Believe it or not, but Nintendo has been around for almost 30 years.  While the Wii provided a unique gaming experience that hadn’t really been offered before, nostalgia has probably played a key role in the success of the system, the brand and its longevity.

In order to keep that flame alive, Nintendo has followed the same path of the movie industry, and has rereleased games of decade’s past.  Case in point is the soon to launch “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.”  It’s designed to celebrate game’s 25th anniversary and every copy that is part of the initial production will ship with a free CD featuring select orchestral arrangements of iconic music spanning the history of the franchise which will be performed at The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert performances in October 2011.

When it launches on November 20th you’ll be able to choose between a limited edition bundle, which includes a gold controller Wii Remote Plus for $69.99; or just the game for $49.99.

At this point it’s difficult to say whether or not this will be a collector’s item in 20 year’s time, but we’ve seen other NES games go for absurd amounts of money, so it might be worth the additional $20 investment.

“Glee” is hitting the big screen with the release of Glee the 3D Concert Movie, and for all the “Gleeks” out there, we’ve prepared some cool stuff to inspire your musical talents and get you moving and grooving like some of your favorite “Glee” characters.

Sing-A-Long Tongs

Bust out a note and pretend you’re on “Glee” while you cook with these cool Sing-A-Long Tongs that feature a locking handle that this faux mic in place as you get ready for dinner and a show!

iDuck Wireless Waterproof Speaker

We’re sure many of you Gleeks like to sing in the shower, which is where the iDuck Wireless Water Proof Speaker comes in handy! Not only is it the perfect bath companion, but the duck is fully waterproof with a built-in speaker so that you can listen to your favorite tunes and sing along (also great for drowning out the sound of your bathroom performance if you prefer no one to hear).

iPod Toilet Paper Holder

Here’s another great way to practice your Glee-inspired singing in the bathroom, this time while you’re “handling business” with the iPod Toilet Paper Holder. It’s both a speaker set for you iPod and a fully functional bath tissue holder!

iKaraoke Microphone for iPod

Practice your favorite “Glee” moments as you bust some karaoke using the iKaraoke Microphone that’s designed to interface between iPods (with dock connectors) and your home stereo system. It’s great for parties or right after you watch “Glee” when you’re most inspired! The iKaraoke mic also features cool built-in reverb effects, so that you can transform your voice like a pro!

Shazam Encore LyricPlay

Not sure of some lyrics? Don’t fret because Shazam Encore LyricPlay lets you sing along to every song! It’s a new update for Shazam’s Encore app ((Encore is the premium version of Shazam where you have to pay $3.99/year or a one-time fee of $5.99), that will definitely come in handy when you need to rehearsal that song you just heard on “Glee” and don’t know the words to. It’s available for Android, iPhone, iPad, iPo, Nokia and BlackBerry devices.

Just Dance 3

Learn to move and groove to all the latest songs that are often performed on “Glee” on your favorite gaming station with the game Just Dance 3! Made for all platforms, including Wii, Kinect for Xbox 360 and Playstation Move, the game will have busting new moves in no time.

The Veer 4G is launching on May 15th.  That same day Nintendo will officially slash the price of their Wii Bundle from $200 to $150 according to retail sources.  They say they’ll replace Wii Sports Resort and Wii Sports, which is currently included with the console, with Mario Kart Wii and include a plastic steering wheel.  Both colors will continue to be offered.

It’s worth noting a few things.  One, the Wii 2 will be announced at this year’s E3, which takes place in the beginning of June.  So from a business standpoint it’s only logical that Nintendo would slash the price of their current gen console to help move units.  Second, we’ve seen the Wii sold at this price at Amazon a few times before, so if you stick it out, you should be able to find the Wii, after the price cut, for even cheaper.  Lastly, we heard in March that the Xbox 360 would receive a price cut and Sony and Nintendo would follow.  It seems that we had the timing wrong, but the question remains, when will Microsoft and Sony cut the price of their consoles?  Will the Wii’s price cut be a call to action for the two other major players?

Nintendo will also kick out a handful of budget games called “Nintendo Selects”.  It includes less expensive versions of Mario Super Sluggers, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.  We’re not sure what will be lacking, if anything in these games, but they’ll only cost $19.99.

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Redbox already owns over 30% of the DVD rental market and now they’re ready to officially launch into video games.  Starting on June 17,2011 they’ll begin to offer video game rentals at over 21,000 location.  Games will cost $2 a day, which is twice the cost of their DVD rentals and $0.50 more than Blu-rays.

