Nintendo hates pirates and hackers and have done nearly everything in their power to prevent their hardware from running bootleg software, but as you know, that’s pretty much an impossible task. Wasabi has just released its Wasabi DX drivechip that features a plug and play installation on the Wii’s (DMS, D2A, D2B, D2C, D2C2, D2E, epoxy D2E, or D2nothing/D3) drive. A flash card will hold the firmware, and this can be upgraded in the future via DVD or downgraded from a previous backup which is stored on the chip (no idea on why you would want to do that though unless you run into real trouble when trying to get the latest software going). Drive read speeds are still limited to 3x as with its predecessors, and this could potentially affect the smoothness of some games but hey – you can’t have your cake and eat it too, right? Pricing and availability details are unknown, but the Wasabi DX is tipped for a release in the near future.

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Check out the source  Wasabi DX Hacks The Wii, finally

Thank God It’s Friday! The week is over, the weekend is near and it’s almost Super Bowl Sunday. One of the most heralded and glorious sporting events known to man is just over 48 hours away. The day will be celebrated with Madden Tournaments around the globe. Sports are going to fill the day on Sunday, even the puppy bowl is going to get a bit of airtime in my household. Sports is a part of every culture, and video gaming is no different. So, let’s talk about how Nintendo can Do Work to improve the line of sports titles for the Wii.

When it comes to sports titles one franchise reigns supreme, Madden NFL. The yearly release of the latest Madden title is an event within itself: midnight releases, tournaments, giveaways. If you can think of it, EA stamps it on the hype machine for Madden. I didn’t get a chance to try out Madden ’08 for the Wii, but I did try out this years version on the Wii and PS3. I will put it out there right now, the PS3 version is far superior and in almost every way. The most obvious thing is going to be the graphics. Now, I know that graphics don’t make the game but, they certainly help. The Wii version of the game just looked horrible. So bad in fact it almost made it unbearable to play. The Wii is capable of beautiful games, just look at Mario Galaxy. Then there was the fact that you had that weak little flick to throw the ball. There were some other Wii specific controls, and they didn’t really work. All in all the game just wasn’t fun to play. Which is odd seeing how EA and Nintendo want us All to Play…

Most of this blame falls on EA’s new “All-Play” sports gaming lineup. EA is dumbing down the sports genre in order to appeal to the casual gamer. Why? Does my mother in-law want to play Madden with me? No. What about my Lola? No. That is what WiiSports is for. Ok, I’m off on a rant about EA, but they hold the monopoly on most sports titles so, whatever. Now, do not think it is all bad. Because it’s not at all. In fact, there are some titles that more than excel on the Wii. Pro Evo Soccer ’08 is one of my all time favorite sports games. Tiger Woods ’09 on the Wii is absolutely incredible. This means that Nintendo needs to do work, because the potential for greatness is there.

I’m gonna say it, Nintendo needs to release a standard controller. Not the classic controller, but one that you can play a sports game on the Wii with. A dual shock Wii if you will. I know, a bit controversial and kinda kills the purpose of having a Wii. But, does it? I don’t think so. You’re not going to stop purchasing games that are Wii specific. I don’t even think every game would benefit from this controller. But, some would; specifically one of the biggest titles to release every year *cough* Madden *cough*. Even if it’s a modified and wireless game cube controller, making sports games more bearable to play would go miles in fixing the problems that plague them now. Tiger and Pro Evo (and now FIFA though I’ve yet to play that) would of course be able to keep the Wiimote. If Madden or NBA Live or NBA 2K9 could prove that they could make it work, then keep it. But, as it stands now, other than a few very select titles and WiiSports, the sports genre is an epic fail on the Wii. Which is a sad, sad fact because sports mean so much to so many of us.

Of course, all we can do is hope that Ninty wakes up and releases the right peripherals, or at least puts pressure on the companies making the games. With slightly better graphics, solid controls, and the basic features that the other consoles get, there is no reason sports games can’t be as big on the Wii as they are for Sony and Microsoft. So please, Nintendo, Do Work and make us proud!

Check out the source of this item Do Work Friday Episode 4

Last year it was announced that Steven Spielberg was teaming up with EA to create a game for the Wii. Many of us drooled at the thought of an expansive story being told all the while utilizing the finer points of the Wii. Instead, we got Boom Blox. The game was reviewed fairly enough and certainly has its share of fans. Well, EA has taken note of that and recently announced Boom Blox: Bash Party. The game will focus more on party play, apparently the Wii lacks party games, and will present an overall polish to the game. One of the main new features will be downloadable content available from other users and directly from EA. I love the fact that developers market DLC so readily these days. I mean, why wouldn’t you want to pour more money into a game after you’ve already bought it for $50 or so?? Let’s just hope what EA gives us will be free and worthwhile. A couple screens via our friends at Wiiblog.net are below.

