known video game mascots in the same arena competing against eachother at the Olympics. But don't be fooled, the game is turning out be a pretty in depth sports title. Compatibility with the Wii Zapper isn't the only thing that makes RE Umbrella Chronicles stand out. We'll finally get to witness the fall of Umbrella while reliving past moments from the first 4 RE games. And EA Sports is finally bringing all of it's major franchises to Wii, with online play included! Look out for Tiger Woods, NFL, NBA, and Fifa!

I'm positive that many more amazing third party titles will make their way to Wii by the end of the year, and in 2008. There are a ton of other titles that I wasn't able to mention in this article. This holiday season will be a great one for Wii owners and Nintendo fans!

Feature: With the Big 3 released, can Nintendo survive next year?

Does Nintendo have enough software firepower to keep the hardcore fans happy?
by Eric Leamen

Right now, Wii is on top, and Nintendo is riding on a huge wave of success. They seem to have looked back at a time when they were on top, and followed the same path that they took then. If you compare, the NES had a Zapper and Power Pad peripheral, as well as the Power Glove. With Wii, they've come out with the Wii Zapper, Balance Board, and Wii remote. Kinda similar, don't you agree?

But the Wii's success isn't based solely on it's peripherals. In fact, the deciding factor in a systems popularity is really the games. So far this year, we started out with a bit of a drought, but in the second half of the year, we'll see huge releases like Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Smash Bros Brawl. That's good and all, but what about next year?

Animal Crossing Wii has been all but confirmed already. Miyamoto has spoke of it many times in interviews and it has already appeared on Japanese release lists. What can it bring us? Well, although it might look kiddy on the outside, don't judge a book by it's cover. If Nintendo can deliver online play, Mii integration, and a long enough set of tasks and projects to take on in your town, than Animal Crossing could very well be one of the major games for 2008.

Mario Kart Wii will most likely be the game that Nintendo will use to keep us satisfied until the hardcore games of 08 hit. Don't get me wrong, Mario Kart will most likely turn out to be a huge success. Already the prospect of motion controls, the Wii Wheel, and the first console online Mario Kart have most fans pretty excited. However I can't help but think that the lack of something "new" could turn off fans. Yes, Double Dash tried to add that special addition element to the game, and it wasn't the best received Mario Kart game. Let's hope Nintendo will surprise us with great online and a slew of new characters come 2008.

Wii Fit will, despite early reactions of most press and media outlets, change the gaming industry as we know it. Moms and Dads everywhere will be buying this game not only for them, but for their kids, and maybe even for Grandma and Grandpa. Though it won't appeal to the hardcore gamer (at all, really) Wii Fit will most likely be one of the best selling games of 2008. Chances are it will end up being quite affordable, too. Think of it as Wii Play with the remote. The Fit game itself couldn't sell for more than $20, then add in the price of the board, and you've got yourself one technologically inexpensive package.

IGN had said before E3 that Nintendo is planning on ressurecting a franchise that most people thought was dead. This could be anything from Kid Icarus to F Zero. Or perhaps they were just talking about Kirby? Who knows, but given the fact that it is an old franchise, this game is sure to be one that will please the hardcore audience.

Starfox will most likely make a return to Wii next year as well. This is one franchise that was pretty much born for Wii. Nintendo needs another great hardcore game for 2008 and this will most likely be one of them. Oh, and of course it needs to be online.

Pikmin Thrii will most likely come down the pipeline next year as well. Miyamoto and many other Nintendo big wigs have stated that the Wii control scheme is perfect for Pikmin. From the sounds of it, though, Miyamoto is not currently working on this project, so, giving Miyamoto ample time to churn out a great game, this title may slip into 2009.

Luigi's Mansion. The game that just screams Wii! This will be one of the coolest titles of 2008 if Nintendo can pull it off. Graphics need a bump and controls need to be spot on for this to work. I think fans would be excepting of a sequel, even though the first wasn't a top seller. With the promise of Wii controls, that could change.

Of course, it's inevitable that Nintendo will release a slew of new Touch Generations and "audience expanding" games. I'd expect to see Nintendogs, Brain Age, maybe even Tetris sometime during the Wii's lifespan.

Obviously I haven't mentioned every possibility, and chances are that some of my predictions will be wrong. Heck, we may not see some of these games until 2009, maybe even never! Remember, these are just predictions, so take everything with a huge grain of salt. I hope you enjoyed reading what I think of 2008 and please feel free to leave your comments and predictions!

