Nintendo is by far the most kid-friendly system company, but how does is stack up against other things that kids love? A recent study done by Smarty Pants that tested “brand awareness, popularity, and love” of various brands among kids in 2009 puts Nintendo right at the top. Nintendo, which for some reason counts as 2 different brands, takes the top 2 spots: Nintendo Wii Ninendo DS Oreos McDonald's M&M's Doritos Nickelodeon Kraft Macaroni&Cheese Cheetos Disney Other game related brands that make the list:     14. Sony Playstation     31. Sony PSP     42. Read More...

Alright class the subject for this week is gravity, and we all know what goes up must come down. This week Nintendo has released 3 more wares for the Nintendo DSi, Virtual Console and Wiiware. First up for the Nintendo DS we have Pinball Pulse: The Ancients Beckon. If you haven't guessed already, it is a pinball game exclusively for the Nintendo DS. Next we have the classic beat 'em up game known as Final Fight 2 for the Virtual Console. And finally for the Wiiware you get to enter the arena to see if you will become the champion in Gravitronix. Read More...

There are times when you are playing a game that you simply say “They got it right.”  It could be during a puzzle or moving through open spaces or fighting enemy AI, but usually it only happens once or twice, or if you’re lucky, several times.  Imagine playing a game that gives you that feeling in almost every one of the 220 puzzles packaged into that tiny Nintendo DS cartridge.  Welcome to Scribblenauts.You play as Maxwell. Read More...

Today Nintendo announced that the Nintendo Wii will drop $50 to $199.99 this Sunday the 27th. This coming on the heels of the PS3 Slim release and XBox 360 Elite price drop to $299.99. They also announced a traveling expedition of games to be played at some smaller events, as well as the release date of New Super Mario Bros. Wii. After three years on the market, it normally wouldn't be such a surprise, but what makes it so is that this is coming from Nintendo. Read More...

Another week of download releases by Nintendo means another week of low-hanging fruit for criticism on the choices for DSiWare downloads. Also included in this week is another Commodore 64 game for Virtual Console. At this point, I wish there was a defensible position to take on some of these choices for DLC. We have five releases this week across the three platforms. The lone Virtual Console title, Last Ninja 2, is from the Commodore 64. Read More...

Well well well, Looks like the rumors are now leaking from the higher up's. During a Fincanial Times interview at the Tokyo Game Show with Yoichi Wada- President of Square Enix, he mentioned that the three platforms (XBox 360, PlayStation3, and Wii) will join the same playing field by 2011. He expects Nintendo will release the new Wii that year which could contain similar features (see HD) as it's competing consoles. Also he made mention of a possible new controller scheme for the Wii system. Since he was in a chatty mood, he also spoke about the rival systems and their adaptation of Motion sensing technology, saying that “Present game machines already have a lot of functions: they are a network terminal, a Blu-ray or DVD player, and a gaming machine. Read More...

INTERPLAY TO UPDATE CLAYFIGHTER FOR PLAY ON Wii&Nintendo DSi BEVERLY HILLS, CA, September 10, 2009 - Interplay Entertainment Corp. (OTC BB:IPLY) today announced it will update Clayfighter for play on Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™. Clayfighter will be developed for Interplay by StudioBlack Games' Eric Hart, original programmer of Clayfighter for Super NES™. Interplay CEO Hervé Caen commented, "We are very enthusiastic to resurrect Clayfighter's crazy characters and unique humor. Eric Hart's involvement in the previous Clayfighter titles makes StudioBlack the logical choice to give this classic franchise a well-deserved makeover. Read More...

Sometimes you find a game that really doesn't get much recognition, but it looks innovative and graphically impressive at the same time. The Wizard of Oz: Beyond The Yellow Brick Road is just that. Media Vision, producers of the Wild Arms series, is bringing this Japanese released title "RIZ-ZOWAD" to north American retailers on September 29th 2009. The Wizard of Oz is a turn based RPG title following the adventures of the Dorothy, Toto, Tin-man, Scarecrow, and Lion. I'm sure we all know the story, but this game is sure to twist it around and make it it's own. Read More...

If you have a wii you have probably already recieved the notification, if you haven't been on the lookout. Nintendo last night sent messages to Wii owners that the Internet channel would be 0 points from here on out. Those folks that spent money to get said intenet channel will have the points refunded and at the end of October owners will be allowed to download a NES game from the Virtual Console Catalog. From the Website: Important Announcement: If you have previously used 500 Wii Points to download the Internet Channel, at the end of October we will be offering you the opportunity to download, at no cost, one NES game of your choice (valued at 500 Wii Points) from the Virtual Console catalog. Details of this download offer will be provided via the Wii Message Board and on Nintendo. Read More...

For the first time in more than a few weeks, Nintendo's weekly release of downloadable content (DLC) has spiked my interest. Believe me, this is for just more than a Star Wars game. Though I cannot play it myself, as I do not own a DSi, it finally looks like someone may have released a game on the DSiWare service that may be worth the DSi Points spent. Pop+ Solo for 500 DSi Points, from the screens and videos, looks like an excellent bite-size value for $5. Small and portable, the game fits into the kind of lifestyle you would expect from a DSiWare game you would always have on hand. Read More...

No More Heroes 2 Screen Shots Just when we think that slashing up enemies in No More Heroes was fun with just one Beam Katana, won on an online auction site, we get another one to add to the slashing of the #1 assassin in the world. Yep, two beam katanas for our assassinating pleasure. Or would it be hacking to itty bitties pleasure? Could be both at the same time if we wanted I guess. Well no matter which way you go there, here are some better screen shots of what it will look like as you swing both of these implements of epic killing in the game. Read More...

Every Monday I look forward to Nintendo's release of WiiWare, Virtual Console and DSiWare titles. I might be the only one now. In the recent weeks, the pickings have been mighty slim. So slim in fact, I feel sorry for people who purchased a DSi in hopes of purchasing and downloading quality software over the DSiWare Channel. I had thought to make a weekly column based on the Big N's DLC, but when a decent release only occurs once a month, there isn't much to report. I would like to write that everything this week is stellar, but that just isn't true. Read More...

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was essentially a port from the Gamecube to the Wii with improved controls. Now, “New Play Control” Wii games like Pikmin and Mario Tennis now sell for the reduced price of $30 USD. Twilight Princess, being a launch title on Wii, sold for the full $50 USD price point. I do not regret spending the money; the game was extremely enjoyable and since I had not played it on the Gamecube, it was a fresh and exciting first Wii game for me. At E3 this year, Shigeru Miyamoto announced that a new Legend of Zelda was being created for the Wii and released one piece of concept art. Read More...

Wii Ware as a platform has lead a dubious life since its inception a little over a year ago.  There have been the occasional hits like Lost Winds and World of Goo, but those are the exception rather than the rule to titles like Family Pirate Party and Pong Toss! Frat Party Games.  With over 100 titles and with more misses than hits, many have speculated that the Wii Ware platform would be killed off unceremoniously, much like someone gets played off-stage at the Oscar's.  Well let me tell you something: they may not have the wrong idea!This week, both DSi Ware and Wii Ware received puzzle games with Art Style: Zengage and 5 Spots Party, respectively. Read More...

Hey, It worked in Blazing Saddles I wish I would have waited now. Also that I lived in Japan and spoke the language. Or well pretty much all the things that would be required for me to use this new version of the Wii that is coming out on the 1st of August. No it doesn't have any new features. It also doesn't come bundled with any new games or equipment. It just comes already done up in a nice Black finish. A shiny black finish at that. Read More...