Everyone seems to be up in arms about Reggie Fils-Aime’s comments regarding the lack of HD streaming for the Nintendo Wii. His comments seem pretty rational to me, at least in the short term.

Here’s what he said: “the vast majority of content for streaming on Netflix is not HD content, so there really is no loss for the Wii consumer with the fact they can’t get any HD content through our system.” True. There is a dearth of HD content that can be streamed from Netflix, so pushing through a Wii HD just for that capability is ridiculous.

The real problem is that there will be more HD content on Netflix, and it will be ever-increasing, so the further along we get, the more demand there will be. That could quickly translate to less demand for the Wii, especially when the other consoles release motion-control systems. Then what’s to keep people with the Wii? The Vitality Sensor? I think not.

Source: CNBC

There have been rumors floating around for a week or so that EA purchased the rights to one of my favorite childhood games, NBA Jam. Today that rumor was confirmed via press release from EA. The game will be launched on the Wii later this year, compliments of EA Canada.

Unfortunately there isn’t much news beyond that. The refresh will include some new game modes, new characters, and a new level of depth according to the press release. Personally, I never felt NBA Jam warranted much depth. You get in, play for 5-10 minutes, and boomshakalaka! What more could you want from an arcade basketball game?

For those of you that like to keep up on your developer lore, one of the original series developers, Mark Turmell, currently has a position with EA in Orlando, so it’s not completely absurd to assume that he might help out on the project.

Source: EA

In an effort to completely ripoff unsuspecting and technologically challenged individuals, Target will be starting a console setup service. It only costs $99!

Part of the cost is that the service is actually performed by a third party, Zip Installation, but it’s still an absurd purchase. For just $99 they will come and actually plug the console into the TV for you, with proper color matching and all. They’ll also configure the console (it comes “configured” out of the box), enable parental controls for you, set up and optimize your wireless router, register your online accounts, and set up your PC for media streaming.

Never you mind that those things have clear walkthroughs included with every console, and that you might be increasing the cost of your console by up to 50%.

Source: Kotaku

Last year at CES, Nyko introduced the Wand, a Wiimote replacement with a feature called Trans-Port that allows the use of extra accessories with sound and vibration support. It’s a little gimmicky, but it also came out cheaper than a Wiimote if I remember correctly.

This year Nyko added to the line with the Wand+, a model of the Wand that adds, you guessed it, a Wii MotionPlus. Now, it’s not really a Wii MotionPlus since that would involve some patent infringement and whatnot, but it does support full 1:1 motion control, so you can use it with any WMP-enabled game. The unit looks to be about the same size as the original Wiimote, sans the MotionPlus dongle, so you save a little cupboard space along with the cash. Yes, the Wand+ is cheaper than a Wiimote/WMP bundle at just $40.

Capcom’s Antoine Seux, director general for the France region, is a little miffed at the Nintendo Wii. He’s staring down some terrible sales figures for what are typically high-margin games, games from the Resident Evil series, for instance. He’s particularly pissed that the Wii user base is so different, claiming that it has “radically changed” into this strange beast that’s no longer lured by core games.

It’s a ridiculous stance to take. The Wii was like a beacon of hope for the industry, the console that proved there is life (and LOTS of money) outside the core audience. Apparently that’s not what Seux wants. “The customer of [the Wii] has turned into something [of a] much broader audience. It is a disappointment,” he said to Gamekult, a french gaming site. Anyone else find it hard to take this guy seriously. A broader audience is…bad? More people buying your games is…bad?

Well it’s bad when that last part isn’t true, and Capcom hasn’t figured out how to make a game the Wii audience would like. So it’s going to neglect the platform. As Seux has it, Capcom’s future lies with the Xbox 360 and the PS3. I don’t know if he’s heard about those motion sensors the other two are getting that will broaden their customer base, but when he does, I’m sure he’ll be pissed.

