What are Nintendo up to?

It was around this time last year that I finally went out and bought a Wii, I recall Nintendo had just recently released the Mario Anniversary console that was that funny red colour and came with a copy of New Super Mario Bros (??) as well as basically Mario All-Stars and a book.

I couldn't wait though and bought the Motion Plus pack with Sports Resort...I just wanted to get it home and set up - After all, Donkey Kong Country Returns was coming out. That and Goldeneye was an exclusive.

Not 12 months later and the console bundled with Mario Kart is about half the price I paid for my system.

Moving on...I have had Nintendo's for over 20 years - NES, Gameboy, SNES, N64, DS and Wii. I am not overly blown away by the 3DS - In fact considering certain 'Smart' Phones have the same 3D technology integrated, Steve Jobs philosophy of integration of components into ONE unit, perhaps people will no longer want a seperate device for hand held gaming - Android, iOS, Windows Mobile 7 and other mobile OS's will probably swoop in more than they already have - And the SONY PSP best watch out too.

I'm concerned about Nintendo now as they might be heading down the path of SEGA and focusing attention on developing software - Iconic branded games such as Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Metroid, etc for other hardware platforms.

Supposedly this Christmas season the weight of Nintendo's holiday success balances on...the redesign of the Wii (sits down flat and doesn't have backwards Gamecube capability) and the release of the new Zelda game Skyward Sword.

I don't think it's going to be enough personally - The Wii has been out for years, if they are looked after the consoles last for years people already have Wii's - And Zelda? Great games but they don't suit everybody's taste. Perhaps if Nintendo did focus in on game software hings wouldn't be THAT bad...I mean theoretically they'd have more time towards making great games.

I just hope to never see them on SONY.

Call of Duty's New Sales Record(s) - Steam Hacked

It blows my mind when I hear things about a game pulling in $400 million by moving more than 6.5 million units on its first day in North America and the United Kingdom. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 did just that with news reports revealing the details just today - Perhaps more amazingly it broke its own sales records, set and broken in 2009 and again in 2010 (that must be a record in it's own right).


People talk about the video game industry being a billions of dollars per year industry...seems as though it's close to becoming a billions PER DAY industry.


In other news, Steam, the online video game provider/network, has been infiltrated by hackers reportedly leaving 35 million users vulnerable and potentially exposing their credit card details...


Finally recent analysis has shown that Nintendo and Sony's combined portable games revenue has gone from  81% (of all revenue from portable game software) in 2009, to an estimated 42% this year. (Source Macworld Australia/Flurry Analytics). News of this left me wondering what will result from this state of affairs. Steve Jobs of Apple once said something about integrating many functions into one device (i.e. e-books on an iPad rather than having a dedicated e-book reader device). Considering this one must wonder if portable games devices will become a thing of the past. 3D capable smart phones are already on the market...when games are made for them the 3DS is in deep trouble whilst SONY appears to be making a transition already, with their N*Gage-like PSP/Phone hybrid device.


Is it possible that exclusive Nintendo games may one day be affiliated with iOS or perhaps Android will land an exclusive relationship with Nintendo, afterall Google did give an approving nod to Nintendo game Starfox/Lylat Wars by including an Easter Egg associated with the games phrase/internet meme "Do a Barrel Roll"

Essential Game #00001: Practically any The Legend of Zelda title

Hey everyone,

I just watched an awesome video of an chalk artist doing a nice image of Link on his horse (whats-its-name) using his skills. I'll post it, but first I'll share with you my experiences :P

I have had a NES since just before I was 5 years old. Truth be told when me and my brother got this for Christmas one year I don't think I even knew what it was. I soon found out that it played games on the TV. We recently got a new TV, it was a 68cm color television that had no remote and you had to tune in channels with dials and there was a total of 12 channels that were programmable (this became 11 when button seven got broke...lol).

Anyhow, my dad set it up and fired up the baby. WOW! I was hooked immediately, the first challenge, if you fall down a hole, you lose, but I have a few more chances to do that...it's not game over - A screen which must have come soon afterwards!

The day after Christmas we always visited my Dad's mum. Somehow the NES came with us...I can't remember if me or my brother insisted, or if it was a genius idea from mum or dad to have something for the kids to do....heh heh.

It was just around 6pm when the trouble started - Grandma wanted to watch the news, I think as a team my brother and I had reached the first castle, which I probably figured was the last level of the game back then. An argument ensued :P Ending with my Grandma unplugging the infernal thing and shoving it back in its box and adding something like "it's in the box, and it's to stay in the box. It's doing damage to my TV"

Ahh classic.

Now back to Zelda, my brother and I rented it for $5 for 3 days from the local video library a fair few times. As I recall it, the local toy shop did have the game but it was expensive for young kids to save up for - $80 if I recall correctly. My brother ended up getting it for me as a birthday present one year, and I played it on and off for years until finally finishing it without any cheats, or strategy guidance besides one or two kids who played it talking about it.

Over the years we got Zelda on the Gameboy, and Zelda on N64, and I've played Zelda's on SNES, the DS and Wii and although I no longer play many games, Zelda is one game that stays true to its origins and is truly a great brand and I love that it's still with Nintendo

Here's the video :)