N-Europe

News: House Of The Dead Collector's Edition!

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:31:47 +0000

We take a look inside the exclusive prequel graphic novel available only with House of the Dead: OVERKILL's Collector's Edition.

Sega have today announced details of the HotD: OVERKILL Collector�s Edition, which comes encased in an collector�s slipcase and is accompanied by an exclusive graphic novel. It will only be available through selected retailers as a pre-order bonus.

�Prelude to an OVERKILL� tells the fateful stories of Agent Washington and Varla Gunns, on the night before the violent and shocking events of the game. Illustrated by Steve Copter, of dissident punk band �Black Mekon�, this specially-commissioned comic is only available in the Collector�s Edition.

The game puts players in the shoes of Special Agent G and Detective Washington. Whilst mowing down waves of infected blood-thirsty zombies in a last-ditch effort to survive Bayou City, gamers uncover the horrific truth behind the origins of the House of the Dead.

Click below for high-res versions of the pictures, including a first-look inside the exclusive graphic novel...

News: Third Parties Don't 'Get' Wii Audience

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:37:35 +0000

Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime criticises third-parties for not putting their best content on the Wii!

Nintendo of America's President has been interviewed by Forbes, and had some fighting talk for third-party publishers who in his mind still are not supporting the Wii as fully as he'd like.

Claiming that publishers still don't quite understand the Wii audience, Reggie said tweaking game-play mechanics to fit the Wii control scheme was only part of the equation. That the Wii audience is just as interested in games that do well on other systems (as well as the novelty shovelware) which publishers have been "reticent" about also launching on Wii. Said Fils-Aime:

"I will be able to say our licensees 'get it' when their very best content is on our platform ... And with very few exceptions today, that's not the case."

The Forbes article highlights Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto as an example of this.

The interview also touched on a potential price-cut for the Wii, which for the first time Reggie admitted would eventually occur. Though not right now - with US Wii sales last month the highest they've been all year. "At some point, it will be time to adjust the [price]," noted Fils-Aime, "but we're nowhere near that point now."

What's your view on third-party support for the Wii? Would you like to see more mainstream multi-platform titles? Let us know your thoughts below...

News: Boom Blox Sequel On The Way!

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:46:53 +0000

EA confirm a follow-up to this year's critically-acclaimed block-smasher.

Straight from a Variety article comes confirmation of a neat piece of news. Hit Wii game Boom Blox released earlier this summer to glowing reviews, and didn't do a bad stint in the charts either. The original was the first game Steven Spielberg contracted to work on with EA.

While Electronic Arts LA will again handle developing the sequel, it's unclear whether the Hollywood director will return to take the reins of brainstorming. It's unlikely considering the original idea will probably not be diversed from too much. What EA have confirmed however, is that many people from across the globe will be collaborating on Boom Blox 2 (working title).

Feel free to party with us at this fantastic news!

News: Nintendo Officially Replacing Concentra

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:12:11 +0000

The rumour was confirmed, Nintendo will directly distribute their products in Portugal. Laurent Fisher as well as Spanish and Portuguese involved parties comment.

It's now official, Nintendo of Spain will open the Portuguese office on the 1st of March 2009 which will be responsible for sales, marketing and distribution of Nintendo products, with Concentra's distribution contract ending on the 28th of February.

Laurent Fisher, Nintendo of Europe's PR and marketing director comments:

"Nintendo had a long and beneficial relationship with Concentra, which did an excelent job in marketing and distibuting our products in Portugal since 1991. However, following Nintendo's expansion in the Spanish market the last few years, we decided it's the right time to strengthen our commitment to sales in the Portuguese market, so now it makes sense for Nintendo to have a direct intervention in Portugal."

"Opening a delegation in Portugal shows our commitment to this market right now and for the future." adds Luciano Pereira, Nintendo of Spain's director."We already have a strong position in the Portuguese market thanks to Concentra's hard work the last 17 years and now we're ready to build on that and turn Portugal into one of main growth markets."

Pedro Feist, Concentra's president also comments:

"Concentra is one of the oldest Nintendo partners in Europe and we feel honored to have contributed to the brand's growth in Portugal the last two decades. In the following months we'll work hard with Nintendo to guarantee a smooth transition in distributing their products in Portugal. We wish Nintendo and its new Portuguese team success in the future."

