GamerCrave.com » Nintendo

Next Nintendo Console Packs Greater Graphical Power than PS3 and Xbox 360, Debuts at E3 this June

Rothtana Ouch — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:34:12 +0000

Multiple sources have confirmed the existence of the Wii‘s successor and the next Nintendo cash cow pegged for an announcement to hit this June at E3.

Sources close to the situation have confirmed that the new console will be more powerful than the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. A more powerful unit makes sense at this time and would mean strong sales for the new console. By outperforming the PS3 and the Xbox 360, Nintendo can immediate leap frog to next-generation graphics and could be the go-to-console by default.

The unit itself will not be gimmick based but appeal to core gamers.

Nintendo will also seek to improve third party relationships and ensure third party publishers be successful on their new console as opposed to the Wii’s sticky relationship with current-gen publishers. Third-party publishers often found their games to not achieve Nintendo-like success in their published games.

No word yet, if backwards compatibility will be supported on the new platform or if the Wii brand will carry over. Thanks, Gameinformer.

We’re going to do our best to track down more details, so check back often.

News Roundup: Minecraft on Molyneux’s Brain, Nintendo Says No, NGP Gets Metaphysical

Rothtana Ouch — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:10:00 +0000

In this news roundup, we take a look at Peter Molyneux gushing over Minecraft. We also get Reggie Fils-Aime’s washing his hands clean of indie developers, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) Chief Andrew House discussion on the future of NGP with musings on NGP game distribution.

It’s all informative and very fun.

Molyneux Mined

“I think Minecraft’s the best thing I’ve played in the last ten years,” said Peter Molyneux in an interview with IGN. “And what’s so brilliant about it – and I’ve met Markus and he’s a real inspirational person. He did everything on his own, and I think how brilliant and inspirational that is, to not need the full force of publishers and marketing people.”

Incredible, the best thing Peter Molyneux has played in the last ten years is a title he didn’t even develop. We’re thinking Fable might have been a little over hyped now. In all seriousness, Minecraft is a favorite of ours too, we even hope to name our children Minecraft one day.

Nintendo vs Indies

In an interview with Gamasutra, Reggie Fils-Aime says Nintendo is maintaining a clear distinction between independent developers and “hobbyist.”

“Where we’ve drawn the line is we are not looking to do business today with the garage developer. In our view, that’s not a business we want to pursue,” said Fils-Aime.

Maybe, Fils-Aime needs to sit down with some Minecraft and a Peter Molyneux consistently yelling at him how Minecraft is the single sweetest video game developed by one man. Now and again everyone needs a hug. Molyneux give Fils-Aime a hug. After all, without garages there would be no Microsoft or maybe that is Nintendo’s point.

NGP Same Day Release

Sony’s NGP, the worse kept industry secret is shaping out to be an interesting successor to the PlayStation Portable. The two owners of the original PSP will recall that certain titles released in retail never appeared on PSN, we’re looking at you Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep. Sony is making that problem go away by offering all NGP retail releases available on PSN same day.

“One thing we learnt from PSP, is that we want to have simultaneous delivery in digital and physical for NGP,” said SCEE Chief Andrew House in an interview with MCV. “Just to clarify that, all games that appear physically will be made available digitally.”

Awesome news, just to clarify for our readers, SCEE Chief Andrew House just said, “All games that appear physically will be made available digitally.”

We’re simply repeating it for clarity and for future evidence. During the interview House also acknowledge that PlayStation Suite could extend pass Android.

Readers, share with us your best Minecraft is awesome story, your PSP heartaches and your thoughts on Nintendo’s fear of disease from indies.

Nintendo Wants to Trademark “It’s On Like Donkey Kong”

Jared Newman — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:03:48 +0000

Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis. When Ice Cube mentioned video games he couldn’t picture this.*

Nintendo, apparently, wants to trademark the phrase, “It’s on like Donkey Kong.” The company has filed a request with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to CNN. ”In addition to Nintendo’s use, it has been used in popular music, television and film over the years, pointing to Donkey Kong’s status as an enduring pop-culture icon and video game superstar,” Nintendo claims.

Maybe, but I’m not sure that’s what Ice Cube was aiming for.

My general understanding of Ice Cube’s “Now I Gotta Wet’Cha,” is that it’s a rap about shooting people. Why the opening line is “It’s on like Donkey Kong” is anybody’s guess, but to my knowledge this rap is the origin of the phrase.

