Filed under: Tech stuff

Real Virtual Skater: kickflip and nollie with the Wiimote

by David Hinkle { 9 months ago }

What you see in the video above is Real Virtual Skater, a hack which utilizes the Wiimote's guts in a small box attached to the bottom of a skateboard. As you can imagine, it lets you play as if you're actually skateboarding. The game the tech is being demonstrated on is Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Our only concern is if anyone actually tried doing this in their living room, they'd break a few lamps. And a couple of tables. And the television.

Head past the break for the video.

Continue reading “Real Virtual Skater: kickflip and nollie with the Wiimote”

OSX and Balance Board play nice, have fun together

by David Hinkle { 9 months ago }

If you're a Mac user, this video is likely to interest you. An aspiring individual hacked the program Wiiji (which is designed to allow Wiimote integration with Macs) to recognize the Balance Board as a joystick, allowing the use of Nintendo's peripheral with games that allow for joystick control. In the video above, you can see it in use through games Neverball and Extreme Tux Racer. Looks fun, if we may say so.

Enjoy this kind of thing? Then you'll definitely get a kick out of our Revolutionary feature, where the extremely talented Mike Sylvester tinkers around with all kinds of things. Aside from making his own homemade Balance Board, he helped us train with the Wii Wheel and also showed us what is really crappy about our favorite console.

Revolutionary: 3rd Party Control

by Mike Sylvester { 9 months ago }

Last week at CES, Nyko surprise announced their first entry into the 3rd party Wiimote market, the Wand. Though it has been beaten to market by a few other Wiimote clones, this may be the first Wii Remote you'll find encroaching on Nintendo's shelf space in your local game shop. We won't begin to speculate why no one else's products can be readily found in brick 'n' mortars, but we'll be grateful to finally have some choice.

So far, this has been an unusual generation for controller-makers on all platforms. Microsoft doesn't license out its wireless technology, so 3rd party gamepads have to connect via USB. Sony's gyrating, vibrating, rechargeable DUALSHOCK 3 controllers may just be too complex for 3rd parties to replicate in full functionality when the userbase is too small to make a profit from. And the 3rd parties have seemed to be satisfied raking in the dough with non-essential add-ons and shells for Nintendo's own brand of controller. It does indeed come as a surprise that Nyko is now bringing out a Wiimote, and an enhanced one at that. Before we've had a chance to review the Wand, let's examine why its introduction has been long overdue.

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Patent shows Wiimote was originally a GameCube peripheral

by David Hinkle { 10 months ago }

Some new images and details on Nintendo's patent for the Wiimote have surfaced on the net and they show that the original idea was planned for the GameCube. The Wiimote was to attach to the console via an adapter, much like the WaveBird's. But, as you all know, the GameCube ended up going the way of the dodo, and so the Wii was born.

The image to the right shows Mario playing tennis, which is where Nintendo originally got the idea for Wii Sports, we assume, but there's more. Past the break, you can see more diagrams showing how the Wiimote would work with the GameCube, if you're into that kind of thing.

Gallery: Wii remote peripheral diagrams

Continue reading “Patent shows Wiimote was originally a GameCube peripheral”

Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Arcade Cabinet of Heroes

by David Hinkle { 10 months ago }

Looks like we have a new BFF, even if they don't know it yet. As you can see in the image to the right, the cabinet is set to play Tatsunoko vs. Capcom (running off a Wii), which is one of the games we'd most like to import ~~but it costs like a bajillion dollars so we can't~~. Apparently, these cabinets are just sitting in somebody's kitchen, in Brooklyn. Uh, what does a blog need to do to get an invite? We're already making you famous to our 32 readers with this post. Hook a blog up, already! We totally own a car.

In all seriousness, though, we're really jealous of how awesome that kitchen is.

Gallery: Tatsunoko VS Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars

[Via NeoGAF]

Patents from gaming's past

by David Hinkle { 10 months ago }

See that odd diagram above? That's Nintendo's original design for the Zapper. Aside from that, you'll find other gems such as the early prototype for R.O.B., along with some other non-Nintendo patents. It's an excellent gallery of diagrams that Technologizer has put together here, so don't waste any time and dive right in. You won't be disappointed.

Gallery: Wii remote peripheral diagrams

[Via Joystiq]

What do you get when you combine a Wiimote, Balance Board, RC car, and a laptop?

by David Hinkle { 10 months ago }

This video! Witnessing the powers of the Wiimote, the Balance Board, an RC car, and a laptop combine together in the above video reminds us of Saturday mornings with Voltron and our Lucky Charms, for some reason. It's not the most accurate way to steer a toy car around, as you can see, but you have to give these guys credit. It's like their inner child broke its restraints and came forth from their bodies to tinker around. And we love it when grown folks don't act their age.

If you want the video in higher quality, hit up their site here.

Gallery: Peripherals that paved the way for the Balance Board

[Via Balance Board Blog]

Revolutionary: Pure Excitement

by Mike Sylvester { 10 months ago }

In the summer of 2006, inside the Los Angeles Convention Center, there was a historically long line to get into the Nintendo's E3 booth and lay eyes and hands on the yet-unreleased Wii and its wares. After finally getting into the booth, attendees were faced with the choice of which long line they'd want to wait in next to play a game. When I got inside the booth and surveyed the selection, my first pick was Excite Truck. Once I'd finally gotten my hands on the controller and made a few laps around the track, I knew this would be a day one purchase for me.