So there you go Portuguese fans, the baton will officially change hands next March!

News: Golden Zelda Statue On Stars Catalogue

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:06:59 +0000

Collectors of rare goodies be swift, the golden Zelda statue worth 15,000 Stars is available on the Stars Catalogue again.

Can you possibly handle this much gaming merchandise in such a short space of time? Right after Nintendo add some nice winter clothing to their European customer rewards service, a blast from the past returns for another limited run on the Stars Catalogue.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Statue, yours for the princely sum of 15,000 Stars, features an iconic image of Link mounted upon Epona and brandishing the Master Sword, all presented in solid gold (maybe not, it's probably just paint).

If you can afford it, get yourself over to the Stars Catalogue and pick up one of the ultimate collector's item now - or alternatively wait for it to pop up on eBay and blow your life savings on it. The choice is yours!

Rumour: Portugal's Nintendo Distributor To Change

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:27:25 +0000

Portuguese Nintendo fans can cry tears of joy, as Concentra will cease to be the official Nintendo distributor.

While no official statement has been issued yet, most sources state with certainty that Concentra, Nintendo's distributor in Europe's westernmost country for over 10 years, will stop being so come March 2009.

Rumour has it that Nintendo will be opening an office in the Portuguese capital Lisbon and allegedly, Nintendo of Spain will handle distribution to both countries, changing name to Nintendo Ib�rica.

Please note that this isn't 100% confirmed, but chances it's true are good, so maybe the days of pulling out hair in frustration over incredibly late games, inflated prices, no Star points and crummy little black & white manuals will be over fellow Portuguese Nintendo fans.

News: Nintendo Launch Winter Clothing Range

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:16:28 +0000

Nintendo of Europe have launched a Wii Fit-branded clothing range on the Stars Catalogue to keep gamers warm and nerdy when out and about.

Despite only launching a set of summer accessories at the start of September, Nintendo of Europe are getting a head-start this season with the introduction of their winter range of clothing on the Stars Catalogue.

A Wii Fit themed winter hat and scarf are available (separately) for 2200 and 2500 Stars respectively. Nintendo joke that the items are a fitting replacement for those "dodgy knitted scarves" traditionally associated with Christmas and cheapskate relatives you see a few times a year whilst going about your business in Asda.

You can expect a few more items sure to get you beaten up at school to be introduced gradually over the next few weeks. For now, head on over to the Stars Catalogue and see if anything else tickles your fancy (Nintendo also uploaded a few bland mobile ringtones and wallpapers based on Animal Crossing, Mario & Luigi, Wario Land and other franchises).

News: Iwata Asks - Animal Crossing Wii

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:10:55 +0000

Satoru Iwata is back with another set of interviews, this time focused on Animal Crossing: Let's Go To The City for the Wii.

When he's not printing money with his arsenal of gaming consoles and equipment, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata likes to take some time out to quiz his underlings about their upcoming gaming projects. That's right, Iwata Asks is back and this time the bespectacled overlord is talking with the team responsible for creating Animal Crossing: Let's Go To The City.

Here's an excerpt of the interview, in which Iwata-san talks with Aya Koyogoku, Ryuji Kobayashi, Isao Moro and Hisashi Nogami from Nintendo EAD about Animal Crossing's new WiiConnect24 functionality.

Iwata: Could you tell us what precisely WiiConnect24 adds to the game?

Nogami: The first thing we thought of is something we sort of stole from the Mii Channel...

Iwata: What do you mean "stole"? It was you who developed the Mii Channel! (laughs)

Nogami: Well, you have a point there! (laughs) So we used an idea from the Mii Channel, and decided that we would have the data about players' towns automatically exchanged with their friends. This exchange of information started with the DS version, when you needed to have two separate consoles, each with a Game Card, connected. But this time around, by connecting to WiiConnect24, without one player having to visit the other player, the town data could be exchanged before either player knew it. So then all of a sudden you'd get an animal that's new in the neighbourhood, who's just moved from your friend's town, introducing himself: "Hi! I've just moved from ----- town."

