We Sing Series to Enter the Rock Arena

Nordic Games has announced that its We Sing Wii franchise is about to expand with a new Rock version.  We Sing Rock! is set to be the fifth We Sing title to be released in the UK, and the eighth in PAL territories, and will feature some never-before-featured classic rock songs alongside some current headbanging hits. Nordic says that the setlist will cover four decades of music, with 40 sing-a-long rock anthems, most of which will include the original videos. Each track will have its own difficulty rating and can be played in either short or full-length song modes. Featured gameplay modes include Singing Lessons to help singers polish their vocal chops, a Party Mode which supports up to four players, Solo Mode and Karaoke Mode.

“Although the We Sing range has a great selection of music across its portfolio, there are fans who have been crying out for a rock-focused karaoke game for Wii,” says Nik Blower, sales and marketing director, Nordic Games. “We Sing Rock! will open up the We Sing brand to gamers who prefer singing to music with drums and a classic guitar’s riff.”

There’s no word on a release date or tracklist just yet, but Nordic says it’s coming soon.

Wii Play: Motion Out Now

Nintendo’s latest family-friendly Wii game, Wii Play: Motion, hit the stores today. The game invites people to get together to participate in 12 new motion-controlled activities. The game builds on the immersive action of the original Wii Play – one of the top-selling video games of all time – and comes complete with a black Wii Remote Plus controller, which features the built-in precise motion control of the Wii MotionPlus accessory.

The 12 games featured in Wii Play: Motion get the player to wield the Wii Remote Plus in a multitude of interesting ways, such as in Wind Runner, where you have to tilt the controller to change the angle of an umbrella as you ride gusts of wind along a gem-filled race-course, or in Veggie Guardin’, where you have to swing the controller like a mallet to ward off pests that are out to steal the vegetables from your garden. Spooky Search also uses the Wii Remote Plus in a very innovative way, challenging players to track invisible spirits by pointing the controller around the room and listening for clues.

Some activities feature additional modes that players can unlock as they progress. All 12 games can be played in single-player or two-player modes, and four of the games can be played with up to four players, provided you have enough Wii Remote Plus controllers to go round.

“Families and friends will have a blast experiencing Wii Play: Motion together,” said Cindy Gordon, Nintendo of America’s vice president of Corporate Affairs. “With a dozen built-in games that anybody can pick up and play, it’s a surefire way to spark instant social fun, whether you’re hosting a get-together or just enjoying some downtime at home with loved ones.”

Wii Play: Motion, including one black Wii Remote Plus controller, is out now with an SRP of $49.99.

Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata Talks Wii U

Speaking in the first part of a two-part interview with All Things D’s Tricia Duryee, Nintendo’s Global President Satoru Iwata talks about Nintendo’s plans for the Wii U, saying that Nintendo considers the Wii U to be the next step for the Wii, transforming the relationships between the family, the video game and the Internet. He also acknowledges that Nintendo hopes to win back the hardcore gamer with the new HD console:

“The Wii has already achieved very impressive things, but there were two things we were not able to realise: We could not keep up with the hardcore gamers and the Wii original was not compatible with HDTVs.”

He adds that third-party publishers have already started to adapt their shooting games to the Wii U’s touchscreen controller:

“For example, ordinarily when you are playing a shooter type of game, your main TV screen is the battlefield; however, oftentimes you have to open a new window to select items or weapons to see the entire map. But you don’t have to do that anymore with Wii U because you’ll have a screen that will show you that information.”

Iwata ventures that Nintendo believes that the Wii U will be “as powerful as any other console,” and that as well as attracting back the hardcore gamers to Nintendo, he hopes that the console’s new touchscreen controller will also attract those people who were never previously interested in the Wii at all, such as those who might want to use it for video chat, or for Web browsing.

“Even though we used a system that caters to the needs of the most skilful players, we are also trying to reach out to the people who are not interested in video games.”

THQ Talks Darksiders II on Wii U

When Nintendo launched the Wii U at E3 last week, one of the games shown as being in development for the new powerhouse console was THQ’s Darksiders II. Today THQ has been talking about its involvement with developing one of the first games for the Wii U, with Travis Plane, Vice President of Global Brand Management for THQ saying, “we are very excited about the potential Wii U offers and look forward to bringing Darksiders II to the Nintendo audience.”

According to THQ, the Wii U version of Darksiders II will take advantage of Nintendo’s innovative new hardware with implemented functionality for the revolutionary controller. Darksiders II is the sequel to the award-winning action-adventure game, Darksiders, and follows the exploits of DEATH, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, in a storyline that runs parallel to the events in the original Darksiders game. The epic journey propels DEATH through various light and dark realms as he tries to redeem his brother WAR, the horseman who was blamed for prematurely starting the Apocalypse in Darksiders. Oops!  Along the way, the Horseman discovers that there are far worse things than an earthly Apocalypse, and that an ancient grudge may threaten all of Creation. Can DEATH really become mankind’s saviour? Find out when the game is released on console, Wii U and PC in 2012.