Redbox began testing video game rentals alongside DVD and Blu-rays this past June at more than 5,000 locations.  They’ll now expand the service to 21,000 locations throughout the US.  Titles for all the major video game consoles, including Xbox 360, Nintendo’s Wii and PS3, will be offered.

Is this launch strategic in terms of timing?  We’d say so since Blockbuster recently filed for bankruptcy and has been shuttering stores ever since.

GAME ON! REDBOX ANNOUNCES IT WILL OFFER VIDEO GAME RENTALS NATIONWIDE THIS JUNE

April 28, 2011 –Redbox, America’s movie rental destination, today announced it will offer video game rentals at more than 21,000 redbox locations nationwide beginning June 17, 2011. Top video games will join new release movies for only $2 a day complementing $1 DVD and $1.50 Blu-ray™ daily rental prices. The announcement follows a test of video game rentals in select U.S. markets that began in August 2009.

“Redbox will increase consumers’ access to video game rentals by leveraging our incredible technology and business model to keep rental prices low for consumers,” said Mitch Lowe, president, redbox. “With more than 21,000 redbox locations slated to feature video game rentals alongside movies this June, redbox will be the one-stop shop for entertainment.”

Redbox, a Coinstar, Inc. brand, has tested video game rentals alongside movies at 5,000 redbox locations. “Redbox has rented more than one million video games in less than two years at these locations, underscoring the popularity of video game play in America,” added Lowe.

Today, nearly 64 percent* of people in the United States own a game console.
Upon launch, redbox will feature games across the three major console platforms: PLAYSTATION® 3, Nintendo Wii™ and Xbox 360®. Video game titles will range from top releases to popular family and kids titles.

“Redbox will make discovering the latest games as easy as a trip to the local grocery, convenience or drug store,” said Joel Resnik, vice president, games, redbox.

About Redbox
Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coinstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSTR), offers new release DVD and Blu-ray Disc rentals through its network of conveniently located, self-service kiosks. Redbox has rented more than one billion movies and is available at more than 27,000 locations nationwide, including select McDonald’s restaurants, leading grocery, drug and convenience stores, select Walmart locations and Walgreens locations in select markets. For more information, visit www.redbox.com.

Three days ago a new rumor emerged that Nintendo was feverishly working behind closed doors on the next gen Wii video game console.  At the time of the posting we had no official info to back up the claim.  But now Nintendo has made an official statement that they are in fact working on the Wii 2 and that they’ll show off a playable model at the E3 Expo, which launches June 7th in Los Angeles.

Nintendo also went on to say that the original Wii has sold 86.1 million units since its launch in 2006.  Bananas.

To whom it may concern:

Re: Wii’s Successor System

Nintendo Co., Ltd. has decided to launch in 2012 a system to succeed Wii, which the company has sold 86.01 million units on a consolidated shipment basis between its launch in 2006 and the end of March 2011.

We will show a playable model of the new system and announce more specifications at the E3 Expo, which will be held June 7-9, 2011, in Los Angeles.

Sales of this new system have not been included in the financial forecasts announced today for the fiscal term ending March 2012.

It’s been a few weeks, probably more than a month, since we’ve heard anything about the next generation Wii, the Wii 2.  It’s supposedly code named Project Café and includes a new fangled controller that sports a 6.2-inch touchscreen, two analog sticks, camera and 8 buttons.  However, this might not be the primary controller and may serve as some sort of secondary operator.  The rumor also states that the current gen Wii controllers may continue to work with the system, but no one really knows.

So yes, much of it is conjecture and rumor at this point.  The screened controller sounds reminiscent of the Dreamcast, a failed Sega console.  The memory cards featured a small screen and buttons embedded into them and gamers could call plays for football as well as play smaller, low rez monochrome games.

While there is no official word on the Nintendo Wii 2, it seems inevitable that Nintendo will announce it at this year’s E3, provided of course it actually exists.

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Until the Nintendo Wii showed up, video games were largely a sedentary experience known for packing on the pounds for anyone that sat with controller in hand for days at a time.  However, Blaze doesn’t think Nintendo’s Wii has done a good enough job when it comes to shedding the pounds.

The Wii “U-Move” controller works just like any other Wii Nunchuck, but in order for the thumb stick to actually work, the player has to be constantly waving their hand in any direction or by jogging in place.  Talk about annoying motivation.  And to insure that you receive the proper positive reinforcement, Blaze has outfitted the controller with a pedometer to count the amount of steps and calories burned during gaming.

