Category: Wii

Darksiders II Coming to Wii U

Death’s epic adventure is scheduled to release on the Wii’s successor

PRESS RELEASE

AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Jun 07, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that the upcoming sequel to its award-winning Action/Adventure title, Darksiders(R), is scheduled for release on Nintendo’s Wii U(TM) in calendar 2012.

The Wii U(TM) version of Darksiders(R) II will take advantage of Nintendo’s innovative new hardware with implemented functionality for the revolutionary controller.

Darksiders II follows the exploits of DEATH, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, in a weaving tale that runs parallel to the events in the original Darksiders game. This epic journey propels DEATH through various light and dark realms as he tries to redeem his brother WAR, the horseman who was blamed for prematurely starting the Apocalypse in Darksiders.

Travis Plane, Vice President of Global Brand Management commented: “We are very excited about the potential Wii U(TM) offers and look forward to bringing Darksiders II to the Nintendo audience.”

Darksiders II is scheduled to be available for Wii U(TM) as well as console and PC in calendar 2012. For more information check www.facebook.com/Darksiders.

About Darksiders II

Awakened by the End of Days, Death, the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen, embarks upon a quest to restore mankind, and redeem his brother’s name. Along the way, the Horseman discovers that there are far worse things than an earthly Apocalypse, and that an ancient grudge may threaten all of Creation . . . Can DEATH really become mankind’s savior? The original Darksiders, released in January 2010, received critical acclaim including the Best Fantasy Game 2010 award from IGN. Darksiders followed the story of WAR, wrongly accused of starting the apocalypse, on a quest to reclaim lost honor and take revenge on those who wronged him.

Wii U Console Features Controller with 6.2-inch Screen

Nintendo 3DS Continues its Evolution with Mario Kart, Super Mario and the Nintendo eShop as Nintendo Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda

PRESS RELEASE

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)– At the E3 Expo, Nintendo introduced a new paradigm for video games and home entertainment: Wii U™, a new console that includes a controller with a 6.2-inch screen. Adding a second screen to the living room creates a multitude of new video game experiences while offering families a variety of options to customize their entertainment.

Previously, video games played on a home console have been confined to the TV and offered identical viewpoints to each player in a multiplayer environment. Furthermore, watching TV and playing console games have been completely separate experiences. The new controller removes these boundaries, creating a more dynamic and fluid gaming and entertainment experience. Visitors to the E3 Expo will see firsthand the type of gaming experiences made possible by Wii U and the new controller such as:
• In single-player games:
o The new controller can display information on its screen that does not appear on the TV.
o The information and viewpoint can also change in the new controller based on the orientation of its gyroscope.
• In multiplayer games:
o The player using the new controller can have a different experience than those looking at the TV. This will offer a wide variety of competitive and cooperative opportunities.

In addition to the 6.2-inch screen, the new controller also features an accelerometer and a gyroscope, a rumble feature, an inward-facing camera, a microphone and speakers. Adding these features to the Classic Controller™ button scheme – two analog Circle Pads, +Control Pad, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons – will enable a breadth of game-play experiences while appealing to both casual and dedicated video game players.

Wii U combines motion-sensing game play with the ability to support full HD graphics. Each Wii U console will be partnered with a new controller and can also use up to four additional Wii Remote™ or Wii Remote Plus controllers. The system is also backward compatible and can play all Wii games and use all Wii accessories. The Wii console has sold more than 86 million units globally and greatly expanded the overall audience for video games. Wii U aims to expand that audience even further. Developers worldwide are already working on new games and experiences for the console.

“Wii U redefines the structure of home entertainment by fundamentally changing how the TV, the game console and the Internet function and interact together,” said Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. “The experience enabled by Wii U and the new controller takes players deeper into their games, while reaching out wider than ever before to be inviting to all kinds of gamers.”

Nintendo 3DS™, which lets users see 3D images without the need for special glasses, launched in the United States on March 27 and continues to evolve. Owners will find that their Nintendo 3DS experience is different every time they pick up the system, thanks to new content and updates delivered by Nintendo, by third parties and exchanged between users.

A new system update is now available for the Nintendo 3DS system. Users who connect to a wireless broadband Internet connection and install the system update will instantly gain access to the Nintendo eShop, which contains a variety of games and applications for download using a cash-based system.

Users can browse original 3D software, 3D Classics (select classic video games re-mastered in 3D), classic Game Boy™ and Game Boy Color games, and more than 350 games and applications currently offered for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service. Visitors can also see videos and screen shots for games, plus see how other players rank games.

The system update also provides Nintendo 3DS owners access to free items, including an Internet browser that can show 3D images on sites specifically designed to show 3D images, a download of a re-mastered 3D version of the NES™ classic Excitebike™ game (free until July 7) and Pokédex™ 3D, which lets users discover and view more than 150 Pokémon™ from the Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version games in visually engaging 3D.

Nintendo also announced a huge lineup of upcoming new and fan-favorite franchise games, many of which are playable on the E3 Expo show floor in booth 4922.
• Nintendo 3DS: Super Mario™, Luigi’s Mansion™ 2, Mario Kart™, Kid Icarus™: Uprising, The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, Star Fox 64™ 3D, Animal Crossing™, Paper Mario™, Picture Lives!, The Rolling Western™.
• Wii: The Legend of Zelda™: Skyward Sword, Kirby™ Wii, Wii Play™: Motion, Mystery Case Files™: The Malgrave Incident™, Mario Party™ 9, Rhythm Heaven™ and Fortune Street™.
• Nintendo DS™: Kirby™ Mass Attack, Professor Layton and the Last Specter™, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker™ 2 and Super Fossil Fighters™.
Nintendo kicked off its E3 Expo Presentation by announcing a number of initiatives to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda. A re-mastered 3D version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches for Nintendo 3DS on June 19, while Wii owners will see the arrival of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword in the 2011 holiday season. Additionally, Nintendo announced a tour of orchestral concerts featuring music from the beloved franchise. Additional commemorative activities will be announced at a later date.

