news via hexus

Nintendo are expanding their Wii Virtual console by adding two new formats to the existing ones. Games for the NEO GEO and MSX formats will be available for download this Spring in Japan. Currently, Nintendo haven't confirmed whether the formats will be available in the US, UK or Europe.

According to the Japanese Nintendo site, the first two games made available will be Eggy and Aleste.

Amongst those games that we could be looking forward to are the Fatal Fury series, Metal Slug and Neo Bomberman on NEO GEO and Metal Gear, Dragon's Quest and Final Fantasy for the MSX.

feedback via comment ...

news via fortwayne

Video games are usually a solitary pastime. But that doesn’t mean that gamers are anti-social misfits, any more than readers, knitters or crossword solvers.

We have friends, siblings, spouses and kids, and when we’re not off saving the world on our own, we enjoy playing games with our loved ones.

No one has emphasized the social aspect of gaming more than Nintendo. The company named its new machine “Wii” (pronounced “we”) to emphasize “this console is for everyone,” with the double-i meant to symbolize “the image of people gathering to play.” Wii games like “Wii Sports,” “Rayman Raving Rabbids” and “Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz” are undeniably more fun to play with a crowd.

That’s not to suggest that the Wii has a stranglehold on multiplayer action. Particularly in the sports and fighting genres, there are plenty of PlayStation and Xbox games that thrive with two or more players. But Sony and Microsoft haven’t reached out to non-traditional gamers the way Nintendo has.

•“WarioWare: Smooth Moves” (Nintendo, for the Wii, $49.99): “Smooth Moves” is a collection of more than 200 “microgames,” each about five seconds long, that require you to use the Wii’s remote control in different ways. You may be asked to hold it like bicycle handlebars, a barbell or a telephone; as the events get sillier, you hold it in front of your nose or on top of your head. You’ll find yourself flapping your arms, swiveling your hips, squatting and jumping.

Each round consists of 10 to 20 microgames that seem to come faster as the game progresses, and half the battle is figuring out what the game wants you to do before time runs out. The main multiplayer challenge is like a game of hot potato in which you pass the remote each time a new game starts. There’s plenty of irreverent comedy, with tasks ranging from zipping up a guy in a panda suit to helping granny put her dentures in, which makes “Smooth Moves” almost as much fun to watch as it is to play.

•“Wii Play” (Nintendo, for the Wii, $49.99): The “Wii Sports” disc that was packaged with the Wii attracted a lot of players to the new console, and I still find myself returning to its sweet bowling simulation. Fans have been clamoring for more, but “Wii Play” is a letdown. It consists of nine games, only one of which – billiards – has any real staying power. Most of the remaining games – shooting, table tennis, laser hockey, a tank battle and cow racing – show some promise but just don’t have enough meat on them. And the final three, including fishing and two observation games where you have to find and manipulate your “Mii” avatar, are just annoying.

The main draw for most Wii maniacs is that “Wii Play” comes with a controller, which normally costs $40. So, for an extra 10 bucks you’re getting a fairly decent demo disc. And since Wii controllers have been in short supply, it may be a bargain that’s too good to pass up.

•“Fuzion Frenzy 2” (Microsoft, for the Xbox 360, $49.99): With “Fuzion Frenzy 2,” Microsoft has tried to muscle into the party-game market by hiring Hudson Soft, the developer of Nintendo’s popular “Mario Party” franchise. Unfortunately, “Frenzy” substitutes the charm of Mario and his gang for an irritating intergalactic game show. There are 40 different minigames, ranging from lame (gravity-defying slam dunks) to somewhat amusing (smashing your opponents with a hammer), but there’s nothing you’ll want to play more than once.

“Frenzy” is also marred by a confusing scorekeeping system and a dumb gimmick that allows losers to play cards to steal points from the winners, killing any desire to play skillfully. Still, “Fuzion Frenzy 2” is the only thing of its kind on Microsoft’s console, so it could be an adequate rental for Xbox 360 users desperate for a party game.

feedback via comment ...

news via philly

Sure, there are some great games like Wii Sports and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, but I'm especially impressed with Nintendo's foray into online connectivity. While Microsoft's Xbox Live service proved during the last console generation that Bill Gates and company had online gaming mastered, no one could have predicted that Nintendo would do so well with its first serious attempt to connect a console to the Internet.

While Nintendo's previous system, the GameCube, could get online via either broadband or dial-up adapter peripherals, there was practically no reason to bother. Only devotees of Sega's Phantasy Star Online role-playing game had the need to reach cyberspace. It's an entirely different story with the Wii, which is equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity right out of the box, allowing it to go online through your wireless home network. Wii owners who lack Wi-Fi support can buy a $29.99 LAN adapter to connect to a standard wired network.

Once online, Wii gamers can check out news and weather information or surf the Web using a Wii-optimized, beta version of the Opera web browser. Parents who are concerned about their children's Internet use - and who isn't these days? - should take note of parental controls built into the Wii set-up menu. These can be used to limit access to the online environment as well as block children from playing inappropriate games. Without the parental controls activated, I readily accessed social networking site MySpace as well as the Playboy Web site through my Wii - all in the name of research, mind you. Thankfully, it only takes a minute to configure the parental filtering.

