Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Wait, what's this? Where is your precious VC Monday Madness? Relax, it's still here, we've just consolidated things a bit. Now, all of the releases each week for the Wii, whether they be retail disc titles or downloads, are going to be located in one handy post. This frees us up to do an extra news post or what have you during the day, hopefully bringing you even more of the content you crave. So, head past the break for the details and be sure to come back later for our VC Monday Madness video wrap-up. Happy Monday!

Question: What's this season's hottest must-have accessory for the discerning game publishing giant? Answer: A casual gaming division. EA has EA Casual Entertainment. Ubisoft has Play Zone. And now Activision has one! Bafflingly, it's called Wee 1ST, in a bizarre reversal of the traditional Wii pun.

Actually, the press release avoids the word "casual," and instead describes Wee 1ST as a label to "showcase games that take full advantage of the Wii's capabilities." That said, the first titles to appear under the Wee 1ST banner -- Little League World Series 2008, Rapala Fishing Frenzy and Dancing with the Stars: Get Your Dance On! (a sequel to the passable Dancing with the Stars) -- look like rather casual, forgettable fare.


[Via press release]

Activision's Little League World Series 2008 may have character designs that look like the kind of thing South Park parodies, but the game actually looks pretty solid technically. Clean, cel-shaded art and smooth animation elevates the look of the game. Of course, the bug-eyed characters aren't really a knock against the game, since it's for kids. We're just happy to see evidence of a budget!

In a few instances, the onscreen player seems to perform a super-high jump or a super-fast slide. We're almost entirely certain these are just effects for the video, since superhuman abilities would be pretty out of place in a game about a real tournament. But if there actually is even a semblance of Baseball Simulator 1.000-like wackiness, we are on board. It's probably just a speed or jump bonus for good timing.

We're not sure whether to be charmed or creeped out by the look of Little League World Series 2008, but maybe checking out some more screens will help us make up our minds.

Some IGN impressions we've dug up also reveal more details about the game. For one, the character customization is purely cosmetic, meaning you can change a player's hair, clothing, stance, name, and such. As for the controls, they sound like a mix between legitimate motion-controls and waggle, but even the waggle seems to be implemented creatively. Fielding is automatic, for instance, but shaking the Wiimote will make your player hustle faster. You can also press the "A" button to make him dive.

Little League World Series offers four levels of difficulty, meaning that you play with ease or aim for a challenge. You can try Skill Challenge mode, too, which includes minigame-esque situations (such as a Home Run Derby, or the pitching game pictured above). Lastly, we like the "achievements" that this baseball title has to offer, as you can earn bobble-head dolls and trophies for your clubhouse.

It sounds to us like those of you who've already written of Little League World Series should give it another look. Depending on your personal preferences, though, the one thing that may deter you is its lack of online multiplayer.

Pay attention, baseball fans: Activision has licensed the Little League World series into a new game, complete with way deformed representations of the athletes that participate in the sport. Sure, we may not dig on the look too much, but we do dig on the prospect of more baseball on our Wii. MLB Power Pros can't last us forever, you know!

The game is exclusive to Nintendo platforms and will feature 8 U.S. and 8 international teams. The title will also feature character customization options, although we're not sure if it's just cosmetic or something akin to actually building the stats of your players. We're hoping for the latter.

Little League World Series 2008 will be releasing on August 5th in North America. In the meanwhile, be sure to hit up our gallery below for some screens.


[Via press release]