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Will Nintendo announce a Wii 2 at this year’s E3?  Unfortunately, that’s anyone’s guess.  However, it would seem that Nintendo is working on a second iteration of their Wii console, that is assuming you’re willing to believe inferences made by EA Games label head Frank Gibeau during an interview with Industry Gamers.

When you look at Nintendo, for a while there, it was all about the Wii being the biggest entertainment platform ever and capturing the mass market, and it faded away. Now, they’re coming back with a second act. I think they know that. They’re very self-aware as an organization and a very powerful brand.

Toss into the mix that Gibeau lumped the Wii into the same category as the PS2, which is regarded as a legacy console, and it’s probably a safe bet, or at least an assumption that Nintendo will be striking back with a Wii 2.

While the video game maker is about to launch the 3DS here in the US, they’ve experienced declining sales in the last year large in part to the PS3 and Xbox 360, which provide HD graphics and recently introduced their own version of Wii like gaming, the Sony Move and Microsoft Kinect.

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Racing seats are more than warranted if that’s your primary mode of gaming.  But if you plan on spending $1,300 you better be acquiring the whole kit and kaboodle.  And hence the problem with Playseat’s F1 Red Bull seat.  It’s devoid of the necessary gaming hardware, such as pedals and a steering wheel. Instead, you’ll be buying a glorified chair that is compatible with a wide vareity of aftermarket racing sim parts.  However, it is said to provide a true F1 car like experience thanks to the position of the pedals and steering wheel.    And let’s not forget the Red Bull branding, that’s gotta be worth something, right?

Via: Besportier

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This kind of goes without saying, but according to an analyst at US investment house Wedbush, named Michael Pachter, we can expect to see the price of all the major video game consoles drop by $50 come this summer.  He predicts that this news will officially arrive at E3, which is held in Los Angeles, CA and features the latest and greatest in video games.  He says that Xbox 360 will lead the pact and announce a price cut first in the hopes of maintaining the sales inertia they’ve gained around their Kinect system.

Image courtesy of GameGuru

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I can’t wait for Tron: Legacy. It’s not because Bruce Boxleitner is in it (well, not entirely). It’s because Tron was an amazing film from Disney, and the new one looks badass. So I’ll admit, I’ve fallen for fandom on this one…but PDP’s Tron controllers are damn sweet! Click to see more pictures and my first impressions.

PDP was kind enough to send one for the Playstation 3 and one for the Wii, which you can check out in the pictures below. The Xbox 360 model is likewise similar to the PS3 version, meaning it’s wired, which is a shame but so worth it for the ridiculously cool lighting these puppies have.

These controllers are special, and you should know it. They come in a collectors box, which is actually kind of crappy except for the rad color scheme and included Seal. In the picture above, the PS3 controller (which is plugged into a PS3, which I had to move to my makeshift photo booth because the controller wouldn’t light up on a wall outlet for whatever reason…) sits beside the Wii Collector’s Edition box, which was unopened.

A better look at the PS3 controller

Taking a close look at the PS3 controller, besides noting the awesomeness of the blue lights, take a look at the face buttons. The square, triangle and X buttons are all slightly different. They’re all broken ever so slightly, oh so similar to the Tron fashion. And the design of the PS button is just like that of the light discs. Sweeet.

PDP’s Tron Controller beside a standard Dualshock 3

Close up of the Wii Controller

The Wii controller looks pretty badass in it’s own right. It’s rubberized and feels very different from the typical Wii remote. Note, this is only the Wiimote, not a Wiimote plus. It’s hard to tell in this picture, but the A, 1 and 2 buttons are also broken in the Tron font as well.

Ahh, beautiful.

The Wiimote, beside the much sleeker and cooler Tron controller

Because it’s wireless, the Tron Wiimote undoubtedly has worse battery life. We’ll test later on to see how much worse, but PDP included a little button (below) for gamers who are out of spare batteries and need to reserve power.

And that’s the Wii and PS3 Tron Collector’s Edition controllers from PDP. Should make for some excellent holiday gifts! They release on November 22nd, and are all $50.

Hot dogitty!  The Red Wii Bundle is heading to the US for $199 and so is the 25th anniversary red DSi XL bundle for $179.

The new Wii Bundle, which as we mentioned is finished in an oh-so attractive cherry finish, will include the new Super Mario Bros. game as well as a new Wii controller, which stuffs the extra sensing Motion Plus attachment into the standard Wii controller form factor.  Course, it will also come with Wii Sports and the ability to stream Netflix sans disc.

