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Resident Evil: Revelaitons Typo will be Fixed

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 00:03:40 -0800

What started as an upset cry will soon turn into big sales. The first shipment of Resident Evil: Revelations will have the title of the game misspelled on the game’s spine. Reviewers of early copies noticed the typo and asked Capcom about a future fix. Many gamers caught wind of this and began demanding Capcom to solve the problem. They have. Instead of recalling the first games shipped, they promised to correct the typo on future shipments and those that get a typo copy can contact them to receive the fixed boxart by mail. You can have error-free boxart sent to you by either calling 650-350-6700 or emailing accounts@capcom.com. Turns out that some think this slip is going to turn into rare copies selling for much more on ebay so get an early copy just in case!

LINK

-streex

Video :: When Piracy Becomes Theft

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 23:18:58 -0800

There are times when piracy can almost be justified. When the game is no longer for sale at retail or digital, you already own a copy but want a ROM backup, or maybe even when the game is rare and is selling for hundreds more than when it first came out. Piracy is never justified, as this video points out, when the victims are indie developers who sometimes leave the price of the game up to you, asking only for a donation. Take caution as you watch, there is some explicit content in this video. I’m going to go with this guy and start calling pirates, pedophile burglars.

-streex

Raising Our Kids to be Gamers

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 15:08:50 -0800

As gamers, we often dream of our kids growing up and sharing our favorite past time with us. As soon as they can hold a controller we start training them and filling their brains with knowledge of Mario and Zelda games of the past. Obviously we don’t believe those against gaming that say it turns us into lazy, anger filled morons or we wouldn’t be holding weekly gaming nights with the family. I was proud when my oldest at 2 years old was able to turn on the DS and start a game of Nintendogs by herself. Not to mention putting the stylus back after she was done (this took a few tries however). So let me ask...how are you coming along with getting the little one(s) ready to pwn the world?

-streex

Thoughts on the 3DS Stand

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 14:24:00 -0800

Coming in March, Kid Icarus: Uprising will arrive and bundled with it a 3DS stand. That’s right, a stand for a portable game system. The gameplay requires heavy use of the circle pad and touch screen, and instead of changing the control system, Nintendo decided to ship a stand with the game to stabilize the system while you play it. This probably also helps prevent you from shifting the system in different directions in the middle of a tough battle, so you don’t lose the 3D effect in the process. I understand the reasons behind it, but in a way it feels like the stand turns the 3DS into a mini Virtual Boy of sorts. Are you going to embrace this new peripheral or do you feel Nintendo is turning this portable game system into more of an at-home experience?

-streex

Different Link Models Used For Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 14:06:56 -0800

I didn’t know this personally because I haven’t played Majora’s Mask yet, but here’s something for Zelda purists. Did you know different models were used for the two Link’s on the Nintendo 64? In Majora’s Mask, Link finally has a strap for his sword, his ears and hair are more detailed, his boots aren't as chunky, and he has detail on his tunic. Doing some research of my own I noticed that Majora’s Mask took advantage of the Expansion Pak, which allowed compatible games to have better graphics and sound. Another noticed improvement is the Goron models shown below. So there you have it. If you don’t know, now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

Ocarina of Time on left, Majora’s Mask or right (both images)

LINK

-streex

The Time is Right for a Pokemon MMO

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 13:52:27 -0800

We’ve heard the rumors of a MMO being created for Wii U but nothing is concrete yet. With the legions of Pokemon fans out there, would the Wii U or 3DS be the perfect platform to finally bring this vision to life? Thousands of Pokemon Trainers running around with their Pokemon, diving into battle or going on quests together to find more. Bundle the game with a headset to talk with other Trainers and you have a game that could push 15 million copies or more. It’s an environment that could really get young and old together like never before. It has been created by a fan of the game but of course Nintendo frowns on that kind of infringement and forced it to shut down. Just make it already Nintendo. The fans are waiting!

-streex

Video :: What if Wii U Zelda Looked Like This

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 00:01:15 -0800

We’ve all seen the Zelda demo on Wii U and I think we can all agree that Nintendo should work off of that to make the first HD Zelda. But what if Nintendo went a different route with the visuals? They’ve done it many times before to our surprise, and it’s worked. Take a look at this fan’s rendition of what a Wii U Zelda could look like. Would you prefer this art style over the E3 Zelda demo?

-streex

Video :: Club Nintendo Rewards: First 3 Years

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:34:37 -0800

Gamers that earn enough coins to achieve Platinum member status on club Nintendo get a new reward every year. The first year was the Mario hat, then the Super Mario character figure, and the latest is the Super Mario pin collection. We’re a little late to the party as the pin collection was delivered in December last year. Just consider this lost club nintendo footage.

-streex

The 3DS Apps That Have Us Hooked

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:22:16 -0800

One of the special aspects of the 3DS that keeps us entertained between games is the growing number of apps on the system. SwapNote, the most recent, has quickly become one of my most used apps. Thanks to its popularity with my friends, the blue light on my 3DS seems to come on at least once a day. This prompts me to flip it open more often than I have since launch. It also gets me to use the Camera and Sound apps much more to send photos and sound to my friends. Aside from that, Nintendo Video and even the Mii Maker apps get used regularly. As a whole, the 3DS apps glow with quality and I hope more arrive throughout the years. If you have a 3DS, which apps do you interact with the most?