There's also another section we found quite interesting regarding holidays. Holiday events are back after an absence in Wild World, and this time they're better than ever thanks to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and the ability to visit players living in other regions such as American and Japan...

Iwata: So let's say on the 31st December, wherever you take a trip in to the Animal Crossing world, you can enjoy New Year�s Eve. But you can't simply talk of events without acknowledging that each country has its own culture. It must have been very tough to adapt the events to suit each culture.

Nogami: Well, I got the chance to become quite an expert on events around the world! (laughs) In Japan, we have the event called tsukimi (moon-viewing). In Japan, when we talk of moon-viewing, we are talking about the mid-autumn moon. There are also events related to the moon which take place at the same time in America, but they are completely different in nature.

Kyogoku: In Japan, when you mention tsukimi, people think of tsukimi dango (sweet dumplings), and pampas grass decorations. But people in other countries don't understand this at all, so we had to change the animal's dialogue.

Nogami: When an event takes place, the head of the town will come out and give presents to players. So during tsukimi, he would give out tsukimi dango.

Iwata: But if an American player receives a tsukimi dango, he's going to think: "What on earth's this?"

Nogami: Right. So we changed the gift the player receives for the US version to a wheat sheaf. Which leaves Japanese people wondering: �Why a wheat sheaf?" (laughs)

Kyogoku: Apparently, there�s a custom in America where people use wheat sheaves as decorations during the moon-viewing season.

Nogami: So if you visit a friend's town overseas during the moon-viewing season, you�ll be able to get hold of a wheat sheaf.

Iwata: So if you�ve got a Wii Friend in another country, you�ll be able to get hold of items that you can�t get in Japan.

Nogami: That's right. So perhaps it's a good idea to pack your tsukimi dango to give as presents when you visit a town in another country. (laughs)

The full interview can be read here, we heartily recommend it if you're in the group who don't think anything's changed from previous installments in the series. Satoru Iwata will inevitably return in the near future in another set of interviews. Animal Crossing: Let's Go To The City will be out on December 5th.

News: Factor 5 Wii Games 'Very Soon'

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:58:21 +0000

Rouge Squadron developers Factor 5 have spoken out on projects they're working on, including Wii exclusives.

The California-based company are famed for crafting video games that makes the absolute most of the system worked on. Their two Gamecube titles; Star Wars Rogue Sqadron II: Rogue Leader and its sequel Rebel Strike; still put many Wii games to shame in the graphical department.

President Julian Eggegbrecht was speaking to MTV Multiplayer about rumours of Factor 5 producing a brand new Superman game. He had this to say:

�We are working on several projects, both multi-platform as well as single-platform titles for the Wii which you will hear a lot more about very soon."

Could a major Factor 5 Wii exclusive be the long-rumoured Kid Icarus revival? Perhaps a more suitable question is: after all this time, is possible it could be something else? Let us know your thoughts below.

News: Nintendo Names Four Core Games For 2009

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:09:27 +0000

Nintendo's Cammie Dunaway has named four Wii titles aimed at 'core' gamers releasing in 2009.

After seeing massive successes from titles aimed at the 'casual' gamer and mass market, Nintendo's puppy-loving exec Cammie Dunaway has told MTV that the company will also keep the 'core' gamer satisfied in 2009 with four new titles sure to "make that group stand up and pay attention."

Two of the titles come from Sega - firstly, the High Voltage developed The Conduit, which Dunaway says is "really pushing the edge of graphic capabilities on the Wii and doing things that people didn't think were possible." Secondly, she tapped Sega's MadWorld, the bloody and monochromatic action title that's already stirred up some controversy from the Daily Mail crowd.

From Nintendo themselves will be upcoming Sin & Punishment and Punch-Out sequels, both sure to satisfy "that action-seeking, thrill-seeking need that the audience has." At least until the next Mario and Zelda get announced, right?

So how do you feel about these 2009 offerings? Let us know your thoughts below...

News: Wii Firmware Updated To 3.4

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:56:06 +0000

Those blue disc lights are glowing - Nintendo is taking a further stand against homebrew in this latest update.

Today brings a new update to the Wii console's firmware, which revises the Nintendo User Agreement and once again seeks to remove "save data or program files that are detected as having been created by unauthorised means" which "may be deleted from the Wii System Memory."

