Nintendo Wii Fanboy

D3 Publisher has its Simple Wii series, which consists of cheap, original Wii games designed on a low budget. The company also has its Simple 2000 Series Wii, which consists of cheap Wii games designed on a low budget. The difference, aside from the extra number? The new Simple 2000 Wii games are actually ports of old Simple 2000 series games for the PS2.

The first two Simple 2000 Series Wii games have both been enhanced with new features: Simple 2000 Wii Vol. 1 THE Table Games, which includes Solitaire, Reversi, Go, Mahjong, and other games, now has online play; Vol. 2 THE Party Games, which includes Sasuke-like athletic challenges, plate spinning, and sports-based minigames, now has waggle.

It's official: Beer Pong was way too controversial for the family-friendly Wii, and the forthcoming lulzworthy WiiWare game has undergone a name change. Beer Pong: Frat Party Games is now Frat Party Games: Pong Toss. What, like taking the beer out of the name takes it out of the frat party? That will certainly work. Next up: Frat Party Games: Quilting. You know how those boys at the chapter house like to fight over the best remnants.

Here's the thing: in this case, it really did work. Not only is Beer Pong now operating under a different title, but all the references to alcohol have been removed, too. Publisher JVGames already made the change (in response, we assume, to previous protests), which resulted in the assumed rating being dropped down to E. Now, a whole new argument has arisen, thanks to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who feels that, despite the lack of beer anywhere in the game (it's juice in them there cups), an E rating will encourage underage drinking. Blumenthal wants an AO-rating, which just ain't happening -- liquor references in games rates teen, per the ESRB.

The ESRB is having none of it, though; they smartly responded with a racing game analogy: if you pulled the same stunts in real life as you do in a racing game, they'd certainly be illegal. However, as they noted, many racing games are rated E. So why give this one, with no overt alcohol use and no illegal behavior whatsoever, a restrictive rating?

From the screenshots, we can't help but think people should have not only left this one alone, but also be celebrating this game as a PSA. If drinking makes everything look like this, we're taking the first train to sobertown.


[Via Game|Life]

We know what you're thinking: the Wii needs another minigame compilation!

The latest in the line of "party games" is Party Crashers, which has a crash test dummy theme to it. Specifically, the game was inspired by Twelve Interactive's Cid the Dummy -- a multiplatform game that's not even out yet. Even worse, many of the games will have to be unlocked, and if you've ever played a party game with a "feature" like that before, we're sure you know how annoying it is.

There'll be twenty-five minigames available in this title, which will range from puzzles to music-based games. To get an idea of what these will entail, some of the activities include "Pie in the Face," "Chinese Plates," "Dummy Cannonball," "Pizza Delivery," "Treasure Island," and "Dummy Dance." You won't be able to play such tantalizing-sounding minis until next April, though, since that's the planned release month.

Even though we're labeling this as do not want, we're glad we had an excuse to listen to the Crash Test Dummies' "MMM MMM MMM MMM." We always find a silver lining!