-streex

Next Xbox a Touch More Powerful Than Wii U

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:17:22 -0800

There has been a rumor battle going back and forth about how powerful the Wii U and next Xbox will be. The Wii U was first said to be 50% more powerful than Xbox 360, then 100% more powerful. Not to be outdone, rumored specs for the next Xbox have risen. This comes from IGN:

...the Xbox 720's raw graphics processing power is expected to be six times that of the Xbox 360 and will yield 20-percent greater performance than Nintendo's forthcoming console, the Wii U.

Now I’m completely confused. If there is any credibility to these rumors, do the math and you will find that this is indirectly saying that Wii U is 5 times more powerful than Xbox 360 and PS3. If this one is to be believed then being slightly underpowered for the next gen cycle will hardly matter. Along with this rumor IGN said the next Xbox will arrive late 2013, meaning a full year head start for Wii U. Sounds like the next console war is starting to heat up.

LINK

-streex

Podcast #26 :: Interstellar podcast with a deadly energy ball

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:46:12 -0800

Happy New Year! We’re back and ready to go for another year of podcast bliss. This month we talk about what was just added to the website, what games we are playing, big stories of the week, new releases, poll results on will you buy Nintendo Wii U at launch, EA Sports Active: NFL Training Camp game review, top 5 greatest gaming rebirths, a look at the past, present, and future of the 3DS, Alleyway retro review, and your emails. Find the new podcast in the Podcast Channel. You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes. An easy way to do this is by hitting the subscribe button near the top of the main Podcast Channel page. Want to be in our next podcast? Send us any questions to ninfest@me.com and we'll read and answer them on the next show. Also if you'd like to be included in the podcast send us a video or audio file and we'll put you in! Hope you all enjoy it. Play on, player.

Free 3DS Demos Start Tomorrow

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:10:15 -0800

We’re always lobbying for Nintendo to cram demos down our throats and we finally get a small taste for the 3DS. Starting tomorrow, the demo cycle begins with Resident Evil: Revelations. On January 26th the demo for Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games arrives. After that we will get to try Rayman Origins and Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D. It’s still just a trickle like what the Wii provides but glad we’re finally getting there.

REDMOND, Wash. -- Nintendo 3DS™ owners soon will be able to play free downloadable demo versions of select games. Starting tomorrow, owners can go to the Nintendo eShop to download a free demo version of Resident Evil® Revelations from Capcom. A free demo version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™ published by SEGA will launch on Jan. 26. The Nintendo eShop will be periodically updated with new game demos.

“The demo program allows Nintendo 3DS players to be among the first to test-drive select games,” said Tony Elison, Nintendo of America’s senior director and general manager of Network Business. “Players can try out new genres or series, often weeks before the full versions are available in stores.”

Additional demos coming soon include Rayman® Origins from Ubisoft and METAL GEAR SOLID® Snake Eater 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment. Specific dates and other games in the demo program will be announced at a later time.

Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

PR email

- streex

Video :: Fight For Free and Open Internet. Refuse the ESA.

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:41:16 -0800

Quite the big story today was the shutting down of many popular websites in an effort to spread awareness of a few horrible bills, SOPA and PIPA. Any site that has comments, a forum, video streaming, user content in any form, is in real danger of being destroyed by SOPA and PIPA. SOPA was removed but is back on the table, and PIPA will also try to change the internet in an effort to thwart piracy. If they fail, I assure you similar bills will be created. Sadly the ESA, which puts on E3 every year, supports these poorly written bills. I know it sounds crazy, but many in the industry refuse to cover E3 unless the ESA changes their view and opposes SOPA and PIPA. I hope there is a change of heart because it pains me to think of a year without proper E3 coverage. For the record, we at Ninfest are 100% against SOPA and PIPA.

- streex

Next Smash Bros. Not Even Started Yet

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:34:04 -0800

Ever since it was mentioned that Wii U and 3DS versions of Smash Bros. will be created, fans of the series have stayed close to Nintendo waiting for any new info. Unfortunately that day has come and the sad part is that it hasn’t even been started yet.

"I can't really say anything until things settle down with Kid Icarus. ...And a lot of it will depend on the team that I end up assembling for Smash Bros. It may take a while, but I think your patience will be rewarded." - Masahiro Sakurai

The team that will be working on Smash Bros. hasn’t even been assembled yet! We may be looking at a 2013 or 2014 launch date depending on how easy production rolls along. At least he assures us it will be well worth the wait.

LINK

-streex

Wii U Controller has Clearer Screen than iPad

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:34:43 -0800

Or so says a reviewer that recently had the chance to get his hands on one. Most of his impressions include words that get me excited like impressive, solid, comfortable, bright and beautiful. The biggest gripes are that nothing new has been presented by Nintendo, most likely leaving us in the dark until E3. Here’s a piece of his hands-on impressions.

