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Wii Titles to Anticipate
Part 2
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Revealed by Famitsu, Konami's first officially announced Wii game is being produced by Shingo Mukaitouge, responsible for Guitar Freaks and Drum Mania. The game is said to make extensive use of the Wii's motion-sensing controller as the player manipulates the environment to discover tiny creatures called Elebits. These provide raw energy for the planet and will in turn cause the planet to evolve as they are found. An online mode for the game is currently being planned, but the team is currently dedicated to providing a strong single-player experience.
"It's an original title dedicated for Wii, one where you reach out and touch the world. There are secrets to be uncovered by moving around virtual objects, various little creatures to find and hunt down, and a slowly evolving world as players advance. This game has high potential to take exploration and adventuring to a new level. Plus one of the key concepts towards the creation of the game was the creation of a new character, meaning Konami's seeing sequels already, and in turn the potential of this game."
- Wei Man
"Of all the new franchises being announced in recent memory, this one, for some reason, struck me as the most interesting. Perhaps it's the fact that they're striving to give us a unique experience using the Wii controller, meanwhile creating an all-new universe, and one that sounds compelling at that. Or maybe it's the style of art that got me. If this game turns out to be anything like I am currently imagining it being, given the small amount of known details, then I am going to be pleased with what I see. I hope these guys can deliver, because I see great potential here."
- Farid
It was part of Famitsu's weekly "Pre-E3" feature so this one's a sure bet. Whether it will be playable is a question, though it seems like a game that wouldn't appear if it wasn't.
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 Developed exclusively for Wii, this version of the perennial football franchise looks to be unlike any that has come before it. The game is being developed from the ground up by a Wii-focused development team inside EA's Barnaby, British Columbia Studios. The gameplay has been altered from the traditional Madden to take advantage of the unique, motion-sensing controller. Instead of sitting idly and passively inputting button commands, gamers are encouraged to directly take part in the action. They will need to hike the ball by snapping back the Wii remote, and the pass itself is executed by a passing motion with the controller. The smoother and faster the passing motion is, the more of a bullet pass it will become. The nunchaku attachment will not only use the analog stick to control the movement of the players, but will also exploit the internal accelerometer in order to execute juking maneuvers alongside juking the ball with the Wii remote. Defense will also be motion-controlled through the Wii's controller, though details are scarce at this time. The team hopes to deliver intuitive and unique gameplay alongside plenty of depth and control to their audience.
"I feel like sports games in general, football games in particular, have recently fallen into a rut. The same game is released year after year, with minor graphical improvements, slight gameplay tweaks, and of course roster changes. At the very least, Madden Wii looks to try to shake things up a bit by exploiting the range of actions made possible through use of the Wii controller. Add to this the fact that EA has created a whole studio to work exclusively on Wii content, and you have a sign of good things to come."
- Micah
"The Wii version received positive feedback from EA Tiburon, according to EA Senior Vice President John Schappert, so it has solid ground. But this is the developer's first project on the Wii, so they likely won't get it "just right" with this year's entry. However, with more experience and feedback, in time they will learn how to really exploit the controller. Regardless, the prospect of having more direct control of the players is enticing. Oh and by the way, I propose that EA Sports changes their slogan for their Wii games from "It's in the game!" to "Get in the game!""
- Wei Man
Playable behind closed doors. Confirmed.
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Hideo Kojima, best known for his cinematic Metal Gear series, was one of the first industry icons to jump on the bandwagon when the "Revolution" controller was first revealed. Together with the team behind the Metal Gear Ac!d series, Kojima is working to deliver a game to do justice to the Wii and the controller that made him scream "You've done it!"
"Kojima has wanted to break away from the Metal Gear Solid series for some time to take part in new endeavors, and I feel that this will be the game he's going to break out with. That combined with Kojima's enthusiasm towards the Wii's controller makes me believe that this game will receive some special attention from him. He also stated last year how he wanted to make strives in areas outside of graphics and sound, so I guess that would leave him focusing on gameplay, right?"
- Wei Man
"I have a soft spot for Kojima, as far as gaming is concerned. Where a lot of developers strive to develop the most realistic experience in a game, Kojima strives for the same, yet he doesn't forget that after all, it is still a video game. He constantly reminds players of this throughout his games. For example, having a character talk directly to the player and tell them to "Press A on the controller." These little things don't necessarily make for a significant part of his games, but go a long way in keeping the charm of gaming alive. I have tremendous respect for him for that, and not to mention for his uncanny ability to direct games. Needless to say, I simply cannot wait to see what Kojima and his team have in store for us, Metal Gear or not."
- Farid
There is no information on whether it will be there, but seeing as Kojima and his team have been working on it for a while, and considering Nintendo will want to show as many games from respected developers, it's possible that we'll see it in video form.
