Wii Availability

Nintendo Power has finally confirmed that a North American localization of the game Klonoa: Door to Phantomile will be released soon. The Magazine refers to the game as just Klonoa and the release is to happen in March 2009. The news further states that Namco Bandai has finalized two of its designs for the hero who doesn’t make Klonoa look like the other anthropomorphs as it will have its elongated long ears. The game will also have a range of options as controls with a Wiimote, a Cube pad or the Classic Controller.

There also have been discussions on making the sequel or remake of the game provided the sale of Klonoa will be good in Japan.

Nintendo of Europe has given a Christmas gift to its fans by unveiling the Euro/Aussie Virtual Console offerings early. Square’s classic three-player RPG game, Secrets of Mana was available in Japan in the month of September and in North America since October. It now arrives on the virtual console featuring an epic storyline and a strategic real-time combat system. All this will definitely make the Secret of Mana deserve the right place among the fans.

The unique Sega Master System version Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will also be joined with Secret of Mana on the Virtual Console. It is a sequel that sees Sonic on the trail of his kidnapped friend through seven zones of platform peril.

Pearl Jam will release a remastered version of their debut album, Ten, in five different editions: one LP version and three CD based versions and as Rock band downloads. Their debut album Ten sold 12 million copies and through this album, Pearl Jam was introduced to the world in 1991.

While presenting the Spike Video Game Awards, Geoff Keighly made the announcement that Pearl Jam’s “Ten” albums is coming as a Rock Band downloadable album on March 24th next year. The Wii version of Rock Band 2 will presumably be out by March. For some of us who were not inclined to buy the album Ten in the early 90’s, this new version could provide some freshness.

 Arkedo, the French studio developer which had created Nervous Breakdown and Big Bang Mini on DS is now moving onto Wii for its next creation. This news was confirmed in an interview on Cubed3. Arkedo’s Camille Guermonprez offers the hint with a grin “Our next project in on the Wii, by the way…” He said so while talking about the upcoming Nintendo Channel demo of Big Bang Mini.

The statement could also mean a Wii version of the Big Bang Mini as Guermonprez states earlier in the interview that “we would love to do Big Bang Mini with its addictive blending on a bigger screen..” This also could mean that he was hinting on a new project.

Reggie assured that they have increased their production of Wii console from 1.6 million to 2.4 million to keep up with Wii availability. He assured that this time they will keep up with the demand. However a senior official from Nintendo of America informed that once again the demand will exceed the supply. Thus for not long time Wii availability could be seen at stores.

Denise Kaigler, Nintendo of America’s vice president of Corporate Affairs said in an email that despite of huge production and effort they are putting in, some locations around the country are suffering with less Wii availability. Most retailers are not running short but are dried up. There is no way to know if the company will have enough Wii consoles for this holiday. This is the third holiday season where retailers have experienced shortages of the popular and profitable console.

Best Buy has already informed on its website about shortage of the Wii. They say that Wii availability on the website is a dream since the moment they show it on site it is sold out. Amazon’s Wii page is always out of stock. Finally they had to start a policy of closing the accounts of customers who order more than three Wiis. The stores that are selling the stock have increased the price at least $100 more than the retail price. However during the October to December timeframe we will have 50 percent more Wii availability at stores.

Two Rice University professors, Marcia O’Malley and Michael Byrne have started a research project using the Wii Remote. This three year research project is funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) in which the professors will measure motions in different activities. They will receive a constant updated stream of data as the tasks are repeated leading to learning. Right now the first activities that they are measuring are the Wii games. Byrne says, some games have good learning properties that can be measured while with some games people don’t get along. By using more Wiimotes and more accelerometers, there can be gathered a more detailed information on motion than just by using a single device.

The prime concern of this whole data-collection exercise is to create robotic systems to teach physical task by providing direct feedback to the body and to mainly push you in the way you need to move.

Nintendo has taken up a good strategy of pushing the game before its initial release as they have been holding public Wii Music performances in U.S. In continuation to this promotion, Nintendo has introduced a Japanese winter-theme commercial for Wii music after two months since the game was launched in Japan. Working in this tactics, Wii music still holds a position in Media Create top 30 even after having a good start in Japan.

Recently Wii Sports celebrated its second birthday and it still is on the 30th position in the Japanese charts this week. Maybe the Japanese snow will also have the same fate.

Atari has confirmed that its title Ghostbusters has got a release date finally. It would be released in June 2009 but the region of release in not yet confirmed. There was a controversy whether the game would be released or not by Activision Blizzard who were reviewing on publishing the title. This license has been snatched by Atari from former rights holder Vivendi last month. The game will now be released simultaneously on PS3, 360, Wii, DS, PS2 and PC.

The Infogrames president Phil Harrison has said that the title has built considerable anticipation and excitement among game fans for its high quality action and all-out mayhem.

Atari has announced a new music game for Wii by the title QJ. The developer of this game is Q Entertainment whose founder and Chief Creative Officer is Tetsuya Miziguchi. With the similarity in the title of the game and the company’s name, it can be assumed that Miziguchi’s company is the official developer of QJ or tied to the game’s official website.

 The information on this game is short but quite enough to make us feel excited. Miziguchi, when at Sega was famous for making the music and shooting game Rez. It was also famous for the incredible awesome dance rhythm game Space Channel 5. So, let’s celebrate and enjoy the Miziguchi magic!

Now you don’t have to worry where and how to spend your Black Friday as the Target’s deal on Guitar Hero: World Tour Guitar kit may sway you. Target Cop. Stores will sell Guitar Hero: World Tour for two days during which the retailer will sell the game for $59 with a generous saving of original MSRP of $99.99.

The kit will include a copy of Guitar Hero: World Tour and a wireless guitar. World Tour is the first Guitar Hero title to offer the option to download extra content on Wii. It certainly is a bonanza paying so low to experience a full band.