Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Newsweek has got a bit of an exclusive look at the upcoming Need for Speed: Carbon for the Wii. Why them? Bah! But some interesting details were divulged nevertheless.

As expected, the default control configuration for NFS: Carbon is the one of simplicity, found also in Excitetruck and a mini-game in Wario Ware: Smooth Moves. Turn the Wiimote on its side, and viola, instant steering wheel. But for you pros out there, there are three alternatives for your particular racing style. The first involves holding the Wiimote at a 45 degree angle, tilting forward to accelerate and back to brake; the nunchuk is tilted left and right for steering. The second and third have the Wiimote held at a 90 degree angle; acceleration is handled by tilting forward as before, but now braking is mapped to the Z button on the nunchuk. One of these two uses the motion sensing in the nunchuk for steering, the other merely uses the analog stick.

Anyone else think these options are cool as hell, (partially) mimicking a stick shift configuration?

[Thanks, Marc and Dave!]

Some of the first details on the upcoming Need for Speed: Carbon have made their way to your eager eyes, by way of the latest issue of Game Informer magazine. Being billed as half NFS: Underground and half NFS: Most Wanted, the game will feature police chases along with the customization system that existed in the Underground titles. The single-player experience will be new, however, as the player is now charged with taking over territories. Three different maps will have players racing for command over seven different territories within each map.

Another new addition to the formula is Canyon Racing. In these races, the track is narrow and you must fight for track with other competitors, racing along huge drop offs that present the danger of a long fall followed by fiery demise. There is also a team-based mode in the works for the game, but no details have been revealed on that as of this time.