The new controller is an impressive thing to hold in your hands. It feels solid and comfortable, and nothing about it marks it as a weak link. The screen itself is bright and beautiful, much clearer than the screen on an iPad, and even small details of the games are able to be seen clearly. The controller’s speakers also do a good job of delivering information to the player via audio clues. I could easily see playing entire games without a TV, using just the screen on the controller.

LINK

-streex

New Poll :: Do you play non-Nintendo consoles?

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:56:55 -0800

The Wii has a large library of some really hot titles, but you’d be missing out on some gems if you never leave the Nintendo camp. Maybe titles on the Wii are all you need. What type of gamer are you? Nintendo ‘till you die or do you know your way around a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360? Visit the Poll Channel to put in your vote.

Poll Results :: Will you buy Nintendo Wii U at launch?

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:47:34 -0800

The votes have been tallied and we have the results on if you will buy a Nintendo Wii U at launch.

1st :: Yes - 44%
2nd :: Undecided - 32%
3rd :: No - 24%

For the record my vote was yes. I’ve picked up the Virtual Boy, GameCube, Wii, DS and 3DS at launch. Why wouldn’t I get Wii U day one? I’m really interested on how first party games are going to look in HD, how the new tablet controller is going to innovate the industry, and how the most robust online system from Nintendo is going to play out. The majority of you also voted yes. We all may have many questions on what the final product is going to become, but at this point our interests are peaked. Hopefully the undecided 32 percent get the facts and info needed at E3 this year to turn that decision into a yes. Thank you to all that participated. Visit the Poll Channel to put in your vote on the latest poll.

3DS Quickly Passes 4 Million Sold in U.S.

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 23:20:25 -0800

More proof that game centric handhelds still hold ground in this industry if the software is ripe is the recently released report that shows the 3DS has already sold 4 million units in the US. This total is even more than the hugely successful Wii in its first nine months. This resurgence can thank the price cut and a handful of must-have games released during the holiday season.

Driven by Fast-Selling Software Nintendo 3DS Sells More in Its First Nine Months Than Wii Did

REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 3, 2012 – Whether they were on the go or at home, whether they played in 2D on the TV or in glasses-free 3D in their hands, gamers of all ages celebrated the holidays with Mario™ and Zelda™. Super Mario 3D Land™ and Mario Kart™ 7 for the Nintendo 3DS™ system not only became the fastest-selling titles in the history of their respective franchises when they launched, but they are now also the first Nintendo 3DS titles to sell 1 million units each in the United States. On the console side, The Legend of Zelda™: Skyward Sword, which also broke launch records, became the 45th Wii™ title to sell more than 1 million units in the United States.

“One of the strongest software lineups in our history helped Nintendo have a great holiday season and to close 2011 with a full head of steam,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Not only have the new Mario and Zelda titles already broken records, but with strong reviews and satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences, all three are also shaping up to be the latest long-tail titles from Nintendo. Couple that with a massive first- and third party lineup in the first part of the year and the prospects for 2012 are extremely promising.”

Nintendo sold more than 12 million total hardware units in the United States in 2011, marking the fifth year in a row that the company has accomplished that feat. This includes more than 4.5 million units of Wii, more than 4 million Nintendo 3DS systems, and more than 3.4 million units of the Nintendo DS™ family of systems. This brings the installed base for Wii and Nintendo DS to 39 million and more than 51 million, respectively.

With a strong lineup of software on the horizon, including new installments in the Mario Party™, Pokémon™ and Kid Icarus™ franchises, as well as third-party games such as Resident Evil® Revelations from Capcom and METAL GEAR SOLID® 3D Snake Eater from Konami for Nintendo 3DS, that momentum should continue into the first quarter of 2012 and beyond.

In addition to the milestones reached by new software, two evergreen Nintendo titles celebrated milestones as 2011 drew to a close. Mario Kart Wii™ passed 11 million units sold and New Super Mario Bros.™ for the Nintendo DS family crossed 10 million total units sold.

Remember that Wii and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

PR

-streex

Video :: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword unboxing for Wii

Mon, 2 Jan 2012 22:02:37 -0800

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword marks a turning point for The Legend of Zelda franchise. The introduction of full motion control enabled by the Wii MotionPlus accessory synchronizes player movements with Link's actions while offering the most intuitive play control of any game in The Legend of Zelda franchise to date. This bundle comes with the game, CD, and limited edition gold Wii MotionPlus controller.

-streex

Best Game Gift Ever

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:25:17 -0800

This is the time of year when everyone expects to give and receive gifts, making it the perfect time to think back at the best game gift I ever received. Even though I am talking about a game gift here, it has nothing to do with Christmas or any other special day for that matter. It happened on the most common of days. My brother and I were just as bored as can be when my Aunt arrived. She was spending time with our mom but before we entered a new room to continue our boredom, she pulled out a copy of Double Dragon for the NES. She told us she bought it for our Uncle but he wasn’t being the nicest of people so it became a gift for us. A gift? It’s not Christmas or for a birthday? Nope. It became the best gift I could ever receive and it happened when I least expected on the most regular of days. We raced upstairs and spent countless hours playing it, ultimately becoming one of the better titles in our collection. Game-related gifts throughout my life have always been expected thanks to wish lists and siblings giving tips to parents, but Double Dragon was completely different because it was a complete surprise and turned out to be a very good title.

