In an interview with CNet Japan, Treasure president Masato Maegawa revealed that the company, having finished work on the XBLA version of Ikaruga and the DS Bangai-O Spirits, is working on two new games for Wii. Being in a Treasure state of mind, our first impulse was to SET THE 68000 HEART ON FIREwith excitement.
However, our excitement was tempered by the news that these two games, which are designed to make use of motion controls, will be in 3D. Sin and Punishment is great and all, but Treasure's record is spotty at best in 3D games, as anyone who has played Stretch Panicor the merely-good Wario World will tell you. Maybe one of these is the rumored sequel to Sin and Punishment. That would be perfectly okay!
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative.
Yeah, there aren't any Game Boy Advance games on the Virtual Console, and there probably won't be any time soon, but that's not important! This column is about games that should be on the Virtual Console, and this game should be everywhere.
Treasure is known for producing super-hardcore action games, from frantic run-and-guns like Alien Soldier and Gunstar Heroes to clever shooters like Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun. Between original releases, they sometimes take on licensed works, seemingly to pay the bills. One of their best games -- and possibly the best game on the GBA -- combines all of these aspects of Treasure's style. It might be slightly strange to say that a licensed game based on a kids' show is one of Treasure's best, but it absolutely is.
So, it's the final week of 2007 and what do we have to show for it? Frickin' Bubble Bobble is what we have got! It's enough for us, hopefully it'll be enough for you. But, on the other hand, the two titles available that don't have a bubble or a bobble in their name aren't that bad, either.
Today's dojo update has only exacerbated our dilemma. See, it's not so much that we really likeTreasure's exquisite N64 game Sin and Punishment (available on the Virtual Console now, as if we needed to remind you). It's more that we unconditionally love it, want to marry it, have its children, and settle down in the 'burbs with it for a life of rosy contentment.
Hence, the news that the star of that game, Saki Amamiya, will be an Assist Trophy in Brawl has put us in a right old tizzy. He sounds pretty useful, as well, with his Cannon Sword doubling up as both a sword and a gun, allowing him to slice and shoot his way through whoever's silly enough to get in his way.
Oh, you thought because there wasn't a formal VC Monday Madness post today that you would not be getting your dose of video goodness? Oh no, boys and girls, because as we needed to break the news of what was arriving today during yesterday evening (today had a big release, so we needed to inform you as soon as we could), we felt another post would be ... well, just a tad bit on the side of not needed. So, hit up the video above and be sure to check past the break for the usual.
And before you ask, that DVD in the lower left-hand corner is Braveheart. I felt a need to put it on today while I worked.
Heralding the release of Super Mario Galaxy this November 12th, Nintendo plans to deliver Super Mario Bros. 3, a title which many feel to be the NES's finest product, with this week's Virtual Console update. We've already pulled 500 Wii points out of our wallet, just waiting to hand the cash over to anyone who'll give us the game in return. We'll sleep tonight with the bills gripped tightly in our fists, smiling as we dream about spending the entirety of tomorrow ensconced in a giant green boot.
Treasure's classic run-and-gun boss-travaganza for the Sega Genesis, Alien Soldier, will also be available for download tomorrow, having previously appeared in North America only through the ill-fated Sega Channel. Hardcore gamers won't regret spending 900 Wii points on this one. And if they do, that speaks more to their character than Alien Soldier's qualities.
On the TurboGrafx-16 side, we'll have the option of buying Power Golf for 600 Wii points. Unfortunately for Power Golf, we've already resigned ourselves to only purchasing games which feature either a Tanooki Suit or a Seven Force robot this week. Sucks to be Power Golf.
If you shelled out the cash to buy Sin and Punishment on your Virtual Console, then you already know how awesome it is. If not, we've deployed some hypnotoads to find you and make you buy the game, so be prepared.
Now that we've sufficiently shoved the game down your throat communicated the brilliance of this game to you, excuse us while we squeal for a few seconds at the mere possibility of a sequel on the Wii. After all, we're only human (and part robot).
The source of our glee, you wonder? When asked about a possible sequel to Sin and Punishment, Treasure president Masato Maegawa told Nintendo Power, "When we were originally working on Sin and Punishment [for Virtual Console], there was some discussion utilizing Wii-like controls, and I think now that we're working more with the Wii, it is something we'd very much like to try."
We have just one message for you, Treasure: NOBODY LIKES A TEASE!
Treasure president Masato Maegawa spoke with 1UP before TGS started up, confirming that the company is indeed working on a title for the WIi. Coming from the developer's "action" team, he gave nothing else in the way of details about the secret project. Considering this same internal team was responsible for Gunstar Heroes, we can't say we're worried.
Looks like Nintendo has come up with a clever response to one Kiwi gamer's complaint. It sounds kind of silly to complain about a lack of releases when your region is about to get Sin and Punishment on the Virtual Console.
Treasure's Sin and Punishment is basically the Holy Grail of Nintendo 64 games: a shooter from a very well-respected studio, which was never released outside of Asia. It's the N64 game that even N64 haters will drool over. This OFLC rating makes an upcoming Virtual Console release a near-certainty, and an Australian release portends a release for other regions, as well.
Now we're going to go play every rail shooter we own in celebration of this great news. Although we think that's pretty much just Rez, so it'll be a brief celebration.
We're slightly disappointed by the levels in Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure. It's not that they don't look nice, but they're just incredibly cliched. You can see cute little representations up there on the world map: the Jungle Ruins, the Volcano Cave, the Ice Temple, and Barbaros' Castle.