This new policy also carries a warning; WiiConnect24 may be used for stealth updates in standby mode by Nintendo to catch out hackers and other users who have unauthorised content on their system.

So, along with blocking the Twilight Hack, what else does the update provide? Not much, it has to be said. USB keyboard support is now enabled in the Mii Channel. Parental controls have been "enhanced", and according to some reports SD cards now transfer data at a dramatically increased rate.

We tested out these new transfer speeds, and were pleasantly surprised that some Channels, which would ordinarily take between 5 and 15 minutes to upload to an SD card, were minimised to less than a minute. Dr. Mario & Germ Buster now takes 17 seconds to transfer, with Toki Tori at 44 seconds and Tetris Party taking just 38 seconds.

We'll keep you updated if anything else surfaces!

News: No Hendrix DLC On Wii

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:28:18 +0000

Activision spills the beans on some downloadable content limitations on the Wii version of Guitar Hero World Tour. Hendrix fans will not be impressed...

Jimi Hendrix DLC in Guitar Hero World Tour will not be available for the Wii. This news could potentially effect other DLC too as an activision rep explained in the following statement.

Due to technical or licensing restrictions, the DLC offerings will not be the same for every console platform. For example, certain artists prefer to keep the integrity of the track pack rather than releasing singles and the Wii�s infrastructure only allows us the ability to release single songs as DLC. We are very excited to be the first third-party publisher to bring a library of playable DLC songs to the Nintendo Wii platform. Vicarious Visions has pioneered with Nintendo a seamless way to download, store and access songs via SD Card. The development team is committed to offering Wii fans worldwide as much variety of DLC as possible on a regular basis.

Post your views on this story in the comments section below.

News: Little King's Story Ruling Europe 2009

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:57:04 +0000

Rising Star Games is bringing Cing's Pikmin-killer to Europe, and it may be sooner than you think...

And fate determined that Rising Star Games would ride to the rescue of Europe once again! The publisher has confirmed that it plans to release Little King's Story across Europe in March 2009. Rising Star has also handled the European releases of Wii titles such as No More Heroes and Harvest Moon, as well as the upcoming No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle.

The game itself has built up a neat reputation among critics as E3 and TGS for its bold art style, charming characters and deep, strategic gameplay. With talent who have worked on games like Final Fantasy XII, Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Quest VIII all on board, it is no surprise Little King's Story is expected to become one of Wii's early success stories next year.

Let us know what you think of the "dream team" game below

Media: Blood Of Bahamut Trailer

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:37:03 +0000

Square Enix prepare a brand new IP for DS...

With Square riding high on the success of many platinum selling RPGs on Nintendo DS, including worthwile re-runs of the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series', it's no surprise they're looking to invest heavily in the system.

The latest product to spawn from the Japanese behemoth is a brand new game going by the name of Blood of Bahamut. There's no indication whether or not this action role-playing game has any connection with the SNES title Bahamut Lagoon, but Square is keeping us guessing. What is likely to get most gamers interested however, is the influence the game seemingly takes from cult hit Shadow of the Colossus. You can see for yourself below.

With so much mystery still shrouding the game, stick with N-Europe as we get more juicy nuggets on Blood of Bahamut.

News: Happy Birthday Shigeru Miyamoto!

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:25:06 +0000

The father of modern day gaming and creator of some of the best loved franchises in history, Shigeru Miyamoto, turns 56 today!

Shigeru Miyamoto, affectionately known as "Shigsy" by the most devote Nintendo fans (including us) is today celebrating his 56th birthday.

Born in 1952, Miyamoto-san has worked in the gaming industry for 31 years as Nintendo's most valuable asset. Responsible for rescuing gaming after reprogramming the failed arcade game Radar Scope into the world-renowned Donkey Kong, Miyamoto has since been responsible for bringing us Mario and The Legend of Zelda, with his most recent project being Wii Music, released on Friday.

We'd like to wish Shigeru Miyamoto a very happy birthday, and thank him for bringing such wonderful service to gamers over the past three decades.

News: European Art Style Website Launches

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:16:04 +0000

Nintendo have launched the European website for their bizarre Art Style series for WiiWare.

