Chris Greenhough
-
Water saplings! Add soil! Dilute serum!: Gardening Mama dishes out the orders
by Chris Greenhough 
{ 10 months ago } 
Wiiz has another six screens of Gardening Mama, Majesco's game for people who, like us, think gardening is a bit rubbish and not really worth our time. Naturally, we think simulating this activity through our DSes is perfectly fine, mainly because it doesn't involve getting wet feet and cold hands. So we're massive hypocrites. Sue us.These new screenshots deal with some of the new tasks we'll face as virtual gardeners. We're told to "Add more soil!" "Water the sapling!" "Dilute the serum!" "Squash those viruses!" No matter what she or her garden is going through, Mama greets all of these challenges with the same reaction: that calm (yet determined) smile. We doubt we'll manage to be quite as composed.
Nintendo games account for almost half of 2008 software sales
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago } 
In case you needed it confirmed yet again: Nintendo totally wins at selling stuff. Gamasutra went through the NPD statistics for 2008 software sales with a fine tooth-comb, and discovered that Wii and DS titles formed almost half of all games sold during 2008.Of the 268 million games sold in the U.S. last year, 132 million (49%) were for Nintendo platforms, compared to 86 million (32%) for Sony consoles, and 50 million (19%) for Microsoft. Furthermore, the Wii software tie-in ratio isn't looking too shabby: an even six games per system, an identical figure to that of the PlayStation 3.
For more statistics that make us want to joyously high-five a bobcat, hit up Gamasutra.
Professor: suggesting Brain Age helps is 'charlatanism'
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
Brain Age games don't necessarily make you smarter, and it is "charlatanism" to make such a claim. Those are the conclusions drawn by one Alain Lieury, professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Rennes. The professor's findings were picked up by The Times, which loves itself a good story (from 2006).Lieury surveyed 67 ten-year-old kids in his study, which compared the impact of Brain Age on intelligence with pencil and paper-based puzzles and going to school (in case anybody was seriously entertaining the thought of homeschooling their child with a DS).
The Times covers the precise results of the study in its article, but the long and short of it is: Brain Age won't help you raise an army of miniature geniuses and take over the free world. Boo. "The Nintendo DS is a technological jewel. As a game it's fine," writes Lieury in his new book, Stimulate Your Neurones. "But it is charlatanism to claim that it is a scientific test."
Which is great and all, but is anybody terribly surprised by this?
Gallery: Brain Age 2
[Via GamePolitics]
First TMNT shots packed with Turtle power
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
Click to embiggen.
Though it's been out in the open for some time, Ubisoft today officially confirmed development was underway on TMNT: Smash Up. There are only two screens to date, featuring all four turtles doing their green-skinned, katana-wielding thang, but they look really promising (and possibly hint at a 2.5D game?).
The combination of '80s nostalgia (fun fact that we refuse to be embarrassed about: we had Turtles wallpaper right up until we moved out of home at 18) and the involvement of Super Smash Bros. Brawl developer Game Arts will ensure this game won't escape our attention easily. Check out both shots in Large-O-Vision here.
[Via press release]
Full Guitar Hero: Metallica track list revealed, Wii version arriving late
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago } 
It looks like we might get our wish: Guitar Hero: Metallica will consist mostly of songs from the band's first five albums, with only eleven post-1991 tracks appearing. Metallica's official site has leaked the full track list, which also contains twenty songs from artists such as Queen, System of a Down, Slayer, Motörhead, and Thin Lizzy. You can view the full line-up past the break.
Also, some less-than-great news: the release of the Wii version is set to lag behind the competition. Whereas the Xbox 360 and PS3 will be ready for March 29, Metallica themselves (or whoever writes on the website pretending to be the band) say we can expect the game "in the Spring, most likely in early May." Sad But True, indeed.
de Sequel
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
Last year's de Blob found a squishy, colorful place in all of our hearts and, more importantly, sold enough copies to make THQ keen on a sequel. Speaking to IGN, a representative for the publisher expressed pleasure at de Blob's performance worldwide, promising that we can "expect to see more of de Blob in the future." We'll hold you to that, THQ.
Something else of interest in IGN's article: NPD data shows that de Blob sold 230,000 copies in North America between September 22 and the end of 2008, whereas Wario Land: Shake It! moved only 150,000 copies in the exact same period. de Blob isn't just a third-party "core" success -- it's even outsold a rival title from Nintendo!
[Via NeoGAF]
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a Magazine Preview
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
The latest issue of NGamer magazine has a preview of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brawler that was originally revealed last month.It's officially titled TMNT: Smash Up (surely a blatant attempt to evoke memories of a certain other brawler), will feature arenas that change throughout scraps (so you'll change locations as you fight, as happened in Power Stone 2), and will see players defeating their opponents by either knocking them off the stage (à la -- oh! -- Super Smash Bros.) or emptying their health meter entirely, which can be refilled with pizza, natch.