The Wii Shop Channel lets gamers access old-school games, for a fee. Some of the most beloved titles from retro systems like the NES, SNES, N64, Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx are available for download, and more games are being added on a regular basis. Nintendo calls this feature the "Virtual Console." Just be aware that you'll need an additional controller to play the older games. GameCube controllers will work with some of the retro titles, but others require Nintendo's Classic Controller, which sells for $19.99 but can be hard to find. The latest addition to Wii's online menu is the Everybody Votes Channel, which allows gamers to have their say in online polls.

If there's a gripe concerning the Wii's online component, it's that, as of now, there are no actual games featuring online play. That means you can't play a Wii game against an opponent who isn't sitting next to you on the couch. The first wave of online multiplayer-enabled Wii titles should become available by summertime, so we'll have a better idea of the system's multiplayer capabilities by then. It would be great, for example, to play the new Smash Bros. title, scheduled for a late June launch, against opponents from around the world.

In the meantime, I'm amusing myself with Wii Play, an amusing game that builds on the casual, fun style of Wii Sports. Players can choose one of nine mini-games, including Fishing, Laser Hockey and Shooting Range. All are easy to learn, but challenging nonetheless. My favorite is a battle between toy tanks that shoot it out with cannons, missiles and mines, all while navigating a wooden maze. Want to play against a friend? Nintendo makes it easy by including an extra Wii remote inside the Wii Play package.

feedback via comment ...

new release via hallo007



This application if very good for customizing your firmware. This program does write to flash. Be advised that no one is responsible besides yourself if you brick your psp!

Changelog for Flash Agent F4

* Bug fix : crash after relink dummy files
* Bug fix : a "." can eb added in your own instruction manual site
* Bug fix : Manual hacks should work 100% now
* Graphics Bug fix: dumping
* new start up
* !!Security upgrade!!
* Music can be played under file browser
* screenshots can be made while pressing note
* Possibility to flash system_plugin.rco and recover
* Possibility to flash game_plugin.rco and recover
* Firmware version showed while start up
* Possibility to view the size of a file
* Possibility to move faster in file browser

download and give feedback via comment ...

news via ign



Burnout Dominator from EA Games will definitely have us pushing the pedal to the metal and our fingers on the NOS button. Watch your back though as your opponents won't hesitate on turning you into a piece of roadkill - or a piece of burning twisted metal for that matter. In game, you'll have all the freedom to drive like a maniac and leave skid marks as your signature.

Burnout Dominator challenges gamers to face off against a series of hot-blooded rivals in brutal tests of aggressive driving techniques where performing burnouts gives you the advantage and multiplies your score potential.

feedback via comment ...

new release via mcdongle

heres what he had to say-

Well I finally got some spare time to get pspWeather up to a certain point that I felt was "ok" to release it. There are a few features I still want to implement, but I hope you enjoy the update.

NOTE: This release is intended for firmware v1.5.



pspWeather v2.0b
by mcdongle

Disclaimer
pspWeather comes with absolutely no warrenty of any kind. By using this application
you are taking full responsibility of your actions and what it may or can do to your PSP.

Notes:
- See versions.txt for changes
- I know there is some text that doesn't center properly. This will be fixed at a later date.
- Only up to 10 wireless access points will be shown. I will also fix this later.
- You may want to clean out your data directory every so often. I haven't implemented anything to clean it yet.
- PLEASE DONT EXIT/POWER DOWN/REMOVE MEMORY STICK while memory stick light is on!

Configuration:
Edit \PSP\GAME\PSPWEATHER\config.xml with any text editor and place your location code
Search for your location code!
- Go to http://xoap.weather.com/search/search?where= and type your location there.
(eg"http://xoap.weather.com/search/search?where=Rome Italy"
- Then read the displayed location id's, and choose which one you need. (eg <loc id="ITXX0067" type="1">Rome, Italy</loc>So use ITXX0067 in the config file)

That's it! Run the program and enjoy!

If you have any comments/suggestions or bugs to report, please email me at
[email protected]

download and give feedback via comment ...

new xmb via undertaxxx

heres what he had to say-

Because everyone send me massive amount of pm's and emails i decided to share my whole xmb with all of you. because Innercy have full permissions to share the Icons in psp format we can all enjoy them. Original coming from deviantart and made by Sérgio Catumba and than Innercy from Qj make the icon to 32 bits psp format. Than i decided to restyle everything on the xmb so it's looks perfect with the high resolution icons. Sony must take maybe for psp2 new designers ? . Anyway enjoy it all

Whats all in this package ?

- 32 bits High Ress Black Icons

- 32 bits High Ress Battery Icon

- 32 bits High Ress Volumebar

- 32 Bits month background + Bogus Waves

- 32 Bits High Ress Load Icon (game, savedata, photo & corrupt)

- 32 bits High Ress Load Circle (Right Corner thing)

- Xmb line, Schadow, Selectbar ar customized to Black/Cromé

- All other thats included and i forget



download and give feedback via comment ...

news via gamezone

“It's this management of your own internal resources, combined with mastering combos and special moves to kill specific enemies, that really defines us.”