If you can recall the time when you received your best game-related gift, do share!

-streex

Wii Called a Holiday Gaming Stinker

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:52:27 -0800

Every year Yahoo! tries to help out the masses so they make smart, conscious gift purchases for others during the holidays. On their holiday gaming stinker list this year you can find the Wii. While it sounds bad there are some truths to it. They point out that the successor to Wii, Wii U, is coming out next year so a $99 Wii this year should be avoided at all costs. This is a good point. However, the Wii has compiled a large library of great titles over the last 5 years and if someone hasn’t played the Wii by now, they are in for a huge treat. Plus, if they haven’t gotten a Wii by now, what are the chances they will get a Wii U at launch? Personally I would recommend getting a Wii for someone more now than ever before. Lowest price, large game library, and most everything on the Wii from controllers to games will be compatible with Wii U when they finally make the jump....5 years from now.

LINK

-streex

Early Wii U Specs Impress

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 00:59:27 -0800

The earliest of rumors decided that Wii U would be about 50% more powerful than the Xbox360 or PS3. A Japanese developer currently working on porting a PS3 title over to the Wii U came across these numbers on the dev kit he was given:

- Quad Core, 3 GHz PowerPC-based 45nm CPU
- 768 MB of DRAM “embedded” with the CPU, and shared between CPU and GPU
- Unknown, 40nm ATI-based GPU
- two test models, one with 768 MB of RAM, and another with 1GB
RAM is embedded with the processor

How this all adds up has confused some people. Some are pointing out that it is almost identical to the 360, while others place it closer to 100% more powerful. Also take into consideration that the final Wii U specs may still be revised as Nintendo continues to work on it. Here are some other comparisons of the Wii U to Xbox 360:

CPU:
360- 3 core PowerPC clocked at 3.2Ghz. 360s CPU has 3 core, each capable of running 2 threads simultaneously. So that works out at 6 threads running at once.
Wii U- 4 core PowerPC clocked at 3.0Ghz. The Power7 architecture here is capable of running 4 threads on a single chip. With 4 cores that is 16 simultaneous threads compared to the 360s 6.

RAM:
360- 512Mb RAM
Wii U- 768Mb-1Gb RAM. If 1Gb of RAM that is 100% more than the 360’s 512.
It also should be noted that the 360 uses 512 DRAM and 10Mb of eRAM. If the Wi U is using Power7 (which uses lots of eRAM), that comes to about 1024 Mb of eRAM compared to the 360’s 10.

Hope you tech savvy folk can make sense of it all. I’ll just go with what he/she said. Also understand this is all a rumor at this point.

LINK

-streex

3DS Update Has Arrived

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 22:44:55 -0800

The update to the 3DS system arrived and brought with it a bevy of neat features. New Camera/video features, Additional MiiPlaza Puzzles and Find Mii 2, the addition of Nintendo Zone, updates to the eShop, and the ability to transfer all your data from your old 3DS to a new one. Hulu+ and the GBA Ambassador games will be coming in a future update. Here’s a brief closer look at what is new so pull out that 3DS and check it out.

3DS Camera:
3D Video recording is now possible. Record up to 10 minutes.
Create stop-motion videos.
Scan a QR Code and it will take you to that page on the internet browser.

StreetPass Mii Plaza:
You can now SpotPass to get new content.
Find Mii 2 added. Collect an additional 56 hats along the way. New items to spend your coins on include Vial of Valor, Power Potion, Dispelling Draft, Bottled Barrier, and the hiring of old allies, or Miis that you StreetPassed before
7 new puzzles that require 24 pieces to complete, including 4 pink spaces that can only be given to you by another Mii and cannot be purchased with coins.
78 Accomplishments added.
A Music Player to listen to all the songs from the Mii Plaza. Must be unlocked as you go.
A SteetPass Map that shows you what regions the Mii’s you’ve met came from.
A slideshow feature that allows you to see all your completed puzzles one after the other.

eShop:
Redeem download codes you receive. Will be used in the future.
The ability to store your credit card info on your 3DS here. Safer than storing on a server.
Now you can pay the exact amount for a game you want. The option to add money in blocks is still available.
The ability to download demos. Demos coming soon.
The 3DS now supports multiple downloads at once and downloading while in sleep mode.

3DS System Transfer:
Want a new colored 3DS? Now you can get one without losing all your hard work. Transfer everything from your old 3DS to a new 3DS. Includes eShop games and remaining funds, DSiWare, videos, pictures, and just about anything else you have saved on your original 3DS. Be careful though. Anything on the target 3DS will be replaced and everything on the source 3DS will be erased.

Nintendo Zone:
• Take your 3DS to more than 28,000 locations that support it with new demos, videos, trivia and more. Just carry it around like you have and the new content will automatically be downloaded to your 3DS as long as wireless is activated and in sleep mode.

That is pretty much it in a nutshell. Let me know if I missed anything.