There will be no motion-controlled attacks (though waggle isn't ruled out for other aspects, and there will be context-sensitive moves), and what is described as a "dark, gritty" graphical style. Turtles co-creator Peter Laird is penning the single-player story, but what we really want to know is the character roster; currently, only the Turtles and Splinter are confirmed. We're calling shotgun on Krang.
New Wi-Fi mode revealed for Chinatown Wars
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
Rockstar is remaining mostly tight-lipped about the Wi-Fi modes in Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, but Stephen Totilo used By swapping Friend Codes (yes, they're present), players will be able to send mapped waypoints to one another via the sorcery that is Nintendo Wi-Fi. This is executed using the miniature map that appears on the touchscreen, and works very much like the satellite navigation tech you may have in your car. By tapping on a location on your map, the game draws the shortest route to that point. You can then transmit that data to a buddy.
The idea here is that players will work collaboratively, helping each other to uncover hidden items, complete missions, and generally find their way around the very large Liberty City. This may turn out to be only one small part of Chinatown Wars' Wi-Fi play, but it's still really nifty!
Gallery: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Lucasarts whips up Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
Wow. So, we might have to lie down for a bit. This teaser trailer for Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings has appeared online to bring a chink of light to our usually miserable Fridays. We are strongly resisting the urge to cartwheel like loons, or to joyously mash our keyboaHJFRAUHIW4RFUIH. Thanks, LucasArts!
Even though this CG teaser shows nothing in terms of actual gameplay, if the finished product can match this for variety, we should have a winner. It'll be on Wii and DS this spring.
[Via Joystiq]
ESRB confirms Guitar Hero Metallica songs, presence of succubi
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
The ESRB just rated Guitar Hero Metallica, and in its synopsis gave away lyrics to four of the songs that would appear in the game. Thanks to Game Informer, we knew about the presence of "Armed and Ready" by MSG, but Destructoid discovered three fresh specimens:
- "Am I Evil?" by Metallica
- "Whiplash" by Metallica
- "Mommy's Little Monster" by Social Distortion
[Via Destructoid]
Onechanbara takes to the streets
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
At the risk of recycling the same joke a little too often, D3 has pressed on with its range of live-action viral videos promoting Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers. Today's pop culture-spoofing clip tells the tale of zombie rap duo "Rest-n-Peace" bemoaning the alleged unwillingness of Asian girls to sleep around. So yes: although tongue-in-cheek, this could be deemed fairly offensive.
That's why we're giving you fair warning now: if you thought the most recent videos in this series were a bit close to the bone, you're probably going to find the clip past the break more distasteful. The amount of female flesh on display here means this is NSFW -- unless you have an incredibly tolerant, slightly pervy boss.
One million Wiis sold in Australia, Club Nintendo faring less well
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
According to market research bods at GfK, the number of Wii owners in Australia just reached the big one-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, 111 weeks after the platform's launch.That's a new record for fastest-selling hardware in Oz -- previously, the DS shifted a million units over its opening 152 weeks. The handheld was never going to compete with its bigger brother, however: the sale of 685,000 Wiis during 2008 made sure of that.
Oh, and hey, while we're at Nintendo of Australia's site, let's check out the progress on the local Club Nintendo! Oh, look at that: it's still not functional. Color us not amazed in the slightest.
[Via PALGN]
The early years of Phantasy Star Zero
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
Here's something: early on in its development, Phantasy Star Zero bore more than a passing resemblance to the original Phantasy Star Online on the Dreamcast.Unseen64 has assembled a collection of work-in-progress Zero screens and concept art, and the similarities are striking: according to these, Sega was also planning to include the opening Forest stage that featured in Phantasy Star Online, right down to the awesome dragon boss! Unseen64 says neither are featured in the final game (sadly, we have yet to play Zero ourselves, so we'll take their word for it).
Other changes from the initial build include noticeably different character design, changes in the way items and currency are distributed (to make sure the game ran smoothly and looked as pretty as this), and a selection of monsters that missed the cut.
Gallery: Phantasy Star Zero
[Thanks, Joe!]
MadWorld presents: Creative Murder 101
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago }
It's not about the number of victims you mindlessly slaughter in MadWorld -- it's how you do it that counts.
Take this guy above: bound by a tire, sign through the skull, and then chucked into a wall of spikes. See? Effort. A bit of flair. It's about chainsawing enemies mid-air while riding your chopper at breakneck speeds, or seeing just how many roadsigns can be wedged into a single cranium. Down with uncreative killing!
Wii Fanboy Poll: New Play Control!: too pricey, or just right?
by Chris Greenhough { 10 months ago } 
Next month, Nintendo will debut its New Play Control! (or NEW PLAY CONTROL!) line of games in the west, beginning with Europe. Naturally, we really like the idea of great GameCube games with added 16:9 widescreen support and waggle-based controls, and it could be a licence to print money for Nintendo, if Mario Power Tennis' chart-topping debut in Japan is anything to go by.Will us westerners gobble up these repackaged games as keenly as Japanese gamers? It's likely to depend heavily on pricing -- the games look set to cost $30 in the U.S., and £30 in the UK. Is that too much, just the right amount, or too little (you maniac)?
Have your say in our poll past the break!
