So far, we're lovingSega's marketing of House of the Dead: Overkill. We thought nothing could top the cracking grindhouse-style trailer released when the game was announced, but some of the swag associated with the game comes close.
Destructoid's Jim Sterling (and we assume our other esteemed, Leipzig-attending colleagues in the press) just received the above video cassette box. Inside, Sterling discovered a postcard resembling a VHS tape, and a T-shirt that expands in water. Best of all, he notes how the box has been designed to look damaged and scuffed, so that it looks like the kind of under-the-counter filth that you may have found abandoned on a disused section of railway as a youngster; very subtle, Sega! Blast your way through the break for a couple more shots.
We all held our breath when Sega announced it had a surprise planned for the Leipzig Game Conference. Could it be a fresh Jet Set Radio game? A Daytona title? Surely not ... Shenmue III? Well, it's none of those, but House of the Dead: Overkill still appears to be awe to the some. Though a competent House of the Dead game already exists on the Wii, our toes curled with excitement upon watching the trailer above, with its grindhouse stylings and tongue-in-cheek commentary.
"They came for brains. You will give them ... bullets."
House of the Dead: Overkill is due out next year and, as has been previously mentioned, is being worked on by Headstrong. Hit up our gallery for the first screens and some of the best Wii boxart you'll see this year.
Light gun game Wild West Guns rides into town the European Wii Shop today for its worldwide debut, complete with Zapper compatibility, six levels, four-player support, and a whole host of mildly offensive steretypes. Truth be told, it looks quite fun in the post-break trailer -- certainly a lot more engaging than, say, Target Terror.Far more importantly, it gave us an excuse to post a Will Smith video. Wicky, wicky!
Is there a single gaming-related object, we wonder, that hasnotyethad the innards of a NES squashed into it? As it happens, yes. Of all the stuff-a-NES-in-something mod variants that we've encountered, we can't recall a light gun being used to encase Nintendo's ancient console.
Inspired by Duck Hunt, BenHeck.com forum member GonzoMPM-1 has corrected this oversight, fitting all of the necessary buttons, wiring and an NOAC board containing 76 on-board NES games into the above light gun peripheral (perhaps the NES Zapper lacked the space for this?). Hook this bad boy up to an old-fashioned CRT screen, chuck in three AAA batteries, and you're ready to go. It's rather bizarre (and not a little pointless), but for some reason we really want to try this.
We'd like to be envious of Angelina Jolie's vast wealth and movie star looks, but heck, we just can't muster up the hate -- not when she has the nous to buy games like Ghost Squad.
Alas, not everybody appreciates Ms. Jolie's discerning taste in Wii Zapper titles. Brad Pitt's own sister, for example, was less than pleased that her children received a copy of the T-rated game from the actress for Christmas, and apparently sent it back with a slightly indignant note, explaining to Auntie that "We don't promote violence in our home."
This apparently trivial celebrity tale probably raises lots of important questions concerning violent video game content and the role of parents. But we have our own questions -- vital questions -- that need answers. Questions such as: Did Jolie get the game cheap? Does she have her own dolphin-shaped Zapper? And if so ... does she read us?! Hai Angelina!
Yes, Ghost Squad has a dual wielding feature, if you accept 'just playing the two-player game by yourself' as a kind of dual wielding. It looks fun, however it's achieved. It also has a number of other newly-announced features that may be of interest to light-gun game enthusiasts.
For example, you can turn the cursor off. Since the Wiimote is not exactly a light gun and its pointer doesn't always move as quickly as your hand, the game displays a cursor by default. But you can turn it off for point bonuses and a more authentic gun game feeling.
Second, to combat the extreme brevity of the arcade game (as with all arcade gun games), Ghost Squad features a level system that changes the appearance and enemy layout of the levels as you replay them, gradually increasing the difficulty of the game.
If you've been dying to see Link with a crossbow, this is your day. The latest Nintendo Power shows off a few screens from Link's Crossbow Training, and much like Twilight Princess, they're very brown. The images also demonstrate the controls -- yes, there's more than just pointing and shooting -- but we're still unconvinced that the Zapper is worth even the experience in training Link up with a new weapon. We'll just have to wait and see.
The look of the upcoming Resident Evil on-rails shooter, Umbrella Chronicles, has grown by leaps and bounds since we first started to see screenshots. The November release dates are fast approaching, so what we're seeing here is probably a lot of what we'll be seeing on our televisions once this hits shelves. We discussed opinions on this title back in April, and it seems like a good time to ask if you're now more (or hey, less, for the haters) excited about this one than you were back then.
