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Nintendo's 'The Last Story' is new Mistwalker RPG; Xenoblade is Monado

by JC Fletcher { Jan 29th 2010 at 9:44AM }

We didn't have to wait long to find out about Nintendo's two mystery Wii games. Xenoblade, as we guessed before, is the new name for Monado: Beginning of the World, the RPG by Monolith Soft, creators of Xenosaga. Nintendo has launched a site for the title, featuring little more than music and a bit of artwork for now. More of the game, as Monado, can be seen in last year's E3 trailer and screens.

Additionally, The Last Story is a new RPG for Wii being developed by Nintendo and Blue Dragon's Mistwalker. According to Andriasang's translation of a statement from an investor meeting, the game is an attempt at a "new form of RPG." The last time Nintendo worked with Mistwalker, the result was Archaic Sealed Heat, which Nintendo didn't bother to localize for North America.

Finally, a Metroid: Other M teaser site has also been newly launched. It doesn't really reveal anything about the game, other than confirming its summer 2010 release in Japan. Interestingly, the game doesn't appear to use the traditional Metroid logo, opting for something much plainer.

[Via Andriasang: The Last Story; Xenoblade; Metroid]

Source - The Last Story teaser site
Source - Xenoblade teaser site
Source - Metroid: Other M teaser site

Nintendo report hints at new Wii titles, Other M release

by Mike Schramm { Jan 28th 2010 at 11:15PM }

Nintendo is one of a few companies to release its earnings report earlier this week, and a supplemental report released today has some surprises and new information for Wii owners. Not only does it finally list a target date for Metroid: Other M (you can expect it as soon as summer of this year if all goes according to plan), but there are two brand new names in the list as well: Xenoblade and The Last Story. Xenoblade is listed for a Spring 2010 release, so we should be hearing about that one soon, and The Last Story is listed for sometime this year, with both slated for release on the Wii in Japan. There's reason to believe these are just new names, as both Monado: Beginning of the World and Cosmic Walker are missing from the report, and Monado was being developed by Monolith Soft, known most notably for another Xeno- title you may have heard of. But Monado is still listed for a release in the US this year, so who knows?

Other than that, the report lists some titles we expected to see soon: A new Kirby Super Star title, Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Wii's Legend of Zelda, Golden Sun for DS, and a few other releases scheduled in 2010. Full list of Japanese Wii releases is after the break.

Continued →

Nintendo sneaks out Monado: Beginning of the World trailer

by Ben Gilbert { Jun 8th 2009 at 9:00PM }

You remember watching the Nintendo E3 keynote liveblog just last week and seeing the huge reveal of Monado: Beginning of the World, right? And then Ms. Dunaway returned to the stage, clad in JRPG couture, ready to challenge Reggie Fils-Aime to a turn-based battle. It all seemed like a dream.

Oh wait ... none of that happened! So what if we just passed out during the keynote and dreamt it all? But we did wake up with that gunblade in our hands, so, maybe not? It remains a mystery. Nintendo did, however, drop a trailer and artwork for the game soon after its presser had concluded which we're presenting to you here. Get your world beginning on, in trailer form, just above.

Gallery: Monado: Beginning of the World

Atlus lasciviously announces Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier

by JC Fletcher { Feb 5th 2009 at 9:00AM }

As we followed the Japanese version of Infinite Frontier Super Robot Taisen OG Saga, we found ourselves in awe of the lavishly animated battle sequences. But another visual element was prominent in screens of the RPG -- and by "prominent" we mean "spilling out". Somehow, developer Monolith Soft had managed to fill a game about robots with busty girls. The inclusion of KOS-MOS from Monolith's Xenosaga acted as sort of a bridge between the two groups; after all, she is both busty and a robot.

Atlus has officially announced a US release for the RPG (surprise!), a more traditional role-playing spinoff of the Super Robot Taisen tactical RPG series. In its riotously funny press release, the company promised a "stacked action RPG" with "so much game ... you may just get lower back pain from the effort!"

Super Robot Taisen OG Saga Endless Frontier comes out April 28th. Like Legacy of Ys, every copy will be a boxed edition with a bundled soundtrack CD.

