QCF: Super Mario Maker

K, so I admit defeat. I caved. I gave in. If you've been listening to the podcast proper, you'll know that I got a Wii-U. It was a moment of weakness. However, it also allowed me to get on the hype train for Super Mario Maker, a title that could easily be the Wii-U's ultimate killer app.

The concept is ludicrously simple; Build a level, no matter how long or short (within the limits the game sets in place both horizontally and vertically) and play it. You can make your stage as easy or as hard as you'd like, and with 120 slots, there's plenty of space for would-be Mario Makers to store a plethora of intricate – or simple – stages for them or their friends to play later. To start though, players only have a basic handful of tiles and enemies that can be placed in their stages.

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Control Factor: Nintendo's Wii U GamePad in Dollars

With the recent reveal of Wii U's pricing and release plans, Nintendo was mum on details regarding the North American pricing of a second, standalone GamePad controller. In fact, none of the games on release will support the second GamePad controller, and it will not be available at launch on its own. But in Japan, it will be available. So just how much will you pay? If you like your pills to swallow huge and bitter, get ready for your fix.

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Impressions: Wii U Preview Conference

If you’re holding your breath for Nintendo, you can finally exhale. After months of waiting, the Wii U console has a price point: $299.99 USD for the “regular” white console and $349.99 for a “deluxe” black Wii U with Nintendo Land included.

The real question, however, is whether or not Nintendo’s fabled console is really worth it. We’ve seen some neat presentations, including ZombiU and Scribblenauts Unlimited, but what we’re also seeing are rehashes of games we’ve already played. Aside from that, we’re noticing other clues that Nintendo could continue its path as the unfortunate broken record it became after the original Wii’s launch.

Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s chief operating officer, held a special conference on Thursday to show everyone what they can prepare their own bodies for, and proving whether or not the Wii U is truly an investment worth looking into.

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PPR 63

So wait, George is planning to go vegan? Moreover, Killer Instinct 2 is a completely different game from Killer Instinct Gold? We answer these questions and many more on the latest episode of Press Pause Radio. The main subject of discussion this week is Cross-play, we’ve seen this sort of thing before with the GBA/Gamecube connectivity functionality in the past, hell we’ve even seen with the Dreamcast VMU, but what about the modernized concept for the future? The Wii-U is just around the corner and the Vita is supporting Cross-play functionality with the PS3, there’s plenty to speculate towards the potential this gimmick may actually offer. If you like what you’ve hear and haven’t done so yet, you should totally review us on iTunes and Zune! We’re also on YouTube now so subscribe to us there and follow more of our upcoming streams on our Justin.TV page!  

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PAX Prime 2012: Wii-U Impressions

 

Despite its debatable name, the Wii U seems somewhat promising. The only issue, however, is whether or not it’s truly the console Nintendo needs to win back core gaming audiences. The Wii U GamePad complements multiple titles, the new HD graphics makes games look sharper than ever, and the overall game experience is highly entertaining.

But again, is Nintendo really jumping out and breaking into the core scene again? We had a chance to glance at some of these games and figure out where Nintendo’s going with the Wii U.

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E3 2012: Nintendo Keynote Live Blog

E3 2012: Nintendo Direct Presentation Summary and Thoughts

Once again, E3 predictions and pre-show streams are flying across the web. As a result, everyone and their nonspecific grandpa (we'll get to that) is freaking out about who's going to showcase what. But truth be told, this is likely to be a slow year for all the major "hardcore" players tied in with Sony and Microsoft. Nintendo, however, has other plans.

Satoru Iwata recently presented a stream via Nintendo Direct where he discussed some of the features for the upcoming Wii U, Nintendo's ultimate weapon (or so we assume) in the continual console wars.

Between awkwardly familiar looking remote controls, and even more awkwardly disturbing possibilities with the Wii U controller's camera, here are some highlights from the brief yet satisfying presentation.

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