According to Nintendo, the original SNES game that started off the kart-racing phenomenon is coming to the Virtual Console this Monday (tomorrow). Super Mario Kart will be available for download very soon, and two other classics will follow close behind. Nintendo also confirmed Pilotwings (SNES) and Super Smash Bros. (N64) will come to the VC this holiday season.
[Gamespot]
Live TV by Ustream
Time: Friday, November 20, 2009, 5 p.m. PST
Location: Watch the embedded video player above.
This Friday, 1UP invites you to join us while we play the Battlefield Bad Company 2 beta. For those without a PS3, or are stuck at work, this is your best chance to check out the action on day one of the beta. Watch our live stream as we challenge our community members in 24-player matches. We’ll be playing most of the day, so feel free to stop by when you get the chance.
Update: Code Giveaway
Sonic fans might want to keep an eye out for the latest round of Little Big Planet DLC in December. According to Siliconera, Sega and Sony are collaborating on a costume back containing a variety of Sonic characters, including Tails, Knuckles and the blue hedgehog himself.
The costumes will reportedly be available in a pack, or individually. They include Sonic, Sonic the Werehog, Tails, Dr. Eggman and Knuckles costumes.
There’s no word on pricing or a release date, except that it will likely be released in mid-December. The only official mention of the pack so far is on PlayStation Asia, but expect more details soon.
With all eyes on Star Wars: The Old Republic, it’s easy to forget the “other” Star War MMORPG. Star Wars Galaxies is still kicking around though, and it has a successful mission creation tool to prove it.
Introduced back in October, Chronicle Master allows users to create their own missions and share them with the community. Fans have apparently responded in a big way, creating some three million pieces of interactive Star Wars fiction in just over a month alone.
The Chronicle Master is similar to the City of Heroes Mission Architect, which was released earlier this year. It was similarly successful, generating some 3800 arcs in the first 24 hours it was available.
VGA 2009 Mystery World Premiere #1
Earlier today Spike released this teaser video promoting a world-exclusive look at a new 2K shooter set in Dubai; the video promises to reveal more details during the upcoming VGA broadcast on December 12th.
Well, it seems that this is none other than the revival of the Spec Ops series, first revealed by Quartermann in the July 2008 issue of EGM. The teaser video also appears to be a snippet from a longer CGI cinema that was posted by Adland.tv in August 2009.
Exercise games on the Wii have been commonplace since the system launched in late 2006, with choices like Wii Fit, Jillian Michaels Fitness, and even Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout. So earlier this year, when EA announced that it was bringing out its own fitness program, many (myself included) were skeptical that the studio would be able to create a hit to stand apart from all of those other options. But EA Sports Active was a big success, and many top-rated fitness magazines and trainers endorsed it as a true way to lose weight on the Wii. Well, EA has wasted no time in announcing a follow-up, called EA Sports Active: More Workouts, which improves on the original by adding 35 new routines that target specific areas of the body, revamping the warm-up and cool-down routines, and even throwing in a healthy living cookbook called “The Best Life Diet” by Bob Greene (Oprah’s personal trainer).
But the biggest reason to pick up More Workouts is the expanded Six-Week Challenge. This extension of the original 30-Day Challenge offers up 24 pre-set workouts for 89 total exercises, some of which are new (like waterskiing and step aerobics) and some that return from the original Active (like boxing, bicep curls, and cardio). The most welcome additions include the warm-up and cool-down stations, which offer four different exercises to help you warm-up before starting a routine and four cool-down exercises to help stretch out after, and new custom abdominal workouts. They’re small additions, but the extra content really helps More Workouts stand apart from its predecessor.
Dynasty Warriors will soon be back, as the release says, “with a vengeance.” Koei has announced a firm release date for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce, which are due next year.
Koei is promising several new elements for the port, including 40 console-exclusive missions, online officer trading and a new playable character. The PS3 version will also feature characters from Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, while the Xbox 360 version features guest appearances from Warriors Orochi 2.
The PSP version was released earlier this year, and included ad-hoc multiplayer as well as tweaks to the existing weapons system. The console versions will be introducing online multiplayer.