As CNN notes, Nintendo’s request could very well be a publicity stunt for Donkey Kong Country Returns, which launches on November 21. Either that, or it’s a horribly misguided attempt to gain control of a phrase that Nintendo should probably just avoid altogether. In any case, I do like Giant Bomb’s suggestion that Nintendo use “Now I Gotta Wet’Cha” in an ad campaign for the upcoming game. Better yet, let’s see DK in his own open-world shooter. [CNN via Giant Bomb]

*Yes, I know that’s Notorious, not Ice Cube, just in case anyone was thinking of pointing it out.

NES Zapper Soap Blasts Away the Stink

Jared Newman — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:14:18 +0000

Formally known as “Duck Hunt Gun Soap,” this Nintendo Zapper is compatible with all kinds of dirt and grime, even though the thought of rubbing a gun all over yourself is kind of creepy. The Duck Hunt Gun Soap weighs 12 ounces and is, unfortunately, completely flat on one side. But it is loaded with coconut, palm and safflower oils, plus glycerin and a bunch of other materials I’d rather not get acquainted with on a name-basis. Digitalsoaps is selling this big bar of Zapper over at Etsy for $17, plus $8 shipping to the United States. [Etsy via Technabob]

The First Rule of Super Smash Bros. Is …

Jared Newman — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:01:50 +0000

Super Smash Bros. looks like all fun and games from afar, but Robot Pencil envisions the game as a Fight Club of sorts, where all your favorite Nintendo characters go to feel more like real men (even Samus). The above image is the first in an upcoming series by DeviantArtist Robot Pencil, mashing up Smash Bros. with the grit of David Fincher’s frightening 1999 film.

If only Nintendo had the guts to give Smash Bros. the gory, primal spin-off it deserves, we could finally learn that Mario is actually Luigi’s dominant alter-ego, and that Donkey Kong is just a washed up bodybuilder with gynecomastia. Call it Super Smash Bros. Mayhem. [DeviantArt via GameCulture]

How to Make a One-Handed Gamecube Controller

Jared Newman — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:49:31 +0000

Netherlands-based hacker Hasse’s brother can only use one of his hands, which makes playing video games nearly impossible. So Hasse applied some Wii principles to a standard Gamecube controller, adding motion control that makes it easy to play games one-handed. An accelerometer controls basic movement — the green LED lights where the gamepad is usually located indicate direction — and the left trigger was swapped to the underside of the right handle, where it can be pressed with an index finger. There’s even a toggle for turning on analog controls.

To do this at home, you’ll need a Gamecube controller (Hasse started with four from various manufacturers, so he could figure out the best one to build from), a microcontroller, an accelerometer, a digital to audio converter and a bit of technical know-how. Hasse’s web page walks through the process, and there’s a YouTube video tutorial as well. The whole set-up cost 135 Euros, but you can shave the cost down if you’ve already got a Gamecube system and spare controllers. Hasse notes:

And then… playing games with a bottle of beer in my left hand… It seems it also very handy for people that are able to use both hands.

Right on. [Hasse's Hacks via Engadget]

Super Mario Bros., Played Outside on a Sidewalk

Jared Newman — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 01:12:37 +0000

Wow, I wish there was more information about this video, in which Super Mario Bros. is played against a tall sidewalk curb. Unfortunately, the only description on Vimeo is of the game’s plot. In German. From the user comments, it looks like there’s some camera motion tracking involved, possibly with software such as PFhoe. You only need to watch a minute or so of the video to get the gist. Also worth noting: This is a flawless run of Super Mario Bros (albeit with warp zones). [via Gizmodo]

Terrify Your Children With This Mario “Bedtime Story”

Jared Newman — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:39:50 +0000

“Mario and the Malicious Mushroom Kingdom” subscribes to the philosophy that everything’s better with zombies (See also: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies). So while the short tale, penned by Destructoid community member goodgamer77, looks like a fun little fairy tale on its face, it quickly reveals a sinister side.

Here’s how goodgamer77 describes it, though I wouldn’t take anything he says at face value after seeing what he did to some of gaming’s most beloved characters:

As a father of spastic two-year old son, I am saddened by the state of children’s books available. The only passable books I found at Barnes and Noble were books that were made shortly after The Great War. While I appreciate a classic Cat in the Hat or Winnie the Pooh tale, I wanted to weave a yarn more relevant to our times. The project began to stray a bit, but it ends with a good moral.