Killer Freaks from Outer Space Invades the Wii U

Ubisoft this week at E3 announced that it’s currently developing a game exclusively for the launch of Nintendo’s new Wii U console. Created by Ubisoft Montpelier, Killer Freaks from Outer Space is a revolutionary new first person shooter that Ubisoft says has inspired it to develop an entirely new take on the FPS genre.

“When we realized the potential of what Nintendo was offering by creating a tactile controller, we were off and running immediately,” said Xavier Poix, managing director of Ubisoft’s France studios.  “Having that extra screen in the hand of the player allows us boundless innovation that ultimately gives the player a more beautiful game, a faster game interface, a personalized game experience, and so much more.”

In the game, vicious and insane hordes of Killer Freaks from Outer Space have invaded the planet. As one of the world’s last survivors, it’s up to you to stalk the Killer Freaks across the globe to determine who will rule the earth. As with many of the Wii U games announced so far Killer Freaks is definitely one for the hardcore gamers, with plenty of shocks. Very exciting stuff!

“When Nintendo launches a new console, it’s always a big milestone for the industry and a great opportunity for creativity,” said Yves Guillemot, chief executive office at Ubisoft.  “Killer Freaks will make the most of all the fantastic capabilities of the Wii U and provide hardcore players with a gaming experience like no other they have seen or played before.”

The game will be available at the launch of the Wii U, sometime in 2012.

Nickelodeon Dance Announced for Wii

And the dance games just keep on coming! This time it’s the turn of 2K Play’s Nickelodeon Dance, which features the cartoon stars of the Nickelodeon Network strutting their funky stuff on the dancefloor. The game is designed to help kids stay physically active as they twist, shake, and shout to original Nickelodeon songs and popular favourites. There’s also a cool fitness feature designed to get kids’ hearts’ pumping along with the Nickelodeon gang.

In the game, kids get to bust a move and show their fancy dance steps along with the likes of Dora, Diego, The Backyardigans, and The Fresh Beat Band, as they bop around in dance routines that have all been developed in collaboration with an expert children’s dance choreographer.

30 songs are included in Nickelodeon Dance (which represents the first time that licensed Nickelodeon characters have appeared in a dance game), including theme songs from such shows as Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, The Backyardigans, and the Fresh Beat Band, among others.

Nickelodeon Dance also features a multiplayer mode that encourages fitness, fancy footwork and lots of laughter for the whole family.

Look for the game to be released for Wii this November.

Happy Feet Returns to the Wii

Get ready to hear the sound of those happy feet tap, tap, tapping on Wii once again, penguin fans, as Warner Bros. Interactive has just announced at E3 that Happy Feet Two will be coming to the Wii in Fall 2011. The musical adventure gaming experience for the entire family is inspired by the whimsical Antarctic world of the upcoming animated film, Happy Feet Two, from Warner Bros. Pictures.

“In Happy Feet Two – The Videogame, kids will not only love playing on their own, they will have even more fun playing side-by-side cooperatively with friends and family members, or compete in penguin dance showdowns and belly sliding races,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The game’s all new, controller-based dance system uses the player’s rhythm to enhance the dancing competitions, and the gameplay lets kids interact with their favourite characters from the film.”

In the game, the penguin nation faces new dangers, and it will take everyone working and dancing together to save the penguins from extinction. Players use dance moves to recruit penguins with unique abilities that help advance the adventure, stun opponents, and manipulate the environment around them to solve co-operative puzzles.

All of the music in the game is composed and performed by Ozomatli, the popular LA-based band whose music is a combination of hip-hop, salsa, dancehall, cumbia, samba, funk, meringue, Jamaican raga, and Indian raga influences. The upbeat score also features a song with Lil’ P-Nut, an eight-year-old rapper also featured in the movie.

Kirby Rolls Back Onto the Wii!

Nintendo announced today at E3 that everyone’s favourite pink shape-shifting bundle of cuteness, the blue-eyed charmer himself, Kirby, will be returning to Dream Land and your living room via the Wii. “Kirby Wii” features Kirby and his friends in an all-new action-adventure, which kicks off when an alien spaceship crashes into the peaceful realm of Pop Star, scattering spaceship pieces throughout the land. It’s the player’s job to guide Kirby as he retrieves the ship’s parts and helps the aliens return to their home planet. At any time, up to three more players can join in with Kirby on his quest, playing cooperatively as Meta Knight, King Dedede or Waddle Dee.