Feature - Games of Spring

The Winter drought is over. And there's a flood coming!

It's no secret that the Wii had a tough winter. Resting on the success of launch, and the few killer titles that came with it, not many must have games were released this holiday season. But winter is over. And oh baby, there's a flood coming!

5) Big Brain Academy
Based on the highly popular DS version, Big Brain Academy is the first brain training games for Nintendo's Wii system. With impressive multiplayer, and Mii capability, the games even allows your friends Miis to join the class via WiiConnect24. Big Brain Academy is packed with brain busting activities that are sure to keep you entertained, for a little while at least. June 11th, Nintendo


4) Wii Opera Browser
Ok, so it's not a game, but the final version of the Wii Opera Browser is set to make its debut sometime in April. Similar to the beta version released in December, the full browser will have enhanced zooming, easier access to favourites, the ability to hide the toolbar, and preset buttons with common internet phrases like www or .com. Keep your fingers crossed, though! Tabbed browsing has not yet been confirmed. April, Nintendo/Opera Software


3) Mario Party 8
Mario is having yet another party, and you're all invited when the popular multiplayer hit makes it's debut on Wii! Packed with minigame fun, Mario Party 8 will keep you and at least three friends on your toes with party game madness! Although online play is not included in this title, it looks to be one of the best party games that will be released on the Wii! May 26th, Nintendo


2) Pokemon Battle Revolution
Technically, it's not going to be released until the summer (hell, I don't care!), but Battle Revolution is truly a landmark Wii title. The first game with online play, and the first game with DS connectivity, Pokemon Battle Revolution really is a revolution. In the style of Pokemon Stadium, you'll battle opponents using your Pokemon team built up in Diamond or Pearl. And using the DS touch screen to choose attacks or items, your opponent won't know what's coming! June 25, Nintendo


1) Super Paper Mario
The game I'm looking forward to the most this Spring is actually coming out in 2 1/2 weeks! Super Paper Mario is the italian plumbers first outing on Wii, and it looks as if it will be a memorable one. What appears to be a simple side scroller at first changes dimensions- literally!- when you hit the A button and transform the world into 3D! Mario will have to use every possible entity at his disposal to stop the marriage of Peach and Bowser, and defeat the evil villain, who, surprisingly, is not Bowser! Super Paper Mario is my Top pick for Spring 2007! April 9th, Nintendo

Nintendo, Please Do This!

I will always be devoted to Nintendo, but Sony and Microsoft have been releasing and announcing some major games and services lately. So, what should Nintendo do to to make their company and consoles more popular?

1) Online Games
Nintendo needs to make sure that developers have the proper resources so that they can release amazing online games. Pokemon Battle Revolution will be awesome, but we need 3rd party online.

2) Social Networking
Nintendo needs to make online more open and enjoyable for everyone. Like Playstation Home, Nintendo needs to have some sort of social networking. Miis perhaps?

3) Multimedia
Release a Multimedia Channel, dedicated to music and movies. SD Cards and Flash USB storage should be supported.

4) Mii Expansion Packs
New clothing. Pant colours. Characteristics added. And, I just thought of this today, but you should be able to change the music that plays in the Mii Plaza via. SD Card.

5) Original Games on Wii Shop
Third Party and Indie developers should have some sort of medium for getting their games out to the public. Similar to the Playstation Network and XBox Live.

6) Expansion of Wii Shop
Add original games, downloadable content, and perhaps even Wii Channels Wallpapers!

So, do you think Nintendo will take any of my suggestions into consideration? Do YOU have any suggestions? Leave a comment!

What Wii Learned Today, courtesy of Nintendo!

I realized that with all the stuff going on today in the world of Nintendo, that there are so many little hints that may have gotten lost in all the Press Releases. So, I've compiled this handy list of "What Wii Learned Today!"

1) The new Everybody Votes Channel can only have up to 6 registered Miis.

2) The full version of the Wii Opera browser will be available in March, and it will remain free to download through June 30.

3) Messages and pictures can be sent via. the Wii Message Board to a cellphone!

4) Reggie likes roses, and George is a chocolate guy. Perrin likes to eat flowers. (Just kidding Perrin! We love ya!)

5) Bowser doesn't force Peach to marry him in Super Paper Mario. The floating magician guy does.

6) Since Pokemon Diamond and Pearl have compatibility with the DS Headset, we should see a US release soon.