If you’re not interested in buying a whole new system you can purchase the new controller stand alone for $39.99.

Expect all three to hit the gaming market on November 7th.

Nintendo Announces Red-Hot Bundles, New Wii Remote Plus Controller

The Best Video Game Value for the Holidays Just Got Even Better

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nintendo has everyone’s holiday shopping list covered with an array of great new products. These include Mario™-red, limited-edition Wii™ and Nintendo DSi XL™ system bundles that celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros.™ game on the NES™ and a new Wii Remote™ Plus controller that has Wii MotionPlus™ motion technology built right in. Nintendo already offers tremendous video game value, and these products will make it even easier for shoppers to find fun at a great price. All new products go on sale in North America on Nov. 7, and the limited-edition products will be available while supplies last.

“Whether shoppers want to add a cool new look to their gaming setup or expand their supply of controllers with an exciting game, Nintendo offers a great value for the holidays”

“Whether shoppers want to add a cool new look to their gaming setup or expand their supply of controllers with an exciting game, Nintendo offers a great value for the holidays,” said Marc Franklin, Nintendo of America’s director of Public Relations. “For anyone who is still on the fence about whether to join the world of video games, we’re offering many fun, easy, economical ways to get involved.”

The lineup of products launching Nov. 7 includes:

Red Wii Bundle: This limited-edition Wii hardware comes in beautiful red to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game. The bundle includes New Super Mario Bros.™ Wii and a new red Wii Remote Plus controller, in addition to all the other included items, like Wii Sports™ and a red Nunchuk™ controller. It will be available while supplies last at a suggested retail price of just $199.99.

Red Nintendo DSi XL Bundle: This special-edition Nintendo DSi XL bundle is also red in honor of the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. and features three iconic Super Mario Bros.-themed graphics. The bundle comes with Mario Kart™ DS, which looks gorgeous on the extra-large screen. That’s in addition to the pre-loaded software of Brain Age™ Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math and Photo Clock. It will be available while supplies last at a suggested retail price of just $179.99.

Wii Remote Plus: This new controller combines the original, iconic Wii Remote™ controller with built-in Wii MotionPlus functionality. The compact Wii Remote Plus controller offers players precision motion controls all in one unit. It becomes the new standard Wii controller, and will be available from now on in all Wii hardware packages and bundles, as well as sold separately at a suggested retail price of $39.99.

FlingSmash™ Bundle: The new Wii game combines the hands-on fun of tennis with the nonstop action and instant gratification of pinball. It requires use of the Wii MotionPlus accessory, so it seemed natural to bundle it with the new Wii Remote Plus controller. For a suggested retail price of $49.99, shoppers get to enjoy both the game and the controller in one package.

Remember that Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://wii.com or http://www.nintendodsi.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.4 billion video games and more than 565 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

Netflix streaming may have launched on the Xbox 360, but the PS3 and the Wii has just eclipsed it in terms of functionality.

In addition to removing the need for a disc to be inserted into the drive to watch streaming TV shows and movies, you can now search for content directly on the consoles, negating the need for a computer to add items to the instant queue.  The PS3 Netflix application also received the ability to stream some shows and movies in 1080p HD video with 5.1-channel surround sound.

The Xbox 360 is set to receive an update any day now and should add the above functionality to their Netflix application.

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Why are we so obsessed with the Nintendo Wii and other video game consoles when they receive an all new finish?  After all, it’s about what is on the inside not on the outside, right?  You can put that one in your principal bank and smoke it.

Conundrum notwithstanding, Nintendo has released, in Japan only mind you, the Red Nintendo Wii to commemorate Mario’s 25th birthday.   It will cost $240 when it arrives November 11th.  They’ll also release a Super Mario Bros box set in the EU on Dec. 3rd that is replete with soundtrack, “retrospective DVD” and history book.

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Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, like all the past Guitar Hero titles, comes with a brand new wireless guitar controller. While it doesn’t compare to the real guitar for the upcoming Rock Band 3, it’s pretty darn good in it’s own right. How good? We compare it to the past Guitar Hero guitars to find out.

The Guitar Hero franchise is built on, well, guitars. Obviously. The first plastic instrument for the Xbox 360 (not pictured) was wired, but each subsequent guitar is wireless. Numerous changes occurred since the earliest model, each getting closer to perfection. The original developers of Guitar Hero, Harmonix, took a different route for their music games, and frankly I can’t stand those models.