Kirby’s main “weapon”, as ever, is his Copy Ability, which enables him to inhale, spit and transform as he encounters enemies. Among Kirby’s many abilities in the game are Sword, where he dons a green cape and wields a sword; Beam, where he wears a jester’s hat and shoots energy from a magic wand; Whip, where he’s sporting a cowboy hat and can lasso enemies; and Leaf, where he is surrounded by a whirlwind of leaves.

The game also introduces new Super Abilities, which are activated when Kirby inhales special enemy characters, such as the “Super Sword” Super Ability, which enables Kirby to swing a giant sword and wipe out an entire screen’s worth of foes.

Fans can look forward to Kirby Wii being released this Fall.

First Details Emerge About Aliens: Colonial Marines for the Wii U

One of the most significant parts of Nintendo’s unveiling of the Wii U today was the showing of several more hardcore games such as Aliens: Colonial Marines. Following on from that spectacular presentation from Nintendo, SEGA and Gearbox Studios have been talking about their involvement in developing one of the first Wii U games, along with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products:

“We are extremely thrilled about the potential of the Nintendo Wii U and are honored to be a part of the earliest efforts for research and development on the platform with the Aliens: Colonial Marines project that is so perfectly matched with the platform’s unique and exciting new capabilities,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. “As more details about the Nintendo Wii U emerge, Gearbox Software is equipped and motivated to engage and support the platform and its customers.”

“With such a recognized brand as ALIENS and a renowned developer in Gearbox Software, this really is exciting news for everyone,” said Mike Hayes, CEO at SEGA of America and SEGA Europe. “The Nintendo Wii U opens up an impressive amount of new opportunities for publishers and developers alike and SEGA are fully supportive of this new platform.”

Aliens: Colonial Marines is the highly anticipated first-person shooter set after the events of the James Cameron-directed Aliens movie, and is designed to provide an exhilarating and engaging new chapter in the Aliens universe. Players will blast their way through hordes of Xenomorphs on the USS Sulaco, the surface of LV-426 and Hadley’s Hope, using weapons inspired by the film series.

Nintendo Launches the Wii U at E3

Exciting times for Nintendo fans today as Nintendo launches its groundbreaking new Wii U console today at E3. As has been expected from leaks prior to the launch, the main innovation comes in the shape of the revolutionary new Wii U controller, which boasts a 6.2-inch screen, and everything else bar the kitchen sink, it would seem.

“Wii U redefines the structure of home entertainment by fundamentally changing how the TV, the game console and the Internet function and interact together,” said Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. “The experience enabled by Wii U and the new controller takes players deeper into their games, while reaching out wider than ever before to be inviting to all kinds of gamers.”

In addition to the 6.2-inch screen, the new controller also features (deep breath) an accelerometer and a gyroscope, a rumble feature, an inward-facing camera, a microphone, stereo speakers, a sensor strip and a stylus. Never fear though, all you traditionalists out there, the Classic Controller button scheme of two analog Circle Pads, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons will enable a breadth of gameplay experiences alongside the controller’s technological innovations.

Nintendo says that it wants to move away from the traditional way of playing console games, where they are confined to the TV and offer the same viewpoints to each player in a multiplayer environment. The new controller removes these boundaries and creates a more dynamic and fluid gaming and entertainment experience. For example, in single-player gaming, the new controller can display information on its touchscreen that doesn’t appear on the TV, and the information and viewpoint can also change in the new controller based on the orientation of its gyroscope.

In multiplayer games, the player using the new controller can have a different experience than those looking at the TV, offering a wide variety of competitive and cooperative opportunities.

Each Wii U console will be partnered with a new controller, and can also use up to four additional Wii Remote or Wii Remote Plus controllers.

Aside from the amazing new controller, one of the most exciting and long overdue aspects of the Wii U is the fact that it supports full HD graphics (1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i). Compatible cables include HDMI, component, S-video and composite. Finally, Wii games will be visually equal to games on other consoles. Imagine Mario and Zelda in full HD!

The console will be powered by an IBM Power-based multi-core microprocessor.

So what exactly will the Wii U play? Well, its single self-loading media bay will play 12-centimeter proprietary high-density optical discs, as well as 12-centimeter original Wii optical discs.

The system is also completely backwards compatible, being able to play all Wii games and use all Wii accessories. As far as storage is concerned, the Wii U will have internal flash memory, as well as the option to expand its memory using either an SD memory card or an external USB hard disk drive.

The fact that this will also be a console for the hardcore gamer is obvious when you look at the third-party games showcased during Nintendo’s presentation today, such as Aliens: Colonial Marines and Tekken. Sure you’ll have the family fun stuff in there too, and all the classic Nintendo heroes, but now you’ll also see serious hardcore shooters on there too. It’s exactly what Nintendo needed to do to keep up with their competitors, and it’s so exciting to think of the endless possibilities now that they’ve finally done it!

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