Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata: no ‘immediate need to replace the Wii’

Sheesh… will you folks ever learn? There will never, ever be a Wii replacement. It’s the console that keeps on giving, and also the one that’ll never perish. It’s the end-all answer to the world’s gaming needs, and even though greater than 50 percent of the US has an HDTV, Nintendo won’t ever have to support that unwanted “1080i” format. All sarcasm, angst and bitterness aside, Nintendo’s president Satoru Iwata recently affirmed that there’s no Wii successor on the near-term roadmap. Specifically, he stated that he “doesn’t think that there is an immediate need to replace the Wii console; but of course, at some point in the future, the need will arise.” To cap things off, he added: “We currently do not have an answer as to what point in the future that need will come.” As much as we’d love to point out just how far behind the game Nintendo is in terms of graphics, we can’t argue with the sales figures, and until the collective consumer wallet deems true HD support a necessity, we suppose the Wii can just keep on keepin’ on. Much to our chagrin.

Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata: no ‘immediate need to replace the Wii’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inflatable Racecar: Best or Worst Wii Accessory Ever?

inflatable racing car.jpg

A lot of memorable events occurred at E3 this week. But strangely, this is one image that is going to stick with me.

Actually, the bizarre Wii accessories dreamed up by third parties has been something of a quirky highlight of the show for the past several years. And this year, the inflatable racecar from CTA Digital is either the best or the worst–I can’t say for sure.

It’s best in the sense that, well, look at it, it’s a big blowup racecar that you can sit in while you’re playing the Wii–adults and children alike, though like the perennial favorite racecar bed, it’s likely to be a bit awkward for anyone over the age of 10.

It’s potentially the worst in the sense that the car itself doesn’t seem to do anything. It’s not a rumble seat. The Wiimote does slip into the steering wheel, which turns, so there’s that.

This bizarre accessory is compatible with Mario Kart Wii, Need for Speed, and, let’s face it, pretty much any driving game, because, as mentioned above, it doesn’t actually do anything…

E3 2010 Live Blog: Nintendo Media Briefing , 6.15.10

Nintendo’s press conference is the second of the big three at this year’s E3 video-game conference. The event kicks off Tuesday morning, at 9:00 A.M. PT (Noon ET). Editor-in-chief Lance Ulanoff and senior editor Brian Heater will be on hand to live-blog the event.

So, what to expect from Nintendo’s big show? One thing’s for sure: There will be plenty of spectacle. At last year’s press event, the video-game giant released new versions of the Wii controller, Wii Fit, and a new multi-player Super Mario title.

This year, the most persistent rumor is about the unveiling of the Nintendo 3DS, a glasses-free portable gaming console that will serve as the successor to Nintendo’s massively popular DS. There’s also some talk of a Wii HD–a new console with amped-up graphical power. And look for possible new versions of popular Nintendo titles such as Starfox, Zelda, Kirby, and F-Zero.

Update: Check out the full transcript of our live blog, including commentary and photos, after the jump!

"Xbox, Earl Grey, Hot": Microsoft Kinect Should Think Bigger Than Games [Kinect]

Microsoft’s Kinect motion-tracking system for the Xbox 360 looks perfectly okay for gaming. Maybe it’s a Wii-fighter; maybe it isn’t. But beyond gaming, Kinect might be Microsoft’s chance to own the living room—and everywhere else we live. More »

EA’s ‘NHL Slapshot’ packs Gretzky-approved Wiimote hockey stick

Believe it or not, this isn’t the first hockey stick accessory for the Wiimote — the folks from CTA naturally have you covered there as well — but it is the first to be bundled with a game, and garner the glowing recommendation of Wayne Gretzky himself. The game in question here is EA’s forthcoming NHL Slapshot, which comes with the pint-sized hockey stick pictured above (just one, it seems) that holds both the Wiimote and nunchuck — it also thankfully has a foam blade that should prevent any TV disasters. Just a gimmick, you say? Not according to Gretzky, who says that it’s actually “very realistic” and “almost like playing in the NHL” — yes, really. Interestingly, the game’s creator also seems to have hinted at future versions for Natal and PlayStation Move, saying that the Wii version is “going to be a really good test.” Look for it to be available on September 7th.