My affinity towards Activision and Neversoft’s guitars has been based on two major factors: the clicky strum bar and the very button-esque buttons. The resounding click of the strum bar gives confidence in each stroke, so I never feel like I didn’t strum, and more importantly, I know when I didn’t. The buttons feeling like buttons, something durable and curiously enjoyable to push. No one cares about realism when there’s 50 notes to play in 3 seconds on the screen. So long as I’m focused on playing well and not worrying about the buttons, I’m happy, and the Rock Band Guitars never gave that satisfactory feeling.

As for the wireless Guitar Hero guitars, not much has changed. The body has grown and evolved, and I like the openings where the sides connect to the base. It’s more convenient to move the guitar slightly by picking it up on the center, where the weight is. That center mass makes the guitar feel solid, more than the others, though I’ve dropped it twice now and both times the attached sides unclipped and fell off. They’re a snap (literally) to put back on.

Everything else is much tighter. The buttons feel just as good as the previous two guitars. (Note to new buyers, if you don’t already know, it takes about an hour to break in the new buttons. During this period, they’ll feel slightly unresponsive. You should continue playing with the guitar for at least two hours before worrying about poor responsiveness.) The strum bar is slightly louder, which can be a bother, especially in quiet settings. Likewise, the whammy bar is identical to the most recent previous model.

The big difference is in the battery enclosure (moved into the guitar neck), which is less convenient than the simple back panel of previous guitar, but barely so. I like that it keeps the weight distribution centered, and helps the neck feel more solid, ever so slightly. The back and start buttons are huge, especially the back button. And, compared to the most recent wireless controller, there is no more touch-sensitive fret bar. I actually told the guys at Activision while playtesting Guitar Hero 5 (or World Tour) that it’s useless, because moving your hand away from the buttons is too hard, and pressing the buttons super fast is actually pretty fun. So it was good to see them remove it completely in favor of a buttons-only guitar.

And playing on it? The best videogame guitar experience yet. With past guitars, I wore an armband because my wrists would hurt from leaning on the sharp edges. Activision fixed with their latest axe. It feels good to hold, mostly because of the centered weight. The strum bar is a tad loud, and I found that playing Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock with headphones is much more enjoyable than with speakers. The openings on the sides, and the larger back button, help gameplay move along faster because there are multiple ways you can strum, all equally comfortable. Prior guitars were very specific in how users could hold the guitar, so it’s nice to finally have plenty of options.

I absolutely recommend purchasing the new guitar, if you need to upgrade. There isn’t a big enough difference to switch from either previous wireless guitar, but if you’ve had yours for years and it’s time to upgrade, definitely do so now.

The Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock Guitar is available only as a bundle, with the game, on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Wii. The bundle retails for $100 at all major electronics and videogame retailers.

Today, Nintendo confirmed that they are in fact now building the Motion Plus dongle directly into the Wii Mote itself.  That means not extra hardware to lose.  Word also came through that they’ll offer the controller in Blue and Pink in addition to the White and Black finishes, which have already been on the market.  Oh, and it will be called Wii Remote Plus.  We wholeheartedly agree with name.

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Sick of your mom and dad yelling at you to clean up the living room because you’ve got your video game crap strewn asunder?  No longer if you invest in the Level Up gaming tower. There’s a version for each major console and in addition to holding your games, controllers, and system, it can also mount your Guitar Hero guitar(s).

There is no price as of now but expect it to roll out this holiday.

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THQ’s uDraw Gaming Tablet is one of the more interesting game accessories we’ve seen. First of all, it’s on the Wii, and doesn’t have much to do with motion controls, even though the controller rests within it. The four by six inch tablet is coming bundled with a game called uDraw Studio, which is drawing based, and other game sin the pipeline include Pictionary and something called Dood’s Big Adventure. The former sounds like it could be pretty fun as a party game. The bundle arrives in early 2011 for $70.

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Dell Home has it for $299.99 – $50 instant savings + free shipping = $249.99!

Instructions: Click link, search for “Wii Summer”, THIRD result is the combo deal!

Gamers of a certain age should fondly remember playing Goldeneye for the N64 back in the day, where nothing was better than getting the Golden Gun in multiplayer. Capitalizing on those warm memories, Activision is releasing a remake/sequel for the Wii called Goldeneye 007, and they’re bringing a golden classic controller with them, too. It’s available with a special limited edition of the game for $70 when it arrives November 2nd.

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