Every (other) week, Mike Sylvester brings you REVOLUTIONARY, a look at the wide world of Wii possibilities.
Segueing from last edition's topic: you've just built a sick Smash Bros. Brawl level, and you're ready to share it with the world. You upload it to your website and throw up some pics from the game's handy built-in photo mode. Everybody can see your creation without needing to first go through the trouble of downloading the level, putting it on an SD card, and loading it up on their Wii. Of course, your level looks like so much fun, they won't be able to resist trying it for themselves. But what if, like so many other games, there was no photo mode? How would you display your masterpiece? Or maybe seeing a still pic isn't enough to really sell the dynamics and spirit of your build. Then what? Read on as we delve into the art of video capture and photo composition -- for games!
In the most recent simExchange report, analyst Jesse Divnich had some interesting predictions about Wii software sales. According to Divinich, the top selling games will be as follows (including estimated worldwide sales for the software during the Wii's lifetime):
Wii Play – 20 million
Super Smash Bros. Brawl – 13.95 million
Mario Kart – 13.16 million
Super Mario Galaxy – 12.61 million
Wii Fit – 8.73 million
We're not surprised that Divinich would predict Wii Play to be the top selling piece of Wii software, since the game is constantly popping up in the top of the NPD and Japanese charts. Since two of the five predicted games aren't even out yet, and one of them is only out in Japan, it's hard to tell by trends if the rest are good choices. Still, taking our best "we're not paid analysts" guesses, we'd say that Wii Fit will have much higher sales than Divinich predicted. The game already sold one million copies in Japan, and it's only been out for a month. We do think that those are a solid top five, though, even if we don't agree on the order and total sales for all games.
How about you? What are your best guesses for the Wii's top five?
Yesterday's update featured Sonic's Final Smash, during which the hedgehog shifts into Super Sonic. Surprised? Neither are we. So, what does this transformation mean for the blue hedgehog in terms of Brawl? Using the power of speed pills Chaos Emeralds, he becomes even faster, making him a force to reckon with. While this may satisfy your need for speed, failing to control Super Sonic well will allow enemies to dodge him more easily.
As for today's update, the dojo presented us with an item the trophy stand item. This item is necessary to turn enemies in the Subspace Emissary into trophies. Using one properly requires skill, but whether or not the item appears is entirely based on luck. Do you think the collecting aspect will bring more replayability to the game's adventure mode, or do trophy stands sound like more trouble than they're worth to you? We're going to go with the latter, simply because of the luck factor.
Today's dojo update doesn't bring us anything too exciting, especially considering that Christmas is right around the corner (yes, we're spoiled, what of it?). Wario fans will be pleased to know, however, that the flabby mischief-maker is not limited to his WarioWare outfit. Yep, that's right, the purple suspenders are back.
That's not all, you greedy piglets. Aside from Wario's six standard color variations, the classic version also has its own choosable colors for you to pick from. In the end, though, we think the best outfit for Wario in Brawl is this one.
If you're anything like us, you might be hoping that one of the daily dojo updates will drop the bomb that Mega Man will be a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Unfortunately, it looks like that isn't happening.
Bionic Commando recently interviewed Keiji Inafune, the creator of Mega Man, who had this to say regarding Brawl: "Well, I really do love Super Smash Brothers. It's a great series...but, Nintendo hasn't asked me yet if they can use Mega Man in their game. I'm still waiting...we have a little bit of time left, it's not coming out for another few months."
Somebody, call the man! But in reality, it seems too late to add the lovable blue robot if they haven't already (the game comes out next month in Japan). Is anybody as bummed as this blogger, or are you glad that Mega Man won't be involved in Brawl?
It's hard for us to clear our minds after watching this trailer, and have any thoughts beyond our initial reactions of drooling all over ourselves. But, we will try, if only for you, dear reader.
You may remember the Subspace Emissary update in August, introducing a side-scrolling action game to flesh out Brawl's single player experience. Today's update is nothing but a preview for it, but oh, what a preview it is. If you weren't excited for the game's adventure mode before, you will be now.
We don't need to hype it up for you, though; the video speaks for itself. So watch, enjoy, and try to keep your "do wants!" to two-inch voices.
Let's rip the Band-Aid off quickly, it might hurt less that way: Super Smash Bros. Brawl is delayed in Europe until after June 2008. A Nintendo spokesperson confirmed the bad news with VideoGamer.com, we're sad to say.
Oh, Nintendo. You burn European gamers over and overagain, and yet, every time it happens, we're surprised. Perhaps it's because we're filled with the naive hope that you'll get your act together. Then you go and do something like delay the Wii's most anticipated game for an entire continent of people (and let's face it, probably Australia too, although that's not yet confirmed). We can grumble all we want about you, Nintendo of Europe, but you don't seem to mind at all.
Our only consolation is that if you live in England, you have the chance to use an A-Team limo service. Even when NOE fails, the A-Team will never let you down.