The National Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF) is closing down, reports Gamasutra. The game industry watchdog group has often been at odds with industry publishers and retailers in its 14 year history. It is shutting down in conjunction with founding sponsor Fairview Health Services, but claims it is in talks with non-profit organizations that may continue its work. “Over the past two years the Institute’s board of directors has been in strategic discussions about succession and the Institute’s evolving mission and goals,” said founder Dr. David Walsh (right). “The current challenging economic environment accelerated those discussions making this the right time to begin transitioning the programs to other organizations who share our mission and values.”
Walsh said he is “grateful” to their donors, and calls the work “far from finished.” The annual industry “Report Card” was its most well-known contribution, rating the industry on proper efforts for kids. Research from the institute usually sparked ire from gaming circles, but sometimes had kind words when they saw progress. The ESRB was praised as a positive force for keeping Mature games out of kids’ hands, and often NIMF would lay the responsibility of managing game time at the feet of parents. Their studies ranged from game violence to addiction.
While it would be easy for game fans to take this as a win for the industry, we shouldn’t be too quick to cheer. NIMF may have disagreed sharply with publishers and game fans, but they brought a sense of accountability to the business that may have helped legitimize it in the eyes of people who would otherwise write it off as too insular. And as with any organization shutting down, be it developer or watchdog, we hope anyone affected by the closing lands on their feet soon.
[Video Review by GT]
Meristation – 85
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is the best shooter on rails available on the Wii. Excellent graphical section, intense and spectacular action, filled with extras that increase their duration… It’s impossible not to exhibit a smile when returning to Resident Evil 2 and RE: Code Veronica to play in a totally different way.
Multiplayer.it – 83
The Darkside Chronicles is a nice improvement over the previous game, adding length and depth to a solid on-rails shooting experience. Story and characters are really outdated though, and aiming through the Remote is a real pain at times.
1UP – 83
About the only moments of real tension I had were when I spotted an herb or other valuable item, and frantically tried to grab it before the camera swung in the other direction. Not to say the game is boring, though, because even though it’s a little more passive, this will probably be the closest thing to a complete RE2 remake in our lifetime. Darkside Chronicles looks great, has a good amount of content, and is mindlessly fun without the mindless gaffes of its predecessor.
IGN – 81
Even with my complaints about the bouncy camera, I believe this follow-up is a significantly better experience than the original Umbrella Chronicles and one fun ride from start to finish.
Game Informer – 80
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles acts as a fantastic primer for those who started with the more action-centric Resident Evil iterations, while simultaneously providing fan service and fun for dedicated followers. Novices and veterans alike would be doing themselves a disservice by passing up this game.
Eurogamer – 80
For fans of twitch-gaming this surely ranks up there with the best that this anachronistic sub-genre has to offer.
Kombo – 80
This is one of the finest examples of how on-rails shooters can put gamers into the action without having them always in the driver seat.
GameTrailers – 79
The latest Resident Evil spinoff is full of nostalgia and insight for dedicated fans, and it will provide anyone who isn’t a zombie sympathizer plenty of 10 to 20 minute chunks of simple-but-satisfying light gun shooting.
GameZone – 75
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is a good on-rails shooter, but it’s only a decent sequel.
Games Radar (in-house) – 70
Sure, it lacks the depth of something like Dead Space: Extraction, but if you’re just looking to blast zombies with old friends, it’s hard to do much better… on the Wii.
GameDaily – 70
Darkside Chronicles has plenty of teeth-gnashing moments, both out of fear and frustration from missing your shots. However, it’s well constructed and fun to play with a friend. If you’re tired of Extraction and House of the Dead: Overkill and need fresh meat to blast through, put this at the top of your list. Otherwise, stick with Resident Evil 4.
GamePro – 60
If you absolutely loved Umbrella Chronicles and know the Resident Evil series by heart, you might extract enough fun out of Darkside to make it worth your while. but otherwise, you can safely pass this one by.
GameSpot – 60
The only thing scary about this light-gun game is the dreadful shaky camera.