Maybe the underwater level and the forced-scrolling motorcycle level are unlockable! Seriously, as much attention as this game is getting, we hope it's a little more creative than the levels make it seem. We're just going to assume that so much attention went into the puzzles that the level concepts kind of suffered.
Posted Jun 22nd 2007 1:55PM by JC Fletcher Filed under: News
We didn't know much about the story for Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasureexcept for the obvious ("Hey, treasure! Dude, let's quest for it!") Thankfully, Capcom detailed some of the plot in a press release about the game.
Zack & Wiki involves a young pirate named Zack who happens upon the talking skull of the legendary pirate Barbaros. And, like anyone who finds a magically animated skull, Zack decides to do what it tells him. Luckily, it tells him to go on an adventure leading to treasure, which is courteous for a hallucination/undead pirate.
The full press release is after the break. The skull says READ IT! And the animated skull of Matt Casamassina says BUY THE GAME!
Posted May 31st 2007 12:15PM by JC Fletcher Filed under: News
Capcom's adorable treasure-hunting adventure Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure uses the Wiimote in context-sensitive orientations and movements to solve puzzles. Different items use the Wiimote in different ways. The trick is that it doesn't seem to tell the player how the Wiimote is to be used in a particular situation.
In this example found on GAME Watch, players are asked to insert a crank handle into a mechanism and then operate the crank. How you get the thing in there is a matter of figuring out which side goes in and then manipulating the Wiimote in some way to make that happen. Rather than just telling us how to do it, GAME Watch gave readers the choice above for the proper method. We're guessing temporary swinging. This example seems simple enough, but we can see how not knowing how to use the Wiimote will amplify the difficulty of some puzzles.
We've also filled our gallery with new treasures from the game. Yarrr.
Gallery: Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Posted May 16th 2007 7:00PM by JC Fletcher Filed under: News
Capcom has announced the official name for their fun-looking pirate adventure, formerly known as Project Treasure Island Z. It's still got "Treasure" in it, so it's still vaguely pirate-esque, but we just aren't sure. The new name is Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure.
As if the bright, colorful graphics didn't do the job, the title drives home the point: this is a game for children. We hope you don't dismiss it based on the name alone, since it's gotten positive impressions.
Famitsu got their hands on some great screens from two upcoming Capcom games: the colorful pirate adventure Treasure Island Z and the upgraded Playstation 2 port Devil Kings 2. We have good news and ... miscellaneous news for both.
First, the good news: Devil Kings 2 looks like a hybrid of Dynasty Warriors and Devil May Cry, with cool characters and over-the-top stylish moves. Treasure Island Z's screens show off the interface, which involves-- could it be?-- a hand-shaped cursor interacting with objects on screen! Pointing and clicking, as it were!
Now for the other news: for some reason, one of the playable characters in Devil Kings 2 looks like a samurai version of Ultraman, and we haven't decided how we feel about that. And in Treasure Island Z, the character has some kind of stylized Wiimote item in-game. That's kind of a cheap way to be immersive, isn't it? Check after the break for a couple of screens from each game.
Posted Mar 15th 2007 6:30PM by JC Fletcher Filed under: News
A NeoGAFfer and frequent Wii Fanboy tipster named creamsugar posted these new, higher-quality scans of Capcom's Treasure Island Z, and later in the thread Xboxyde's Blimblim cleaned up the images, which we have provided for you. After a careful inspection, we must say, that if we were excited about the game yesterday, today we are in full hype hype hype mode! We're ready to start freaking out about this game without really knowing anything about it!
The graphics look so great (and we aren't going to assume that it's because of Blimblim's filter)-- finally, next-generation cel shading is here! And the art style and general piracy motif reminds us of one of the best Capcom games ever, the Mega Man Legends spinoff The Misadventures of Tron Bonne. Please, Capcom, let it be like Tron Bonne.
Click the post break to see the scans, and then click those to see them in their original resolution.
Heralding the release of Super Mario Galaxy this November 12th, Nintendo plans to deliver Super Mario Bros. 3, a title which many feel to be the NES's finest product, with this week's Virtual Console update. We've already pulled 500 Wii points out of our wallet, just waiting to hand the cash over to anyone who'll give us the game in return. We'll sleep tonight with the bills gripped tightly in our fists, smiling as we dream about spending the entirety of tomorrow ensconced in a giant green boot.
Looks like Nintendo has come up with a clever response to one Kiwi gamer's complaint. It sounds kind of silly to complain about a lack of releases when your region is about to get Sin and Punishment on the Virtual Console. 
Capcom's adorable treasure-hunting adventure Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure uses the Wiimote in context-sensitive orientations and movements to solve puzzles. Different items use the Wiimote in different ways. The trick is that it doesn't seem to tell the player how the Wiimote is to be used in a particular situation.
Capcom has announced the official name for their fun-looking pirate adventure, formerly known as Project Treasure Island Z. It's still got "Treasure" in it, so it's still vaguely pirate-esque, but we just aren't sure. The new name is Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure. 
A NeoGAFfer and frequent Wii Fanboy tipster named creamsugar posted these new, higher-quality scans of Capcom's Treasure Island Z, and later in the thread Xboxyde's Blimblim cleaned up the images, which we have provided for you. After a careful inspection, we must say, that if we were excited about the game yesterday, today we are in full hype hype hype mode! We're ready to start freaking out about this game without really knowing anything about it!
