Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime has claimed that the company is not yet ready to seriously think about releasing a new home console.

Speaking to Forbes, Fils-Aime commented:

“When the software developer comes forward with an idea that can’t be executed on the current platform, that’s when we start thinking seriously about the next system. We’re not there yet, from a Wii perspective.”

Fils-Aime was also lukewarm about the importance of high definition graphics and 3D technology, saying:

“For us, technology is not an endpoint. Technology is an enabler for fantastic consumer experiences. So from a hardware standpoint, we are always looking at technology. But in the end, the technology has to enable a new, unique experience.”

“So when people talk about high definition for the Wii console our feedback is that that by itself will not create a brand new experience. Therefore, we’re not interested. What we have to push for are groundbreaking new experiences. Technology has to enable it, not to be a means all by itself.”

On the question of increased competition from Microsoft and Sony’s forthcoming motion controllers Fils-Aime cautioned that:

“Our competition will face their own challenges. They’ll have to create compelling software. They’ll need to offer it at a price point that makes sense. They will be separately challenged because the motion-enabled part of their business will only be a small part of their line. For us, it’s core to what we do,”

Fils-Aime also dismissed any talk of competition with Apple and its handhelds, stating:

“There’s been no data to suggest an encroachment on our business.On the other hand, we recognize that consumers have a limited amount of entertainment time, and anything that takes entertainment time away from the Nintendo DS, DSi and Wii is a competitor. And so from that standpoint, we need to build experiences that are compelling and sticky, and that consumers can get excited about. That’s our challenge.”

By hey_suburbia
Yaab

Zallag reveals more details about the upcoming racing game developed specifically for the WiiWare™: Racers’ Islands : Crazy Racers. Previously known under the codename “Shoot the drivers : Project 1”, this game is developed by Artefacts Studio who had previously developed Moto Racer DS.

Six different and unique islands (each representing a country) serve as a background for the 20 tracks present in the game. Not only will the players need driving skills, they should also consider precision. Indeed, the original gameplay of Racers’ Islands : Crazy Racers allows the player to target precisely other players and adversaries with the Wii Remote while driving.

Specifically designed for the Wii, this unusual gameplay offers a real learning curve while remaining accessible to everyone. Six colorful characters are playable, each with his/her own car and unique weapon. Many power-ups can be found along the tracks and a 4 player mode in split-screen is also present.

The universe of Racers’ Islands : Crazy Racers will also be presented through a comic book. The idea is to explore and to expand the game’s background further.

Illustrated by Studio 109 and scripted by Hubert Chardot (scriptwriter of such games as Alone in the Dark 1, 2 and 3) this comic book will reveal the characters’ past. Just like the game, it will be sold only through digital distribution.

The next announcement will present the 6 characters of the game (American, Japanese, Russian, French etc…). The final versions and the early drafts of the characters will be revealed!

By hey_suburbia
Yaab

Tomorrow Corporation is pleased to announce the existence of Tomorrow Corporation, a massive new “indie game” studio.

“We’re literally bursting with cash,” said a Tomorrow Corporation PR spokeswoman, “because if there’s one thing that makes money these days, it’s indie games.”

“For years, giant corporations have been hurt by scrappy indie studios hogging the limelight with titles like Crayon Physics Deluxe, Braid, World of Goo, and Super Meat Boy. To those tiny, un-American, indie developers, Tomorrow Corporation would like to deliver a message: Your reign of terror ends… Tomorrow! ”

Tomorrow Corporation’s massive Human Resources Department has recently acquired a glut of indie sellouts, including developers Allan Blomquist, Kyle Gabler, and Kyle Gray – all former grad students from Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center and co-founders of the wasteful and profitless Experimental Gameplay Project.

More recently, Gabler co-founded the indie studio 2D BOY, responsible for creating the reprehensible game World of Goo, to which Blomquist also regrettably contributed his indie talents. Gray recently created the unpatriotic Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure, a game about sipping tea.

Tomorrow Corporation has yet to announce its first indie game title, but would like to remind fans to check back frequently for exciting new information.

“The secret to a truly great indie game is that special human touch,” says the spokeswoman, “which our producers have scheduled for insertion shortly before the product ships.”

“Let’s all remember,” she added before floating away in the official Tomorrow Corporation blimp, “the future … is Tomorrow!”

By hey_suburbia
Yaab

GameTrailers Video Review – 80

IGN Video Review – 80

About

In a frantic battle to the checkered flag, Sonic and friends speed around tracks set in medieval castle ramparts, lush rainforests and bustling cities, all taken from the visually rich and varied universes of Sonic and SEGA. Fan favorites such as Dr. Eggman, Tails, AiAi, Amigo and many more will join Sonic in their custom built vehicles, revving their engines and jostling to stay ahead of the pack. Each character will speed around the track in cars, planes, motorbikes, and in Aiai’s case – a banana mobile! Secret short cuts, swift handling and avoiding strategically placed obstacles are certainly the best way to get to the top of the podium. But winning is only part of the fun in Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing! Each character has a specific All Star move – such as Super Sonic, Banana Blitz and Tails Tornado – that allows a quick way for competitors to get back into the race! Power ups and weapons can also be collected around the tracks and used against the opposition to ensure they don’t become a threat to that number one position.