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The latest console installment in the wildly popular series that originated on the Gamecube is headed exclusively to Wii. This time around, the game will take advantage of the near-boundless possibilities that the Wii controller opens up. With Banana Blitz, the Monkeys will not only be controlled by tilting the playing surface with the Wii remote, but flipping the controller upward will cause the balls to execute a hop. This should open up a wealth of new gameplay scenarios for the single-player puzzle mode. The unique controller will also be used in a wealth of the series' multiplayer party games, a fan favorite feature of this Sega series.
"I remember the immense amount of fun I had at the GameCube launch, playing Party Mode with three other people, and then being awed by the difficult but well-designed stages of the Normal Mode. Hopefully I will receive a similar experience at the Wii's launch with Banana Blitz. The little "jump" maneuver being implemented may seem like such a minor thing on paper, but in practice it can open up the universe for level designs in a series like this.
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- Wei Man
"If ever there was a system that this series was made for, it's the Nintendo Wii. The whole point of the games is to control the board, not the ball, which goes hand-in-hand with Wii, when you consider what the controller can do. For this instant-classic series, it's a whole new ballgame with the introduction of Banana Blitz, as controller precision will be taken to new depths. These games are known to be highly difficult, too, so hopefully not too many Wii controllers will be broken at launch..."
- Farid
"Hurry up! 5..4..3..2..1..Time up!"
"A sweaty thumb always broke my favourite launch title for the Gamecube, Super Monkey Ball, or at least it did on the hardest setting possible. Tilting the stage with a stick was original and fresh, but it always fell short with the players' nerves and sweaty tumbtips. Now we're challenged with the whole hand controlling the stage, tilting the FHC will now result in rolling your favourite monkey (GonGon, naturally) about the specially-designed stages. The jump flick feature is a new idea, and how it will effect how the board is tilted will no doubt intrigue any enthusiast. With hundreds of new mini-games, all specifically designed for the FHC, all of us fans of monkeys in balls can say one thing: "Roll on, E3!"
- Darren
Sega already announced it in their big "Road to E3" countdown. It would be counter-productive for it not to show up.
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Metroid Prime 3 will be the third and final chapter in Retro Studios' Metroid Prime trilogy. The game will make extensive use of the Wii remote in order to aim heroine Samus Aran's trademark arm cannon at the various hostiles populating the planet that she is bound to explore. Other than that, details are sparse, but if rumors are to be believed, this is the game that will be the prime (pun not intended) showcase on just how to handle first-person aiming on Nintendo's next-generation home console, much like Metroid Prime Hunters did for the DS.
"I'll be honest: I'm an absolute Metroid whore. I never saw the potential in Metroid Prime Pinball, but I got it. I didn't think much of Metroid Prime Hunters, but I got it. To me, both titles are sub-par as far as the Metroid series is concerned, but I couldn't do without having them in my collection. With that out of the way, I'm asbolutely stoked about Metroid Prime 3. Retro's first two efforts were monumental for me, and I have complete faith in the Texas-based team. That said, I do have my concerns as to how the unique Wii features will fit in with the franchise. NST's DS effort in Hunters did not feel like a Metroid game, and that may or may not have been due to the fact that it was more of a first-person shooter than it was a first-person adventure. And why not? They have the new stylus controls to show off, and they used it well. But what if the Wii controller turns Retro's game into more of a shooter, and less an adventure?
On one hand I have faith in Retro, on the other I have my worries because of the new controller meddling with my beloved franchise. Either way, there's no doubt that this game will be one of Wii's killer apps, and I can't wait to see what Retro's incredible group of artists will mold using the new Wii technology."
- Farid
"Many people consider Metroid Prime to be one of the greatest games of all time, so needless to say, the prospects for a deeper game are excruciatingly exciting. When the FHC was first unveiled, Nintendo showed off a tweaked version of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes which used to the FHC to dazzling effect. Apparently, they were doing things back in October that other developers have only just started being able to do on the console. Seeing just what Retro has in store for us will be an unbeatable experience. This game will certainly be a must have come console launch this Fall."
- Micah
"Metroid Prime Hunters has a lot to answer for, I hope now that it's being played worldwide by DS owners, Nintendo won't see this as an opportunity to turn their Wii debut into a heavy blaster, akin to its handheld brother. Retro Studios have amazed me so far. The slow-paced exploration is what makes Prime what it is, so let's hope it's kept into place. The FHC will offer the same precision and immersion along the lines of Red Steel, but I seriously cannot think of anything the FHC will do to drastically change the format of the game. I’m officially excited."
- Darren
Metroid Prime released at end of 2002; Metroid Prime 2: Echoes released at end of 2004; Metroid Prime 3 has been in development since at least E3 2005. There's no doubt that Retro is capable of delivering a playable demo in over a year's time. Plus, Matt Cassamassina of IGN fame confirmed that it would be playable on the show floor, so it's pretty much a certainty at this point.
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// A mysterious character within the Banjo-Kazooie series was meant to star in his own N64 spin-off...
Click for more . . .
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// Delve into the philosophical world of gaming in this Pikmin 2 special, Buried Treasures
Check it out . . .
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