We've updated the gallery with the latest screens, and the dates embedded with the images allows you to compare shots and see how things have come along since we got our first glimpses of the title. There's also a new trailer tucked away after the break for your viewing pleasure. We just love all the new trailers that surface for game conferences!
Considering that most light gun games for the Wii already have some sort of on-screen crosshair to indicate where your remote is pointed, there aren't many reasons why you'd want to buy this laser-sight-equipped pistol shell.
Sure, you could scare the bejeezus out of the federal agents inconspicuously parked across the street, or maybe act out that scene from the "Dre Day" music video, but after a few minutes of tomfoolery, you'll start to feel a bit foolish about your purchase. In addition to forking over $8.39 to order the item, you'll also have to pay for shipping, handling, and the two AAA batteries needed to power the red beam.
The Wii logo on the packaging's bottom-left corner is fantastic, even more ridiculous than the Wübranding we've seen on other China-manufactured accessories. The customer reviews on Superufo's product page are likewise hilarious: "Good! And worth buying it! I have bought one more than two years and it still work well, I am very glad with this." Two years? Not bloody likely!
If you saw these scans the other day and thought, "wow, I'd love to see those screens," then this post's for you. Dengeki Online has that very thing -- the latest in Umbrella Chronicles shots. If they're just cleaned up, then it's a very good job. Regardless, we're happy to get a closer look at some of the images! Head on over if you want to see for yourself.
As if installing LEDs into the Wii's remote, nunchuck, and casing wasn't enough, the art of arbitrarily jamming lights into things has spread to Wii peripherals, like an STD infecting a new host after amorous contact.
Selling for about $20.50, CoolMods' handgun shell is as direct as you can get; just slide your remote into the pistol's plastic housing, and you're good to go. Though there doesn't seem to be any room to hook up a nunchuck, the LED-friendly clear design more than makes up for it. Of course, you could always just wrap a string of Christmas lights around the Wii Zapper when it comes out, but don't you think that'd look a little goofy? Check past the post break for another look at this totally-not-goofy-at-all gun shell.
All the weapon shells in the world couldn't match the radness of this modded Light Gun. Having already given his console wings, AcidMods' CyberPyrot affixed an IR sensor from a Wii remote into the barrel of his gray, plastic pistol, wiring the gun's trigger with the controller's.
The resulting apparatus looks a bit clunky, especially when you consider that the nunchuck hasn't even been hooked up yet, but CyberPyrot claims that it vastly improved his performance when playing Far Cry. Pew pew past the post break for more photos and a video of the refitted Zapper.
With all this talk of a possible remake (can we get a sequel?) of Killer 7, we find ourselves once again dealing with the idea of games on rails. It seems to be one of those things gamers either love or hate -- never something that's just okay. But we've got to ask: where do you stand? Do you feel differently about, say, Sonic and the Secret Rings being on rails than you do about games that are essentially on-rails shooters?
Unlike other "zapper" products like Joytech's Blaster, the Pega pistol doesn't have a cavity for you to dock the Wii's nunchuck. Instead, you connect the nunchuck's cord under the butt of the $15 gun while the remote slides and locks into its top half. We're not sure yet if this is a more cumbersome or convenient implementation, but given our experiences with cheap, third-party accessories from Chinese manufacturers, you can easily guess which side we're leaning towards.
If you're wondering why we're even bothering to bring up this lackluster peripheral, it's because we love to scrutinize the packaging of these products! What's up with Splinter Cell graphics? And why is it branded with that same inapplicable Wii Sports logo we saw on Fire Bird's rechargeable controller grip? Does Pega actually expect people to play tennis with this clunky plastic attached?
Much to our disappointment, Ghost Squad bears no relation to either the Ghost Busters series or the Wu-Tang Clansman, Ghostface Killah. No, it is merely a light-gun arcade game that Sega has decided to port to our fair console.
If you've never had the fortune to come across Ghost Squad's arcade cabinet, it's an on-rails shooter that comes armed with plastic assault rifles for you to aim with. Playing without the modeled weaponry sounds like a downgraded experience, so hopefully there will be optional controller shells for us to equip by the time Sega releases the game this holiday season.
This port will feature Wii-specific game modes, new ways to use the Wii remote as a "multi-purpose tool," and four-player co-op support. We've got a few screenshots that we grabbed from Jeux-France past the post break, but uh ... they're not very flattering. We think we'll stick with Umbrella Chronicles for all our light gun needs for now.
All the 
With all this 