Source: Spong

The world’s love affair with plastic instruments was bound to end some time and it looks as though that time is now. According to the latest NPD data, rhythm games are struggling, showing weak sales despite new genre releases like DJ Hero and The Beatles: Rock Band.

As always, things are relative. The games may not be doing as well as they were, but Michael Pachter still thinks the niche will level out somewhere around $500 million in sales a year. That’s a pretty little penny, even for a company like Activision. Developers need to pick their ventures wisely, though. DJ Hero tanked. Hard. In a shrinking market that’s the last thing you want, especially after paying for the likes of Jay-Z and Eminem. Even The Beatles: Rock Band undersold expectations by 200,000 units.

Source: Reuters

Back in April, an Italian company called Siliconera announced “Wii Relax,” a product complete with web pages and press info. That info has since disappeared, and Nintendo has now officially trademarked the name, though it removes the space to form WiiRelax, in Europe.

As Destructoid reports, the trademark is good for PAL territories. I hate to say I think this will be a real game, but I do. The question remains, why? Is Nintendo trying to encourage the already pervasive drug culture that comes along with a lot of games. And how do you determine who wins? Will it always be the guy with the Volcano?

My curiosity pretty much stops with theory, though. I have absolutely zero interest in playing a game associated with the Vitality Sensor. Sure, motion control is fun, but even then it’s more of a mental exercise in timing, control, and trouncing the competition. I don’t need a video game to help me fall asleep.

Majora’s Mask still stands as my favorite Zelda game of all time. The world was immersive and addictive, to the point that I blew through the game almost without realizing it. That micro-world idea, where you play through the same three days on repeat, wasn’t the result of years of planning but instead a tight development schedule that only afforded the team a year.

“The ‘Three-Day System’, the idea of a compact world to be played over and over again, came down from Miyamoto-san and one other director, (Yoshiaki) Koizumi-san,” said one of Zelda’s top developers, Eiji Aonuma. “We added that to the mix, and then, finally, we saw the full substance of a The Legend of Zelda game we could make in one year.”

Satoru Iwata added, “Actually, I feel as though, back then, we were given a glimpse of the concept that ‘Deep, compact play is one form of the games of the future’. I think in that sense, as a product, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask was a big turning point for Nintendo.”

I don’t know what it is about the month of December but it’s got developers thinking. Again, I love the idea. Few things can ruin a game for me quite like over-ambition.

Source: CVG

Nintendo’s made most of its money over the last five years by bucking the norm. That strategy has forced the company into a bit of a niche though, missing most of the blockbuster titles because of an underpowered system. That’s not going to stop it from making money this holiday season. Obviously the console will continue to sell well and Nintendo’s adding a few classic titles to the Virtual Console that are sure to pull in some cash. As Gamespot has it, you’ll be able to get Super Mario Kart, the original Pilotwings, and Super Smash Bros. by the end of the year.

You can get your mitts on Super Mario Kart starting this Monday for 800 Wii points ($8). There’s no word yet on the other titles, but I’d guess they’ll run about the same. I’m most excited for Super Mario Bros out of the three. Pilotwings was more of a technical victory than a great game to me, and Super Mario Kart, though classic, just doesn’t hold a lot of replay for me. Those original Smash Bros. levels, on the other hand, are something I’d just hate to miss.

Source: Gamespot

Looks like Sports Authority doesn’t want to miss out on the Wii Fit craze. The sporting goods retailer plans to start selling the exercise game along with Wii consoles at select stores. Kinda funny that the announcement comes shortly after the American Council on Exercise called results from Nintendo’s popular fitness series “underwhelming,” no?

“Sports Authority recognized that the Wii console is a product that can help you stay active and have fun with your family at the same time, which is why the retail partnership with Nintendo is a perfect fit,” said Sports Authority president David Campisi. Yeah yeah, Campisi, we don’t need you to sell us on the Wii. No matter what store the thing is in it’s going to move, so it was pretty smart for you to pick the thing up. Hell, Dell was selling them for a while.

Source: Joystiq