-streex

Help Zelda tackle Skyrim

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:28:54 -0800

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is moving deep into the ranks of G4’s Deathmatch 2011 where the voters decide which title is game of the year. Skyward Sword has gone up against and defeated some worthy opponents including Uncharted 3 (53% - 47%), FIFA 12 (79% - 21%), and Batman: Arkham City (51% - 49%). Now it is down to the final four and currently up against The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim with a slim 51% - 49% lead. The internet is buzzing to get all fans of Zelda to vote. 2 popular Zelda forums have even gone out of their way to email Ninfest to help spread the word. So here it is. Get to the voting and may the best game win!

LINK

-streex

Remembering the GameCube

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:05:58 -0800

Ten years ago marked a huge rebirth for me. I had lost interest in gaming the last 2 years of the Nintendo 64 era and sold all my gaming fun (except the Virtual Boy). I kept the subscription to Nintendo Power going but only as a means to keep me occupied on the can. Then it happened. The GameCube was on the horizon and something about that purple lunchbox sparked something in my mind that reminded me of all the fun quests I’ve had while I was a gamer. When the launch date arrived I was in line at Kmart welcoming Nintendo and gaming in general back into my life. It wasn’t a very popular system to the masses but the amount of quality games over quantity was evident. I was hooked again like the first time I picked up an NES controller in 15 years earlier. To this day the GameCube and its controller are still my favorites of all time. It was more than just a gaming system for me, it was the rebirth of Streex the gamer. Thank you GameCube and happy 10th birthday.

-streex

Nintendo Uses Their Mario Drawing Song in Super Mario 3D Land

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 23:35:29 -0800

Last year Nintendo made a video on Flipnote Studio that shows how to draw Mario. If you have a great memory and have played through Super Mario 3D Land you may have come across it again. They remixed the song in the video and used it for Special World 8 in Super Mario 3D Land. Check the videos out below and see what you think. Nintendo has a knack for doing little things like this to see if fans can catch it.

The original Mario Drawing Song:

The song remade in Super Mario 3D Land:

Original lyrics put to the new version:

-streex

Video :: Wappy Dog unboxing

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:42:56 -0800

The next evolution of virtual pets arrives on the Nintendo DS in Wappy Dog, a toy puppy that interacts with the player through the Nintendo DS. Wappy Dog engages gamers to raise their very own interactive puppy in both the real and virtual worlds and teach cool tricks, play mini-games and even converse! In Home Mode, communicate with Wappy via your Nintendo DS, and watch the physical dog react appropriately. In Travel Mode, interact with Wappy inside the Nintendo DS’s virtual world.

-streex

Nintendo Flexing Some Holiday Muscle

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:51:49 -0800

Don’t call it a comeback, Nintendo has been doing this for 5 years. The holidays roll around and Nintendo hardware and software get picked up by the cartload. This year the success story starts with Super Mario 3D Land, which became the fastest selling portable Mario game in history. Moving on over to The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It has become the fastest selling Zelda game ever (I’m starting to see a trend here). Next up, the Wii sold more units on Black Friday this year than ever before. Finally the 3DS has erupted from its slumber with a 325% boost in sales officially surpassing the first year of sales of the DS in only 8 months. After a lackluster year for Nintendo you can imagine how surprised I was to walk into a Best Buy a few days ago and find that they were completely sold out of Wiis. A sign of the apocalypse? No, just another holiday season with Nintendo’s name written all over it.

LINK

-streex

Not The Best Zelda, But Skyward Sword Is The Must Have Swan Song For Wii

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:45:23 -0800

Chances are some of you are playing Skyward Sword, even right now as you read this. I haven’t put in as much time into the game as many of you, but close comrades have shared a few flaws in the latest Zelda offering. Much love for the visuals, best MotionPlus swordplay ever, seamless menu navigation, excellent level design and overall advancement of the Zelda formula. We start running into problems with the constant backtracking, being slightly patronizing, and a story that doesn’t stand as strong as previous entries. When the reviews first game out it was averaging a blazing 95% and has since dipped a bit to 93.79%. I’ve personally put in a few hours and felt the beginning of Twilight Princess to be better but this game is no slouch whatsoever. You’ll find minor gripes here and there on the interwebs but one thing is clear. We all love this game and it should be in your Wii this holiday season before you prepare for the arrival of Wii U next year.

There is one Wii game that came out this year that ranks higher than Skyward Sword. Know what it is? Xenoblade Chronicles, which Nintendo decided not to release in North America. Two other fun facts: Twilight Princess scores higher with 94.51% and the highest rated Wii game ever is Super Mario Galaxy with 97.46%

LINK

-streex

The Perfect Gift

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:29:40 -0800

Looking for the perfect gift for the gamer in your life? Are you a gamer that doesn’t know what to put on your wish list? K’nex has made a slew of different racing sets that feature many of the Mario characters and enemies. The sets are interconnectable so there is no limit to how big your track can be. Each set comes with a racer (Mario, Luigi, Bowser or Yoshi), enemy obstacles, a couple collectible items from the Mario Kart game, and 6 track pieces. The expansion packs come with a whopping 24 pieces of track. There are also sets that have Mario and Luigi on their bikes. Depending on the pack the price ranges from $8 to $100. Hope you can find some of these this holiday season!