Even after scoping out the upcoming stuff for Xbox 360 and PS3, I was convinced that Excite Truck embodied the true essence of the "next generation." New gameplay dynamics met vast dynamically changing terrain that stretched beyond what we had grown accustomed to.

So when Disney Interactive showed their new ATV racer, Pure, with vertiginous jumps, wild tricks, and expansive vistas, I thought I was looking at the spiritual successor to one of my favorite Wii launch titles, but a Wii version was not in the cards. At least we have a PC version to hack together a GlovePIE script for and give it the Excite Truck treatment.

Continue reading “Revolutionary: Pure Excitement”

Nintendo denies report of new Wiimote tech

by David Hinkle { 11 months ago }

Remember that story we ran last week about Nintendo wanting to change the internal components of the Wiimote? Well, Nintendo has finally responded to the Nikkei Tech-On! article that claimed the company would be looking into alternative accelerometer chips for the Wiimote, denying what was said in the piece.

In speaking to Edge, a Nintendo spokesperson shot down the possibility for a tech upgrade to the Wiimote's internal parts, stating this is all "purely rumour and speculation." Of course, we wouldn't rule out the possibility, because if the technology can be improved through alternative components, why wouldn't Nintendo want to go that route?

Gallery: 5 Great Wiimote Mods

Man conducts symphony with Balance Board and Wiimote

by David Hinkle { 11 months ago }

Paul Henry Smith is one smart dude. He has created the Fauxharmonic Orchestra, a simulation of a real orchestra, brought to you by the Wiimote, Balance Board, and his brain. We're not classical buffs by any means, but what we're hearing (and seeing) is pretty impressive. We have on criticism, though. It looks like Paul is wearing his shoes in the video. Dude, you're going to scuff your very expensive peripheral!

Otherwise, kudos, Paul, on a job well done.

Gallery: Peripherals that paved the way for the Balance Board

[Via Balance Board Blog]

Revolutionary: On the Edge

by Mike Sylvester { 11 months ago }

Nintendo fans have been practicing parkour with their very own platforming princess since the 8-bit days. Now it seems another traceuse is stepping in on the territory Samus pioneered. On the surface, it doesn't seem as if Mirror's Edge has very much in common with the Metroid franchise. Yet,the respective series heroines' exploits can be experienced and enjoyed in either first person 3D or 2D sidescrolling viewpoints.

Mirror's Edge 2D is currently in the beta stages of development with its destined platforms still unannounced. It hasn't yet got any of the fascist oppressors seen in the 3D version, but they'd only get in the way of the acrobatics that are on impressive display here. Rarely do we get to control such fluid and graceful 2D animation, and it makes the treat all the more delectable when you get to do it with a Wii Remote.

Continue reading “Revolutionary: On the Edge”

Mgestyk Fusion marries Wiimote and PC in interesting new way

by David Hinkle { 11 months ago }

Usually we leave it up to our own Mike Sylvester when it comes to doing crazy things with the Wiimote, but he might have some competition in Mgestyk Fusion. See, the sensor bar kind of limits the scope of the Wiimote's ability to work in 3D spaces. Mgestyk Fusion replaces the sensor bar with a web cam and, as you can see in the video above, really helps Nintendo's controller to be all it can be. The set-up will be available to witness in person next week at the Montreal International Games Summit. Until then, we'll just have to settle for the video above.

[Via Engadget]

Apple's Smart Remote is just like a Wiimote

by David Hinkle { 12 months ago }

Apple liked what they saw when the Wiimote was unveiled. Back in May, we caught wind of a patent that Apple had for a Wiimote-like remote control of their own, for use with Apple TV. Well, the patent is back again, as you can see above, complete with IR sensor and accelerometer action, and dubbed the Apple Smart Remote. So, we're guessing this thing is going to be unveiled soon and we'll see if Apple's version of the Wiimote can compete with Nintendo and their latest console.

Miyamoto: We're not 'soft on graphics'

by David Hinkle { 1 year ago }

During a recent interview, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto was quick to stick up for Nintendo's latest console and its graphical capabilities. It's one of the most criticized points of the console, as you're well aware, but Miyamoto thinks it's more than capable of getting the job done, stating that "When it comes to specific points such as generating high definition graphics we might appear to be rather relaxed and soft on graphics," further adding "the fact of the matter is that Wii is capable enough to cater to the needs of these hardcore gamers in terms of gameplay content as well as the graphical content, so I really don't want people to be concerned about that kind of attitude."

When asked about a new version of Wii with HD, Miyamoto wanted everyone to know that Nintendo isn't behind the times. "the fact of the matter is that technology is evolving all the time and in Japan, for example in the year 2010 all the analogue broadcast will be stopped and shifted into the digital broadcasting. So many things are taking place and we are working in terms of the changes of the technologies all the time." So, Nintendo isn't totally out of touch, and we could see a HD version of Wii release, but will we? "I'm afraid we cannot confirm what we are doing today."

Of course, Miyamoto.

[Via CVG]

Portable SNES vs. portable SNES

by Alisha Karabinus { 1 year ago }

Earlier this year, we featured one of the above SNES mods (the one on the right), and now, one of our favorite modders has thrown his hat into the portable SNES ring. The SNES on the left, by kotomi, is the latest in a long line of great-looking mods featured on his site.

But unless you're some sort of ambidextrous, giant-handed mutant freak, you probably can't play two of these at once, and that means you have to choose. Which one do you prefer: kotomi's, or, uh, the other guy's? Unfortunately, we don't know his/her name, though we wish we did!