Gallery: Infinite Frontier Super Robot Wars OG Saga

Wii Warm Up: Disaster planning

by JC Fletcher { Dec 1st 2008 at 8:00AM }

After delays and uncertainty, Disaster: Day of Crisis finally came out in Europe and Japan -- and pretty much bombed. New information suggests that Disaster may be planned for a North American release (although we suspect it's more that said release was planned years ago when the game was first unveiled, and just has yet to be cancelled).

But should it? Do you think the game has a better chance here than in other regions? Would you have any expectation of sales, especially given Reggie's low confidence (and thus low likelihood of promotion)? Personally, we want to play it and we don't much care if Nintendo of America profits on it or not. They've got enough money, but we don't have enough copies of Disaster. Feel free to speak from the position of "armchair business analyst" or "person who wants to play a game"!

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

Alternate ending suggests potential Disaster sequel [update]

by JC Fletcher { Nov 12th 2008 at 10:55AM }

[Update: Thanks to some of our commenters, we now have a better idea what's going on here. This is the introduction to an unlockable shooting minigame, rather than an unused ending. So instead of a lead-in to a sequel that won't happen, it's just a video from a game whose sequel won't happen.]

WARNING: If you don't want to spoil the incredibly obvious storyIine of Disaster: Day of Crisis, do not watch this video. We've put it after the break in case you don't want the game's epic plot ruined by even one preview frame.

It seems that Nintendo and Monolith Soft may have seen sequels in Disaster: Day of Crisis's future. Unfortunately, they didn't foresee the biggest disaster of all -- the release of Disaster: Day of Crisis, which turned out to be a powerful bomb capable of creating a sales vacuum.

Even though this clip, found in the game's theatre, creates a clear opening for a sequel, we wouldn't hold our breath in anticipation of the continued adventures of Raymond Bryce and his ornate beard. For one thing, this is just an extra video and not the real ending. Also, obviously, game companies prefer to make money. However, it's pretty entertaining to see the jokey, ham-fisted manner in which they teased a sequel.

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

Continued →

Reggie 'answers' questions about Disaster, Fatal Frame IV

by JC Fletcher { Oct 3rd 2008 at 11:50AM }

Because it's not a Nintendo event if it isn't followed by "where's (Game X)" questions, Kombo cornered Reggie Fils-Aime at yesterday's conference and asked him about the status of North American versions of Disaster: Day of Crisis and Fatal Frame IV. While nobody expected concrete dates or even confirmation from Reggie's answers, he still managed to impart a bit of information.

Regarding Disaster: Nintendo of America is waiting to see how the game performs in Europe before making a decision. That means that we at least have to wait for a while after October 24 to hear anything.

As for Fatal Frame, he offered the following frustrating response: "you're going to have to contact the publisher for questions on that." So it might be coming out here -- just not from Nintendo, despite Nintendo of Japan publishing it. Who wants to start cold-calling publishers?*

*Note: Wii Fanboy does not encourage the cold-calling of publishers.

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

[Via GoNintendo]

When are we getting Disaster: Day of Crisis?

by David Hinkle { Oct 2nd 2008 at 4:44PM }

Your head is probably spinning from all of the wonderful Nintendo news you've been exposed to over the last 24 hours and it's okay, because our heads are, too. But, there's one thing that was missing from Nintendo's little spiel today: Disaster: Day of Crisis. Why was this game not dated for a North American release? With it releasing in Japan late last month and hitting Europe later on this month, we're wondering what the big hold-up is?

Of course, not like it matters, because, thanks to the Japanese game releasing, we've basically seen the whole game on YouTube. But, we're still contacting Nintendo for a comment, so sit tight.

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

Disaster's disastrous development detailed

by Chris Greenhough { Oct 1st 2008 at 8:10PM }

We know what you're thinking: Disaster: Day of Crisis' protracted development can't have been that calamitous, right? The game released in Japan last week, and promptly earned itself a respectable score in Famitsu. And just getting released is probably more than we should expect for some games.