With the first title in Skip's Art Style series for WiiWare, Cubello, launching next week, Nintendo have launched the official European website for the bizzare Bit Generations inspired series, where you'll be able to grab videos, screenshots and information on what the series is and how you play the three new titles.

Cubello is simply a puzzle game with a rapidly rotating cube as the main focus of the action. It will expand and grow, so it's up to you to dismantle it by firing cuboids of the same colour at its blocks.

Cubello will be out on November 21st, with releases of Rotohex and Orbient set to follow in the coming weeks.

Media: Guitar Hero - Livin' On A Prayer

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:59:36 +0000

We've got a nice little user video from the Wii version of Guitar Hero World Tour.

All the different packages of Guitar Hero World Tour are out in Europe now, and our readers appear to be striking their rock poses already. N-E reader Aodh�n Moran contacted us earlier with a lovely rendition of Bon Jovi's Livin' On A Prayer (you know, that song from the Cadbury's advert), which you can watch below - or directly through our Youtube account.

It doesn't make a difference if you write a comment below or not - though it'd be nice gesture to show your love of Aodh�n's mad rock skills.

News: Mega Man, Phantasy Star Hit Virtual Console

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:43:06 +0000

The third installment in the Mega Man series hits the Virtual Console this week alongside the fourth Phantasy Star game.

European gamers are this week bombarded by a duo of hard-as-nails retro games, the sheer difficulty of which will have them sobbing themselves into a coma.

Capcom's Mega Man 3, originally released in 1992 for the NES, follows the depressingly difficult structure on which the recent Mega Man 9 on WiiWare was based. An apparently reformed Dr. Wily teams up with Dr. Light to make a peace-keeping robot, before revealing his own hidden agenda and having his metal henchmen make off with Light's power crystals. 500 Wii Points is what you'll be needing if you want to stop the fiend.

Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millenium from SEGA originally saw a release in 1995 on the SEGA Mega Drive. This fourth installment is set 1,000 years after the events of the second game and sees you playing as a bounty hunter charged with saving an ecosystem (and thus the universe) by kicking some "biomonster" rears. 800 Wii Points for this one.

Watch out for resident VC guru Sam's reviews of these titles over the coming days.

Media: Call of Duty Wii Videos

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:50:19 +0000

Don't stop to take in the view: this world's at war.

Treyarch have really looked like they've taken the Call of Duty franchise back into World War Two in style. Definately one of the technically strongest Wii titles, and packed with great shooting fun to boot, World at War is vital for Wiimote-wielders looking for their environments lush and their enemies singed.

Below are videos of both the single player campaign and online mode.

World at War hit European stores today, so what are you waiting for?

News: Crystal Bearers Still On Track

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:06:13 +0000

Contrary to recent speculation, Square Enix have confirmed the 'serious' Wii Final Fantasy game is still in development.

Rumours of the apparent cancellation of Final Fantsasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers started doing the rounds earlier this week when EGM reported Sqaure Enix was quitely ceasing development. The claim was that all focus would be shifted to the Wii/DS Echoes of Time combo. Not long after, conflicting reports flooded in that the game is indeed still being woked on, and that Square would have an official press release on the matter imminently.

Well, Wii gamers (and anyone who had money on the latter) can breathe a sigh of relief, as the company have cleared things up in a company statement:

While much of EGM's 'Rumor Mill' contents end up being accurate, in this case the report is incorrect. We have never announced that Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers has been cancelled and have every intention of releasing it. There may be some concerns as a firm ship date has not been set but rest assured there will be an announcement once we finalize the date internally. Although there are many Square Enix related rumors out there that we do not comment on, due to the feedback from the readers, we felt it was necessary to provide a statement to alleviate the worries of those who are looking forward to the game. The fan base that the Final Fantasy series has is appreciated by everyone at Square Enix (not only the developers) so we hope this statement will prevent any further spreading of the rumor. We apologize for any unnecessary distress this rumor may have caused and hope the fans of the series can again look forward to the upcoming release of Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers.

Crystal Bearers was one of the very first 'Revolution' titles to be announced, and has been completely AWOL from the public, save a brief appearence at E3 in 2006 and a short trailer early on in 2007.