Nintendo Wii Fanboy

This week's excellent Revolutionary explored the use of projection screens for playing Wii. This item from Yujin, on the other hand, uses a projector to allow you to look at pictures of characters who appear in Wii games.

The advantages are obvious: this projector fits on a keychain and comes in packages of eight for only $23. The only setback is that it doesn't do anything but project a single image of a Super Paper Mario, Zelda, Fire Emblem, or Wario Ware character.

Also in today's NCSX shop update: cheap ($25.90) copies of Escape from Bug Island and Alien Syndrome. For use with actual televisions only, of course.

With this week's release, it's likely that many of you are knee-deep in alien scum, attempting to survive as you battle the many hordes of the alien menace. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. And we're glad you have the guts.

Or, maybe you don't? Are you going to leave the alien clean-up to someone else and play something different instead? What will you be playing this weekend?

Unlike last week and the week before it, we're actually able to report on game releases this week. Well, actually it's only a game release, but that's still better than nothing. Releasing on both the PSP and Wii this week, gamers will be able to pick up:

• Alien Syndrome

Are you looking forward to picking up Sega's shooter this week?

Oh, those Sega Nerds are at it again.

They're taking a look at Alien Syndrome, a title that was announced mid-December. While they're quick to note that the graphics on the PSP-version of the game are comparable to that of the Wii installment, they fail to realize that both titles use the same engine. In fact, we found out during GDC that the engine itself was specifically designed with the PSP in mind.

So, does it bother you that a Wii title looks almost identical to that of a PSP title?

With Sega's support of the Wii well-documented, it's been awhile since we checked in on their upcoming title Alien Syndrome. Luckily, the good fellows over at Siliconera have come across a few details on the upcoming title's controls, as well as gotten some new screens for the game. They describe the title as being a kind of Gauntlet clone.

The controls are revealed to be rather simple: the nunchuk controls movement (natch), while the Wiimote is used to fire, allowing one to move and fire at the same time. One will also use the Wiimote to craft items, ehnance weapons and perform "1337 haxxorz" on in-game computer systems. Sadly, we do not know how exactly one will use the Wiimote and nunchuk (we assume gesture-based?), so we're still left to speculate.

But hey, at least we have some images of the game, available past the post break!

The Vicious Engine was on display at GDC, and I'd have to say I came away unimpressed. The engine, which is scalable for PSP use, didn't seem to push any "next gen" or even "new gen" graphics. It's currently being used in the WIi/PSP title Alien Syndrome, which may be indicative of a somewhat distressing trend: are graphics on the Wii comparable to those on PSP? Will publishers look to make quick ports that look similarly on Sony's handheld and on Nintendo's latest console?

At least the Vicious Engine promises to offer Wii developers the ability to easily create motion controls. The software includes built-in controls that developers can easily access. One interesting control scheme allowed one to control the camera using the nunchuck: tilting the nunchuck would adjust the camera. Certainly, it's an interesting alternative to a dual analog setup, but the build that was playable didn't seem to feel 100% intuitive.

Sega, who you may know is responsible for those games starring that Sonic fellow, has announced a new game for the Wii. Alien Syndrome, a fast-paced RPG set in a sci-fi universe, is to offer a single-player campaign, as well as a co-op multiplayer mode allowing up to four players to take part in the game's single-player campaign.

No screenshots for the game have been released, as well as concept art, but we do know that the game stars Aileen Harding, Earth Command Trooper. As she traverses through several battlefields - including infected space ships and aline planets - utilizing 20 different weapons and a variety of different abilities.