Check out the source of this item Boom Blox 2 Announced

I think we all know that Dance Dance Revolution is a smash hit. I don’t think it’s a stretch at all to say that Disney characters are some of the most well known fictional characters of all time. Well, when will we bear witness to the combining of these two juggernauts of pop-culture you may ask? The answer is soon. Our friends at Gametrailers have the debut trailer for Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Grooves. According to the trailer the game comes complete with Mii integration and up to 4 player gameplay. If you’ve always wanted to battle Mickey Mouse to It’s A Small World, your time is near.

Check out the source of this item Mickey Mouse and Co. Dance Dance!

It’s become quite the trend for game developers to give us an inside view at different aspects of their game prior to release. This is a trend that I can get behind 100%. It’s an extension on trailers as it gives you an idea of what the developers were thinking, and in some cases how certain things in the game were created. Luckily for us, the crew at Rainbow Studios seems to feel the same way as they’ve just released another developer diary for their upcoming title, Deadly Creatures. You’ll remember this game from the preview I posted of it a couple weeks ago. The game is rapidly approaching, so I’d expect to here more and more. Enjoy the video below courtesy of IGN.

Check out the source of this item Deadly Creatures Developer Diary

Nintendo has added Mario Golf and Wonder Boy in Monster Land to the Virtual Console.

The former was originally for the N64, which was the one before the GameCube, which was the one before the Wii. They used plastic boxes not plastic discs back then, but golf was still golf. And that’s what Mario does here with his wacky friends on wacky courses.

Mario Golf costs 1000 Wii Points (approx GBP 7.00 / EUR 10.00).

Wonder Boy in Monster Land comes from the SEGA Master System, the rekindled games of which cost 500 Wii Points (approx GBP 3.50 / EUR 5).

Monster Land is more of an RPG adventure than straight platformer, and fiendishly difficult because of no continue or password system. In summary: boy in pants saves the day.

Source: Eurogamer

Bloomberg — Blanche Betten, a 76-year-old retired restaurant owner, hammered Bob Warner, 85, with a flurry of punches, sending the World War II and Korean War veteran sprawling to the ground.

“Again, again, again,” onlooker Rosa Villanueva, 61, shouted at the Perris Hill Senior Center as Warner tried to regain his footing.

The San Bernardino, California, seniors weren’t fighting in a real ring. They were boxing on Nintendo Co.’s Wii video-game console as part of a public-health class to encourage physical activity. They’re among a growing number of former non-gamers who have taken up the Wii and made it the dominant player in the $21 billion U.S. video-game industry.

“I don’t know of any other digital technology today that offers grandparents and grandkids an avenue to play together or connect,” said Mike Hickey, a video-game analyst at Janco Partners in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

Last year, 26 percent of people over the age of 50 played video games, up from 9 percent in 1999, according to the Entertainment Software Association, a Washington-based trade group. The figure is expected to rise because of the games’ growing popularity with seniors, the association said.

Read the rest of this post here:Bloomberg.com

Nintendo plans to add brilliant Square Enix Super Nintendo action role-player Secret of Mana to the Wii Virtual Console on Boxing Day.

This is one of our all-time SNES favorites, and at 800 Wii Points (GBP 6 / EUR 8 approx) we’ve no need to be asked twice. Consider the three-player co-op, upgradable weapons, ridable dragon and epic plot and you shouldn’t need much prompting either. Punchable rabbit-things, too. Even now the words “ring menu system” give us chills.

The same day also hails the arrival of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 from the days of the Master System. Sonic was good back then, and at 500 Points (GBP 3.50 / EUR 5 approx) it’s a cheap trip down memory lane, where Tails is invited to cross the road without looking. Splat.

Source: eurogamer

Atari has shed more light on AKI’s Ready 2 Rumble Revolution for Wii, which the publisher said yesterday would be released in March 2009.

R2RR adopts the Wii Sports standard of remote and nunchuk for boxing gloves and serves up 18 caricatured boxers based on sports, music and film stars to punch your way through in the game’s single-player Championship mode, where you also design your own boxer and build them up through mini-games.

Then there’s multiplayer, and Atari promises “hilarious moves, detailed facial animations, damage textures and fighting techniques including special moves, combos, extreme knockdowns and special ‘Rumble’ combos”. Meanwhile, the ring announcer is Michael Buffer of “Let’s Get Readyyyy To Rumble” fame.

Atari plans to bring wintery Wii sequel Family Ski & Snowboard to Europe in February 2009.

As the title suggests, this Namco Bandai follow-up adds snowboards to the range of piste pursuits. And like Family Ski, control will be handled by the balance board, which will be turned sideways to imitate the fat uni-ski. Wiimote and nunchuk are waggled to pull off tricks.

There’s more content than before: two big mountains to plummet down, littered with half-pipes and rails, plus all sorts of activities for both radical snowboarders and leisurely skiers.