LINK

-streex

Help Skyward Sword Get Game of the Year

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:53:07 -0800

Every year G4’s X-Play does their award show for the best games of the year. This time they have concocted a playoff bracket of sorts they call “Videogame Deathmatch Best of 2011”. Fans can log on and vote for their favorite games to help them make it to the top. The games in the running that are on the Wii are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, FIFA 12, NBA 2K12, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Call of Duty and NBA 2K12 were knocked out in the first round and quite frankly FIFA 12 doesn’t stand a chance to get much further. Skyward Sword squeaked out a first round victory over Uncharted 3 with 53% of the vote. If you want to give Link a chance, hit the link below and put in your vote!

LINK

-streex

Video :: Cyberbike unboxing for Wii

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:41:44 -0800

Discover the very first video game that comes with an exercise bike-have fun while pedaling! Cyberbike introduces a brand new way to do sports in your living room. The game invites you to use your eco-citizen's head and legs to clean up the planet. Clear paths and roads of the sources of pollution that are ruining the environment as you cycle along on some of the most improbable vehicles ever imagined-on land, sea and air. Using the bike included with the game, players are able to ride through 18 different circuits. As you progress, numerous accessories are unlocked to customize your vehicles and equipment, such as new backpacks and new vehicle colors.

-streex

TV Interview :: Good Day Sacramento Covers Ninfest Marathon

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:38:01 -0800

We have been excited over the last month after putting on a remarkable Mega Man Marathon that brought in $600 for UC Davis Children’s Hospital. Unlike our first two marathons, this one had the support of a local TV show called Good Day Sacramento. We had already been up for almost 23 hours when they put us on the air. Not the most energetic gamers at that point, but we appreciate what they did for us.

-streex

New Donation Record Made During Mega Man Marathon

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:02:42 -0800

The Mega Man Marathon is officially a success! $600 was raised for UC Davis Childrens Hospital on behalf of Ninfest and all our donators. It was the most money we raised yet for a cause, allowing us to reach 269th place on the donation list out of 1,698 participating websites. During the Marathon we beat all the NES Mega Man games 1-6 and gave away a free copy of Mega Man Anniversary Collection for the GameCube. Compiling the data from both live feeds of the show we had 166 unique viewers, 199 peak views, 96.9 total viewer hours, and an average of 3 viewers watching at the same time. And to help spread the word, Good Day Sacramento interviewed us on their show. It was another fun event for us, and a big thank you to everyone that was in the chat room during the marathon and to everyone that donated. Hope to see you again next year!

-streex

Podcast #25 :: The Metal Warriors in our Greatest Challenge Ever

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:37:45 -0800

We took last month off to prepare and put on our biggest marathon yet. When this podcast was recorded we hadn’t reached our goal yet, but now are pleased to announce we reached the $600 mark. This month we talk about what was just added to the website, what games we are playing, big stories of the week, new releases, poll results on how many hours a day you watch some kind of screen, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness game review, top 5 games with music from real bands, Mega Man Marathon results, Mega Man: Dr. Wily’s Revenge retro review, and your emails. Find the new podcast in the Podcast Channel. You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes. An easy way to do this is by hitting the subscribe button near the top of the main Podcast Channel page. Want to be in our next podcast? Send us any questions to ninfest@me.com and we'll read and answer them on the next show. Also if you'd like to be included in the podcast send us a video or audio file and we'll put you in! Hope you all enjoy it. Play on, player.

Skyward Sword Could Be The Best Game Ever Made

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:27:50 -0800

I’ve read a few early reviews for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and some of them went on to claim this was the best Zelda game yet. Depending on how they place heavy hitter Ocarina of Time (which is officially the highest rated game ever), could they be saying this is the next best game ever made? Zelda beating its own record? The early score has it placed overall as the 57th best game of all time right now. GameInformer Magazine, which normally frowns on Nintendo titles, gave it a perfect 10 out of 10. It was the author’s first perfect rating since he joined GameInformer. I’m one of those crazy people that feel Ocarina of Time is the best game ever made and what a blow to the mind it would be if I found this to be even better.

-streex

PETA Calls Mario a Tanooki Killer

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:57:57 -0800

Mario has just arrived in his new adventure Super Mario 3D Land but PETA does not like it. In the game you can wear a Tanooki suit, which PETA claims comes from the skinning of raccoon dog. They feel Nintendo is showing gamers it is ok to wear fur. In their eyes, the only way to make things right is to make their own game where you play the raccoon dog chasing Mario, trying to get your fur back.

Los Angeles — If PETA has its way, Mario has stolen his last tanuki skin. The mustachioed plumber is back to wearing tanuki fur ("tanuki" is the Japanese word for raccoon dogs), and now Tanooki is fighting back to reclaim what's his in Super Tanooki Skin 2D, a new side-scrolling game from PETA. In the game, which is the center of PETA's new "Mario Kills Tanooki" campaign, players direct a bloody, skinned raccoon dog as he chases a tanuki fur–suited Mario through a surreal fur farm where raccoon dogs are routinely skinned alive for their fur. Quick reflexes and jumping skills will allow Tanooki to capture Mario and reclaim his skin.