For the duration of the E3 Expo, Nintendo will provide fans with exclusive videos and Nintendo content on the Nintendo Network. People can visit http://e3.nintendo.com to watch developer interviews, get all the information about new games and see coverage coming directly from the show floor. The same exclusive content also will be streamed through the Nintendo® Channel to Wii owners who have a broadband Internet connection.

UBISOFT TO LAUNCH MAJOR BRANDS, TWO NEW IPs FOR NINTENDO WII U

Assassin’s Creed®, Rabbids® and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Online, as well as two new brands including a revolutionary first person shooter for the hardcore audience being developed exclusively for Nintendo Wii U™ .

PRESS RELEASE

LOS ANGELES – June 7, 2011 – Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft® announced some of the titles that it has in development for Nintendo’s Wii U™: Assassin’s Creed®, Rabbids® and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Online, as well as two new brands including a revolutionary first person shooter for the hardcore audience being developed exclusively for Nintendo Wii U™ and a multi-sports game for the whole family.

“Nintendo is an industry reference for game design and accessibility. We are very honored to be a strong part of this new chapter of the videogame industry,” said Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “This new console is an amazing new source of inspiration for our developers.
With the combination of technologies brought together by this console, our creative teams will be able to take the Ubisoft vision of developing rich, immersive and innovative gaming experiences for all audiences even further.”

Beginning at noon PST today and throughout the conference, playable versions of Ubisoft’s Ghost Recon Online can be seen by visitors on the Nintendo booth at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

POWER RANGERS SAMURAI COMING TO Wii AND NINTENDO DS SYSTEMS

The title will bring a new generation of Rangers to life to battle the evil forces of the netherworld.

PRESS RELEASE

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (June 7, 2011) – Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. has combined its Zords to announce Power Rangers(tm) Samurai coming to Wii(tm) and Nintendo DS(tm) systems for Holiday 2011. The title will bring a new generation of Rangers to life, as players utilize teamwork and the ancient Samurai Symbols of Power to battle the evil forces of the netherworld.

Based on Saban Brands’ incredibly popular Power Rangers Samurai TV show on Nickelodeon, players of all ages will finally be able to join the Rangers as they physically immerse themselves into the morphing action of the iconic team of heroes.

“There are few other long-standing cultural icons as influential as the Power Rangers with their spirit of heroism, teamwork, and physical fitness,” said Vice President of Marketing at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., Carlson Choi. “For the millions of fans that have grown up with the Rangers over the last two decades, or for parents looking for high quality entertainment with a positive message for their children, we’re incredibly excited to bring this franchise to a new generation of players in a way that truly allows everyone to experience what it means to be a Ranger.”

Power Rangers Samurai will let fans wield the Samuraizer to master the elements of Fire, Water, Sky, Forest, and Earth as they morph into Red, Blue, Pink, Green, or Yellow Rangers. Martial arts training and fitness combined with team based battles teach the importance of team work, friendship, and responsibility to battle hordes of Nighlok monsters.

Players can also unlock secret passageways, access hidden levels, and get hints on how to defeat the armies of evil while collecting enough Zords to gain the Samurai Megazord needed to take down the MegaMonster once and for all.

GO VACATION(tm) COMING TO Wii THIS FALL

NAMCO BANDAI Takes Wii Players to Four Unique Destinations and Dozens of Vacation Activities

PRESS RELEASE

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (June 7, 2011) – Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced Go Vacation(tm) for the Wii(tm) system will be available Fall 2011. Set on the resort of Kawawii Island, Go Vacation brings an open-ended world of exploration and adventure that includes engaging activities for the entire family to enjoy. With a fun variety of activities to play, Go Vacation is the perfect gaming getaway.

From snowcapped mountains to the bright lights of a bustling cityscape, Go Vacation gives gamers the option to take part in heated street races, relaxing scuba diving excursions and pulse-pounding skydiving sessions and more-all accessed by actually visiting each location in-game instead of simply choosing them from a menu. With support for a whole suite of Wii hardware accessories, including the Wii Balance Board(tm), the Wii Zapper(tm) and Wii MotionPlus(tm), every activity offers a fun and natural control scheme that allows gamers to easily jump in and play.

“Go Vacation offers the perfect break for parents, kids, friends and family to escape the hustle and bustle of work and school to just relax, have fun, and for the first time in this genre, actually roam around these exotic locales in search for the perfect activity,” said Carlson Choi, Vice President of Marketing, NAMCO BANDAI Games America. “Each game and activity across these massive resorts builds upon NAMCO BANDAI’s strength in making fun and engaging gameplay experiences that everyone can enjoy-a craft we’ve been cultivating for decades since PAC-MAN(r) and Galaga(r).”

Each of the resort locations in Kawawii Island offer their own distinctive landscape and thematic adventures. From inline skating, hang gliding, surfing, skydiving, horseback riding, tennis, fishing, snowboarding, street racing, dancing and more, there is no shortage of activities for players to take part in.