“The main reason for this decision was simply time,” said Producer Jeff Nachbaur. “Movie games have a reputation of being poor and we here at WBIE (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment) are really trying to fight against that trend.

“More often than not, the biggest issue is that by the time a movie is greenlit and starts filming, it's usually already a very tight development schedule. When we looked at this, we considered our timing and the resources we had available, and to make a movie launch date, we decided the only game that we could really be sure to do well in our time frame was a PSP title. But that's not to say that there won't be something in the future. If the film becomes a classic and our game does well, who knows what may happen.”



You play as King Leonidas, correct? What kinds of strengths and abilities does he have?

Jeff Nachbaur: Yes, you do play as Leonidas. Aside from all his weapon abilities, he has Battle Skills. These are four special abilities that the player will unlock as they play the game. Every time you successfully hit an enemy, you get a little bit of Wrath. When you build enough Wrath, you can then activate a Battle Skill. While the Battle Skill is activated, every hit on an enemy gives you health instead of wrath. It's the way that Leonidas heals himself. It's all about calling on his own inner strength and fortitude to keep going in spite of injury.

Potions and the like just didn't seem very Spartan. It should be all about the warrior and not anything else. That's what a Spartan is. These are guys who went to war naked.

Anyway, we have four different Battle Skills, each with a different effect. There's Fortitude (a quick instant heal), Blood Drunk (a battle rage that increases damage), Defense (Leonidas automatically blocks all incoming attacks), and Eye of the Warlord (time slows for Leonidas, allowing him to dodge enemy attacks and attack them more quickly). Then he has all his combos and weapons. He's a formidable guy.

Tell us about the gameplay. Is this a free-for-all kill-everything-in-sight kind of game, as the movie's battle sequences appear to be?

JN: There is a whole lot of killing of Persians as you would expect. However, there is more to it than that. Our combat system is a bit more thoughtful – it isn't a button masher. You can button mash for the first level or so, but after that, you really need to start thinking about what you're doing. Our solo combat is deep, allowing you to upgrade weapons, use special abilities we call Battle Skills, unleash Wrath attacks, and perform combos to dispatch enemies.

While you are constantly in the action, you are also regularly managing your wrath and health. It's this management of your own internal resources, combined with mastering combos and special moves to kill specific enemies, that really defines us. Then, of course, we have our non-solo sequences, the phalanx, where the gameplay changes for a bit and allows you to control an entire line of Spartan soldiers.

Could you give us an idea of what the missions will be like?

JN: The inspiration for our missions comes directly from the film or comic. For instance, our fourth mission is called First Day. It is inspired directly from the comic's "First Day" at Thermopylae and it is the first big battle between the Spartans and Persians. Although each mission starts with a specific goal in mind, the goals usually change and evolve as the story unfolds. It's all about telling a particular piece of the story. Each ends with a sort of set piece, usually a boss battle or some sort of environmental puzzle. There's a sense of finality to each of them… none of them just end.

In addition, each mission allows you to get to know one of your allies a bit better. Our second mission focuses on Daxos, our third on Astinos, our fourth on Stelios, and so on. This helps the player feel a little more connected to these characters and makes him more invested in the game's ultimate goal, instead of just having a whole slew of faceless Spartan warriors.

Does the game share the same story as the film? How is the story presented – how does it unfold?

JN: Generally, we follow the story of the film and the comic; we are dealing with the same history after all. However, it's only a general guide for us. We don't stick to it like glue. We move things around as needed to hit the dramatic beats that are best for gameplay. We found this to be much more important treating it as canon.

Our big story moments are in our cinematics that occur between missions. ...

Baseball fans be excited because the MLB 2k7 soundtrack is getting great reviews. Tim Rosa, 2K Sports' Director of Brand and Lifestyle Marketing said that "producing this soundtrack was like making a mix tape for a friend, especially considering the profile of the artists and the quality of the songs.

Heres a list of what will be in the soundtrack-

# 311 "Down"
# Bishop Allen "Middle Management"
# Cities in Dust "Emergency"
# Death From Above 1979 "Little Girl"
# Dixie Witch "Set the Speed"
# Editors "Munich"
# Five Horse Johnson "I Can't Shake It"
# Greatdayforup "Man’s Ruin"
# Les Savy Fav "Hold On To Your Genre"
# Nerf Herder "High Five Anxiety"
# Nirvana "Breed"
# Sublime "Summertime"
# Tapes 'n Tapes "Insistor"
# The Jealous Sound "Naïve"
# The M's "Plan Of The Man"
# The Pixies "Mr. Grieves”"
# The Specials "A Message to you Rudy"
# The Stooges "I Feel Alright"
# The Thermals "A Passing Feeling"
# The Walkmen "The Rat"
# Wolfmother "Woman" ...