"Tanukis are real-life raccoon dogs who are beaten and, as PETA's undercover exposés show, often skinned alive for their fur," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "This winter, everyone can give raccoon dogs and other fabulous animals a 1-UP by keeping our wardrobes fur-free."

Tanooki may be just a "suit" in Mario games, but by wearing the skin of an animal, Mario is sending the message that it's OK to wear fur. We created our game to help inform people that in real life, Mario would be wearing the skin of an animal who was beaten, strangled or electrocuted, and it wouldn't give him any special powers other than the power of self-deception.

On fur farms in China—the world's largest fur exporter—raccoon dogs are confined to row upon row of tiny wire cages that are exposed to the elements. Many of the animals go insane from the intensive confinement. A "Mario Kills Tanooki" video shows undercover video footage of raccoon dogs as workers drag them from cages and slam them repeatedly to the ground to kill them. Most of the animals don't die right away, and some survive for as long as 10 minutes after they are skinned. One investigator recorded a skinned raccoon dog on a heap of carcasses who had enough strength to lift his bloodied head and look, blinking, into the camera.

Is this a serious campaign for PETA? It almost sounds comical and I’m not sure where they are coming from if they are truly appalled. The Tanooki Suit is a throwback item Mario acquired back in the original Super Mario Bros. 3 and he got it from touching a magical leaf. In no way does the game indicate the murdering or skinning of real animals. The skinning of raccoon dogs is a horrible truth and I support animal rights, but this is a real stretch. Hit the link to play the Mario Kills Tanooki game and watch (viewer be careful) a graphic video of the skinning of raccoon dogs. The Mario Kills Tanooki game is actually pretty fun. See if you can beat my 19 second time in catching Mario.

LINK

-streex

Remake of A Link to the Past in 3D May Happen

Wed, 9 Nov 2011 01:33:58 -0800

In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Eiji Aonuma mentioned that the idea of bringing 2D Zelda games to 3D has been talked about and is a possibility. Miyamoto is also very interested in doing so. If it were to happen, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Super NES would be that game. Anybody want Nintendo to get started on this project?

“Well actually, even Mr. Miyamoto himself has been talking recently about going back to the 2D Zelda games, in particular the ones that were designed with multiple levels to the world like A Link to the Past, and taking those 2D graphics and recreating them in 3D so that you could get a sense for the depth of those worlds. That’s something that might be interesting to do, so I would say there might be a possibility of something like that in the future.” -Skyward Sword producer Eiji Aonuma

LINK

-streex

New Poll :: What Was Your First Nintendo System?

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 00:22:54 -0800

Nintendo has stood the test of time. Of all the current console makers, Nintendo has been around the longest. Ever since the dawn of the NES in 1985, we have been served a kings portion of first party titles on 5 different home consoles, 5 different portable systems, and one... well... Virtual Boy. Visit the Poll Channel to put in your vote.

Poll Results :: How many hours a day do you watch some kind of screen?

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 23:57:36 -0800

The votes have been tallied and we have the results on how many hours a day you spend watching some kind of screen.

1st :: 8-12 - More than half of my day - 35%
2nd :: 16 or more - almost every waking second - 24%
3rd :: 4-8 - A good part of the day - 17%
4th :: Less than 1 - Barely any at all - 14%
5th :: 12-16 - Almost my entire day - 6%
6th :: 1-4 - Just a few hours a day - 4%

For the record my vote was 12-16, almost my entire day. I calculated myself...and it was scary. Between watching TV, playing the Wii and 3DS, sitting in front of the computer, and fiddling with the celly, I spend 13 hours a day in front of a screen. I need to get out more. The majority of you voted 8-12, more than half of your day. This can only mean one thing. The voters know how to get out and enjoy some fresh air more than I do. 8 to 12 hours sound much more balanced, I applaud you guys. Thank you to all that participated. Visit the Poll Channel to put in your vote on the latest poll.

More Than Just A Name, 7 Is An Item

Sun, 6 Nov 2011 22:39:47 -0800

The latest Mario Kart game for 3DS may be named Mario Kart 7, and it is the seventh Mario Kart title to be released, but the number 7 has a deeper meaning. There is a new item in the game called Lucky 7. When used, seven random items drop around your racer and you can choose one to help you out or use against other racers. At this point we’re not sure how you choose or maybe not a choice at all, leaving it more like a roulette, but it is definitely a unique addition to the Mario Kart formula. It would be nice if the items that spun around you improved the further back you were. Much like how you can never get a Bullet Bill unless you are near the end of the pack. Soon we’ll see this new item being implemented and we’re sure it’s going to add another level of depth to the gameplay.

LINK

-streex

Boxart :: Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Sun, 6 Nov 2011 22:35:09 -0800

Mario is starting to invade your 3DS with a vengeance. Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D Land, and now feast your eyes on the upcoming Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games boxart. This is the only title of the 3 that is developed by Sega and not Nintendo but the series has had some success on the Wii. Soon you’ll be able to take the Games with you, and in 3D.