Some of the Final Smash maneuvers showcased so far on the dojo have looked devastating -- maybe too devastating in some cases -- but how about sending an entire army to do your bidding? How about sending the Waddle Dee Army? Scared yet, punk?
Well, get used to it, because that's essentially the Final Smash of Kirby nemesis King Dedede, who peppers the level with Waddle Dees (in Kirby games, these are the equivalent of Goombas). Not just the bog-standard Waddle Dees that he chucks about most of the time, either -- these are faster than your common or garden Waddle Dee, and can easily sweep you clean off the stage. And just for good measure, there's also the odd Gordos hidden in there.
Smash Balls are going to be a white-hot commodity when we all finally start brawling next year, and little wonder: getting your hands on one will allow you to pull off your respective character's Final Smash, a numberofwhichwe'vealreadycovered.
But it's not just a matter of walking over the Ball to trigger its powers. First, you all have to beat the absolute snot out of it, with the player who lands the blow that breaks the Smash Ball getting to keep it. Once it's in your hands, a simple press of the B button will unleash your devastating Final Smash, though as Sakurai-san points out in today's update, it's all a matter of timing if you want to create the most destruction possible.
You're advised not to hang around too much, though. In the period between picking up the Smash Ball and launching a Final Smash (when the player enters "Final Smash standby mode"), opponents can still swipe the Ball from your dastardly clutches, meaning some strategic thinking is required.
We're also told about the Pity Final Smash, where a player who is losing badly respawns from a KO in the aforementioned standby mode. Lastly, if you'd rather not use Final Smash moves at all (though goodness knows why you wouldn't want to), you can simply turn Smash Balls off in the options.
Before you go clicking on any links, we want to warn you that the following flash is NSFW in many ways. Now that we're clear, we thought you might enjoy this (again, NSFW) jumble of short flash skits available at Newgrounds, based on the upcoming (and highly anticipated) Super Smash Bros. Brawl. These skits are meant to spoof many of the daily updates that we've gotten from the official Smash Bros. site. While some are completely unfunny, on the whole the Flash is pretty entertaining (specifically any scene with Snake in it).
Keep in mind that although the scenes themselves are short, the compilation of them all leads to a pretty long video. On the chance that we've cause you to waste five or so minutes of your life that you'll never get back, know that we'll cry inside every day just thinking about it.
We've already been told about the odd newcomer from the Pokémon universe, but today's dojo update is all about those who are returning from previous Smash Bros. titles.
Lugia, Entei, Suicune (hurray!), Staryu, Bellossom, Ho-Oh, Wobbuffet, Togepi, and Snorlax are amongst that number, while the likelihood of a Celebi or Mew sighting is, as ever, low. They're worth the wait however, particularly as they like to drop presents your way. Like mysterious gold CDs.
We've known about Brawl's online mode for a while now, but today's dojo update takes a closer look at the nuts and bolts of how it all works when playing with friends (you may recall that you can play with non-friends, but their name won't be visible). And boy, does it look simple.
The first thing you'll need to do, as you'd expect, is swap Friend Codes. Yes, they're a royal pain in everybody's backside, but let's face facts: due to Nintendo's "safety first" approach, they're here to stay. Once Friend Codes have been entered into your Wii, they stay there forever, allowing you to view the status of your Brawl buddies. From there, if you fancy some fisticuffs, it's simply a matter of somebody hosting the game, and the rest of your pals piling in. Piece of cake, eh?
Today's dojo update is a double dose of attack goodness. Today's spotlight shines on Charged Attacks and Lucas, namely his Final Smash. The Charged Special moves are old hat to most of you, so you'll want to focus your attention on Lucas' Final Smash. It's pretty devastating and can even level entire stages.
Gallery: SSBB gallery three
Gallery: SSBB gallery two
Read - Charged Special moves Read - Lucas' Final Smash
Oh sure, we might be celebrating wildly this week in the Wii Fanboy offices, but in between the reckless necking of alcohol and bare-assed photocopier antics, there's still the daily grind to take care of. Like the latest dojo update, for instance!
Today's instalment has a distinctly chilly feel about it, as we learn all about the Ice Climbers' Final Smash. Ominously titled "Iceberg," this Smash does exactly what it says on the tin, with a whacking great slab of ice crashing onto the stage at your behest. The result? Smaller, slippier ledges, and extra damage to contenders who aren't the Ice Climbers.
Games that allow you to watch others play the game you've just dropped fifty bucks on have become increasingly prevalent recently. This trend is something of a mystery to us, probably because we're twitchy, fidgety little monkeys who'd much rather roll our sleeves up and jump into the action ourselves.
Nevertheless, Brawl will also cater to those who don't mind taking in the action from afar. "Spectator" mode in Nintendo's scrapper is apparently "something that even people who aren't good at games can enjoy," (not us then, because obviously we rock) and will allow spectators to wager coins on the outcome of a battle. And even if you don't win any bets, you'll still get some free stickers just for watching. Because nobody ever really loses in Nintendo games.