I’m not going to post the whole thing in full here, so just check it out on Destructoid. Think of it as one of those dark fairy tales, and please, think twice before ruining Mario for your young children. [Destructoid via Albotas]

Retro Goes Futuristic With Glow-In-The-Dark NES

Justin Massoud — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:40:09 +0000

When I was young I tinkered with my NES, removing the top and using a deck of playing cards to hold down the cartridge just to see if it would still work. And it did. True story! But if my NES was all fancy and glow-in-the-dark like the one gameculture.com found I might think twice about taking it apart, let alone using it for anything other than a display.

To get that invincibility star glow the console has been painted with a special type of paint that reacts to blacklights. It still glows without one, but for maximum effect one is required. This sucker sells for $250, but alas, it’s presently sold out. Maybe by Christmas-time it’ll be back in stock.

[Gameculture via Thretris]

High School Bomb Scare Involves Game Boy, Stupidity

Jared Newman — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:00:33 +0000

Using a Nintendo Game Boy and a cell phone, a high-school student in Florida allegedly concocted a fake bomb in hopes of winning the admiration of his peers. I say he could’ve done that by creating some sweet chiptunes or at least getting a respectable score in Tetris, but instead police say 18 year-old Lars O’Mara tied the Game Boy and cell phone together, exposed some wires out of the contraption and taped the whole thing beneath a bathroom sink. Another student spotted the fake Game Boy bomb and told the authorities.

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Panama City Beach, Fla., says O’Mara admitted to creating and planting the fake bomb, hoping it would make him popular and get his fellow students out of class. The latter was a success at least, as three quarters of the student body went home or were pulled from school by their parents. The rest waited an hour outside before returning to class, but I doubt they got much learning done with most of their peers gone. O’Mara faces felony charges of manufacturing a hoax explosive. A smarter prankster would’ve tried this at 17, so his name wouldn’t be revealed and forever spread across the Web. Alas, his future is probably tarnished, as is a perfectly good Game Boy. [Miami Herald via Kotaku]

Nintendo Cartridge Soaps Deserve the Quality Seal

Jared Newman — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:36:40 +0000

The world of video game soaps is vast, but the latest Nintendo cartridges from GeekSoap look good enough to play. From the creator, PinkToque:

GEEKSOAP Game Cartridge bars are handmade one-at-a-time from natural vegetable glycerin and moisturizers, enriched with aloe and vitamin E. These bars are generously scented with an incredibly refreshing lime mint fragrance and come shrink-wrapped to seal in freshness and allow you to keep the soap on display until you’re ready to use it. GEEKSOAP is vegan friendly!

More photos past the jump.

The basic Nintendo cartridge and the 16-bit SNES cartridge cost $6.50 each. There’s also a Nintendo 64 cartridge for $5 and tiny Game Boy guest soaps for $2 each. If you order a home console soap now, GeekSoap is giving a way a free Game Boy cartridge with every purchase. All soaps are available unscented, if you’re not down with smelling like lime and mint, but still want to be cleansed by Nintendo. [GeekSoap via Geeky-Gadgets]

Bo Knows 8-Bit Sneakers on eBay

Jared Newman — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:29:44 +0000

If you love Bo Jackson and video games, wear a size 8.5 sneaker and have $140 to burn, we’ve got great news: Someone’s selling a pair of “Bo Knows” Nike sneakers commemorating the former baseball and football star on eBay. As you can see above, the gaming angle is on the inside of one of the tongues, with pixelated versions of Jackson in Tecmo Bowl and a baseball game that I’m not sure about. Bo Jackson Baseball, perhaps?

Jackson’s performance in the NES classic Tecmo Bowl is about as legendary as his real-life accomplishments, or perhaps more so, given that his professional career only lasted about five years (plus a brief comeback to baseball in 1993). His Tecmo Bowl character is known for monster running plays, as you can see on YouTube. “I can guarantee that I can’t go a week without someone mentioning something about ‘Tecmo Bowl,” he told Salon in 2004. That might be why these sneakers, new in box, command such a pretty penny on eBay. Note that they’re technically a size 9, but the seller says they run small, so they’d really fit best for a size 8.5. Bo doesn’t know shoe sizes. [via GameSniped]

GamerCrave.com » Nintendo

Next Nintendo Console Packs Greater Graphical Power than PS3 and Xbox 360, Debuts at E3 this June

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