EA’s ‘NHL Slapshot’ packs Gretzky-approved Wiimote hockey stick originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CTA Digital’s Inflatable Kart for the Wii: at last you can be the coolest kid on your block

Put down that “rare” Transformers figurine, hide that box of “real” Japanese Anime, and don’t even think of showing us your Ninja Turtles costume: we’ve found the ticket to cool you’ve been looking for. CTA Digital, who has always excelled in building stunningly superfluous gaming accessories has outdone itself with the new Inflatable Racing Kart. The best news? It’ll support up to 300 of your hip-cool-guy pounds. Check out a video after the break in case you’re not convinced.

Continue reading CTA Digital’s Inflatable Kart for the Wii: at last you can be the coolest kid on your block

CTA Digital’s Inflatable Kart for the Wii: at last you can be the coolest kid on your block originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 18:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navy Surgeon General eyes Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution for boot camp

We understand that Wii Fit has dubious health benefits at best (whatever CTA Digital might say top the contrary), but apparently word hasn’t reached the Navy’s top brass. According to the Navy Times, recruits need more work than ever before to get into fighting shape, “given that many young people prefer computers and video games” to sports and physical activity. The solution, says Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. Adam Robinson, is to use break in would-be sailers slowly, introducing “the equivalents of Nintendo’s Wii Fit or Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution” in basic training. This sounds rather silly to us, but what do we know? We’re lovers, not fighters.

Navy Surgeon General eyes Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution for boot camp originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 05:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modder transmits Wii games to iPod touch, which isn’t really as fun as it sounds (video)

Three years ago, a certain obiwan22222 wowed us when he played Wii on his PSP (with a little help from Sony’s LocationFree technology). For his next trick, our man has done the same thing on an iPod touch. But wait, you ask — is there a LocationFree client for iPhone / iPod touch? We don’t think so, so we’ve pinged him for an explanation. He’s being extremely tight-lipped about it all, saying only that 1) this is not fake, 2) he got rid of the five second lag, and 3) all will be revealed “soon enough” (that is, once we’ve been tortured enough). If anything, we can certainly respect a man with a flair for showmanship! In the meantime, check out the video after the break. We’ll let you know as soon as we hear back from the dude.

Continue reading Modder transmits Wii games to iPod touch, which isn’t really as fun as it sounds (video)

Modder transmits Wii games to iPod touch, which isn’t really as fun as it sounds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 May 2010 20:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Weighted Gloves turns gamer into virtual badass, actual outcast

We’re beginning to encounter an odd psychological effect of too much exposure to CTA’s wild and wacky game accessories. It’s almost as if we’ve developed some strange variant of Stockholm Syndrome that’s tricked us into believing that the Weighted Gloves for Wii are worth twenty bucks. At least the premise makes sense — strap your Wiimote and Wii Nunchuk into these weighted gloves and start in on your fave boxing game. The space-age velcro fasteners will hold your controllers tightly in place as you throw punches and dodge jabs with the best of ’em. And if you really want an out-of-this-world experience, try it while wearing wings! Get a closer look after the break.

Continue reading Wii Weighted Gloves turns gamer into virtual badass, actual outcast

Wii Weighted Gloves turns gamer into virtual badass, actual outcast originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 May 2010 17:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Konnet Keeps Your Wiimotes Powered Up

KonnetPowerVDuo.jpgRemember back in April when we introduced you to the Konnet PowerV Quad, which lets you charge up to four Wiimotes at one time? Of course you do, it was a special time for all of us. Well, the people at Konnet have been hard at work on a follow up and they’ve hit upon an interesting idea: what if you don’t have that many friends? What if charging two Wiimotes at a time is enough?

That’s the brainstorm that led to the Konnet PowerV Duo, which–you guessed it–charges two Wiimotes at once. It can even charge two USB-enabled devices, which makes it more than just a gaming accessory. You can grab the PowerV Duo for a low $34.99 from Amazon.