-streex

WiiWare Limitations Not Fit For Machinarium

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 00:47:47 -0700

It’s been over a year since XGen Studios announced Machinarium to make it on WiiWare, but now an official statement lets us know it has been canned.

We don't like Wii because the resolution is so low and there is a size limit on WiiWare of 40MB, which is so low for nowadays. It's crazy. -Developer Amanita Design's founder Jakub Dvorský

That is a small size limit but that limit has never changed. Did they not know of the size cap on WiiWare games when they announced it back in September 2010? This does not spell the end of Amanita’s support of Nintendo as they also said that they are looking to possibly bring their next game to Wii U.

LINK

-streex

Meet The New Mario Kart Racers

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 00:21:29 -0700

For the first time Mario Kart 7 is going to include gameplay in the air and under water, and there are a few other firsts as well. 4 new racers will be joining the lineup. They are Metal Mario, Lakitu, Wiggler, and Honey Queen. Metal Mario first showed up in Super Mario 64, Lakitu in the very first Super Mario Bros., Wiggler has been a well known enemy since Super Mario World and Honey Queen first jumped on the scene in Super Mario Galaxy. We are left with one question. Who’s going to tell us when to start our engines and save us when we drop off course? That was always Lakitu’s job but now he’ll be on the racetrack right along with us.

LINK

-streex

Video :: Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure Unboxing

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:26:14 -0700

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is an action-adventure game spin-off from the Spyro series that unlocks a whole new game universe while incorporating a unique gameplay mechanic utilizing more than 30 physical action figures that synch with the Wii creating in-game character representations. The first release in the Skylander series, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure Starter Pack contains three action figures (Trigger Happy, Spyro, and Gill Grunt), an exclusive game peripheral, known as the Portal of Power, character poster, trading cards, as well as other items. The game features co-op and competitive multiplayer, mini-games and more.

-streex

Games To Enjoy On Halloween

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:12:59 -0700

Tomorrow we will all go out and grab as much candy going door to door as possible. Dressed up as ghouls and ghosts (or if you’re me, Mega Man) the streets are filled with horrific-looking freaks. As the night winds down many will cozy up to a scary horror movie, but if you’re a gamer you might want to try freaking yourself out playing a classic spooky game or level. Here are my picks for games that are perfect to play on Halloween:

Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (gamecube)
Earthbound- Nightmare in Threed level (super nes)
Super Mario 64- Big Boo’s Haunt course (nintendo 64)
Maniac Mansion (nes)
Resident Evil 4 (gamecube)
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (wii)

-streex

Kotaku Slams the Return of Kirby

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:56:48 -0700

The reviews have mostly been positive for Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, but you knew it was going to happen. Someone eventually was going to try pulling it down. Kotaku’s “Gut Check” section simply tells you if you should buy a game or not. For this title, it was a resounding no from all 3 reviewers (One only played the demo, and the other hasn’t played it at all). This has left many scratching their heads asking the editors why they have a section with little merit. It is just an opinion and if you are a regular visitor of that site I suggest reading more reviews for a more informed decision on whether or not the game is for you. My take is that if you have enjoyed old-school Kirby games in the past, this is the game for you.

LINK

-streex

Pink Is Back In Style

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:58:58 -0700

Didn’t like Kirby’s Epic Yarn? Well wash that taste out of your mouth because Nintendo has revisited the classic Kirby platforming action in Kirby’s Return to Dreamland. The game has just been released and the reviews have been quite favorable thus far, placing it as the 7th best game to grace the Wii this year. The game is a tad on the easier side but at least this time around you can actually lose lives, unlike Kirby’s Epic Yarn. The graphics are as colorful as you’d expect and are some of the best on the console. There is plenty of content and variety to keep you engaged for many hours to go along with the exciting addition of 4 player co-op. Old school Kirby fans rejoice and pick up the game you’ve been waiting for!

-streex

Monster Hunter 3G Will Hunt Offline Only

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:01:34 -0700

As of right now Monster Hunter 3G for the 3DS is only confirmed to be released in Japan this December, so this might not be as bad as it seems. The game will be local online only. The franchise is extremely popular in Japan and this omission will probably not keep anyone from buying it. Everyone around them will have a copy so it will be very easy to find others to play with. If this comes to other regions and still doesn’t include online play, that is when you can truly frown. Monster Hunter 3G will have online capabilities but it will only be used for downloading extra content. It’s been rumored that this will stay a Japan only release, forcing the rest of the world to wait until Monster Hunter 4 comes out, but again this is just a rumor.

LINK

-streex

Video :: New Skyward Sword Gameplay Trailer

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:26:22 -0700

The latest gameplay trailer to hit for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is in Japanese, but at least the translations are on the screen. Doesn’t really matter. Who’s gonna bother reading what is being said when there is a beautiful world and boss fights out on display? If you are trying not to learn or watch anything else about this game so the surprise isn’t spoiled, I apologize. Nintendo is really pumping gamers up for this one.

-streex