IGN (Video Review Above) – 80
Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing may not have a whole lot in the gameplay department that it can call its own, but Sumo Digital took what worked and built a SEGA-themed experience that captures what makes the company’s games so memorable. This racer is surprisingly deep and robust, and even with its unoriginal design it’s a great time no matter which version you get.

Nintendo Power – 80
It isn’t quite the fan paradise it could have been, but it’s a very good racer that makes great use of classic Sega franchises. We wouldn’t mind a sequel with more franchises and tracks included. [Mar 2010, p.86]

GameSpot – 80
Smooth controls and a bunch of awesome tracks make this an exciting kart racer.
Read Full Review >

Nintendo Life – 80
Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing is, despite its flaws, a well-crafted racer that’s clearly had a lot of good design work put into it.

Cheat Code Central – 78
A game this derivative can never be great, but it’s really, really good.

NGamer UK – 75
Shameless lack of originality aside, this might be worth a look if you’ve exhausted the real thing. [Mar 2010, p.52]

Game Informer – 75
Don’t go into Sonic Racing expecting tons of surprises or genre-redefining innovation. Rather, prepare for a Sega-studded interpretation of the classic kart racing formula.

1UP – 75
Though it has some hiccups, unexciting party modes, and a questionable difficulty curve, All-Stars Racing is a respectable effort that makes a good kart racer at its core (and is at least much more cohesive than Sega Superstars Tennis).

Official Nintendo Magazine UK – 70
Good fun but lacking the polish that makes Mario Kart Wii the definitive kart racer. [Mar 2010, p.76]

By hey_suburbia
Yaab

Today is Tuesday, which can only mean another episode of WiiNintendo’s interactive Nintendo Fuse Podcast! This podcast is done every Tuesday at 10 pm EST (or rather, 10:15 pm). Not only do we discuss the latest Nintendo news and rumors, but we’ve had special guests (like Tommy Tallarico from Video Games Live) and contests as well. Rest assured, we’re planning to have more of those in the future, but in the mean time you can catch up on all the great episodes we had. You can listen to the old episodes here, or by subscribing in iTunes by searching for Nintendo Fuse or by clicking this link. Also, we have some plans for the upcoming PAX as well…

The Penny Arcade Expo is coming to the east coast (specifically Boston) for the first time! Many of the WiiNintendo/WiiFuse Forums/Nintendo Fuse Podcast members will be in attendance, including hey_suburbia, hattrick, and myself. It would be awesome to meet up with all of you. It’s thanks to you that we can enjoy what we do and I would love to have a little meet-up at PAX East. For full details on PAX East, check out www.paxsite.com. If you are able to go, please let us know by posting a comment. I can’t wait! Now that that exciting announcement is over, let’s get into what we are talking about tonight.

The Nintendo Media Summit is over and you would think that after the news on Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, and the rest of the games shown, is there going to be any more big news before E3? The answer is yes! The Game Developers Conference (GDC) starts today and later this week, we’ll be getting more details on Metroid: Other M hopefully. Nintendo Power claims to have a world reveal for Wii in their next issue. On the DS front, Scribblenauts 2 was officially announced and we have the first details. A new Wii bundle has surfaced at WalMart. Plus, a mysterious patent for what looks to be a DS cartridge has been uncovered. All of that and more in tonight’s episode! So make sure you tune in tonight at 10:15 pm eastern time for our LIVE recording. And did I tell you that YOU can actually participate LIVE? That’s right, there are actually three ways to participate…

1) Chat in the chatroom by going to the Nintendo Fuse TalkShoe page once the podcast begins at 10:15 pm est.

2) Call in with your phone by dialing (724) 444-7444 and when prompted for the Call ID, dial 59264#. You can then press 1 to join in as a guest, or you can create a free account on TalkShoe and enter your PIN number on the phone.

3) Call in with your microphone on your computer by downloading TalkShoe Live for free from here. Once installed, go to the Nintendo Fuse TalkShoe page and then select the option to connect through TalkShoe Live Pro.

Be here every Tuesday at 10 pm eastern time to listen and join in on the fun while we discuss the latest and greatest from Nintendo!

By DarkWish
Yaab

By hey_suburbia
Yaab

Here is the first hour and 45 minutes of my time with the game. Thanks to Triple Point for allowing me to play and review this game. Expect my review within the next week.

By hattrick
Yaab