But not every part of the title's gestation was peachy. The Monolith Soft team who worked on the game have been recounting their experiences in an interview for Nintendo's Japanese website, revealing that they were first approached about developing an "epic" game in early 2006, to be delivered in time for the launch of Nintendo's new Wii console.

This gave Monolith around nine months to finish Disaster, but by the time the deadline had rolled around, the game still felt incomplete and had very few Wiimote-related functions -- instead, it used the Classic Controller. Nintendo temporarily halted the project in October or November of 2006, only for work to begin again in early 2007; at this point, the entire game was revamped to include more waggle.

Getting to peek behind the development curtain is always intriguing -- we're just glad everything worked out for the game in the end.

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

[Via Nintendo Everything]

Stephen Colbert's favorite game has to be Disaster: Day of Crisis

by David Hinkle { Sep 25th 2008 at 8:08PM }

We all know the man's stance on bears. He doesn't like them. In fact, he downright despises them. That's why we're sure that Nintendo's latest, Disaster: Day of Crisis, is among Colbert's most treasured games. Why? Well, it features a boss battle against a bear. Aside from teaching us the near indestructible nature of the beast, it also shows us what kind of weapons to use against a bear should it get you in its sights. Also, it teaches us that bears like to stupidly charge back and forth.

Check out the video past the break.

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

Continued →

Disaster: Day of Cliche

by Alisha Karabinus { Sep 25th 2008 at 9:00AM }

Oh, man. Listen, Disaster: Day of Crisis is a game we've been waiting on for a long, long time. We like the idea. We like what we've seen. We even like this video (showing off nine minutes of opening gameplay, including the intro movie), despite the questionable YouTube quality. It looks pretty decent and more than playable. We daresay it could even be fun. But the dialogue is a little lacking.

Okay. Let's get real: it's repetitive, unrealistic, and silly. But hey, we're used to less-than-stellar game writing, and Disaster has one thing going for it at the start: a hero with an indestructible noggin -- and that's all any action game really needs, right?

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

[Thanks, Alex!]

Disaster: Day of GIANT FOOD

by Chris Greenhough { Sep 24th 2008 at 10:00PM }

Even when escaping buildings that are crumbling around his ears, Disaster: Day of Crisis hero Raymond Bryce takes time out to line his stomach with the huge food that can be randomly found in large wooden crates.

We're just pleased to see him looking after himself and getting his five a day. We're sure his mother feels the same.

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

[Via Go Nintendo]

Day of Crisis not a total disaster?

by David Hinkle { Sep 23rd 2008 at 8:07PM }

None of us know why Nintendo kept such a tight lid on Disaster: Day of Crisis for so long. Logic dictates that the company didn't present us with much info because, well, the game was bad. Kind of Project H.A.M.M.E.R. bad. Well, the truth may be very different.

Famitsu recently revealed its score for the game, and it received a respectable 34/40. Not too shabby, if we may say so. Especially for a game that pretty much got a surprise release. Not a Sega Saturn kind of surprise, but you get the idea.

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

[Via CVG]

Confirmed: Nintendo Media Summit in early October

by David Hinkle { Sep 18th 2008 at 9:55AM }

Didn't we already have a Nintendo Media Summit this year? By golly, we did! But, still, it turns out that rumor is true, as Nintendo will be holding an event on October 2nd and 3rd, showcasing games for both the Wii and DS in San Francisco. We know because we just got our invite.

So what should we expect? Well, something on Disaster: Day of Crisis we imagine, but anything outside of that is anyone's guess. What do you all think?

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

Disaster: Day of Awesome Trailers

by JC Fletcher { Sep 17th 2008 at 6:12PM }

Two trailers for Disaster: Day of Crisis are now available on the Japanese Nintendo Channel. The first, above, does an excellent job of channeling American action movies, which is good for something that purports to put the player in one. It's got a brooding hero, stern-voiced narration from some kind of military official, and explosions all over the damn place. The second trailer combines the gameplay footage we've seen with a bit more context, which basically means walking around. Presented this way, it seems a bit less like a collection of disconnected events.

We don't mind saying that these trailers have worked. We could really stand to hear about a US release.