Rumor Control - IGN's Nintendo Voice Chat

[D_prOdigy]

That episode did give me many lulz.

[darksnowman]

..what I find interesting is that they said Rayman didn't need to be in the Raving Rabbids games and shou'd stick to platforming.. and now there is a Platform / Adventure game being released and they remove Rayman

 

Yeah its pretty ironic. Still, I think I'm up for a Rabbids platformer than I would be for a bog standard Rayman one.

 

Sounds rubbish that we don't get BGE2 that's what.

 

Nobody asked for "this" instead.

 

I watched an interview with Ancel the other week and I don't think he specified whether the new BG&E would appear on Wii or not.

 

I have the first Rabbids game and really like it- especially for a launch game. I for one am well up for a Rabbids adventure game as I like their style of humour and its high time they branched out from being in a mini game series. Knowing that the BG&E team are involved with it gives hope that some the game will achieve some level of quality.

[pedrocasilva]

I watched an interview with Ancel the other week and I don't think he specified whether the new BG&E would appear on Wii or not.

Been following it, he confirmed recently no Wii version was planned or in the works.

 

He won't say never, and he'll say he isn't opposed to it, could work and all that crap, but hell; it's too stupid for Ubisoft as it is... to not taking the Wii into account for a series that is inspired in Zelda and sold more on the Cube anyway, so... we don't get BGE and we get this? I'm not pleased.

[Dante]

IGN's Nintendo Voice Chat Podcast 47

 

Welcome to Nintendo Voice Chat. Matt Casamassina, Craig Harris, Mark Bozon, and Levi Buchanan are going to waggle their way into your hearts. This week, the boys -- minus Levi, to whom we must apologize because we haven't figured out a way to incorporate him yet – squeeze in a late podcast of the most awesomest level. Seriously, this one is good. It's like… way better than going and doing something else for an hour. So since this one is so awesome, we're pretty sure you want to know the topics, right? They are:

 

Pre-E3 week's gigantic line-up. IGN will have huge exclusives and more coverage on Wii's hardcore titles. Check back for them soon.

 

The Punch-Out!! review. Too fanboy, or just not fanboy enough?

 

Is Virtua Tennis the Grand Slam Tennis killer?

 

Why Boom Blox should own everyone's soul and wallets.

 

Proof that bottomless is the new topless, soulful pokeraps, Craig goes to prom, and oh so much more.

 

Plus, we answer a bunch of listener mail. Remember, you can e-mail us your questions.

 

Summary

Punch-Out!!

 

- Matt thinks Craig overrated it

- Title Defense mode changes everything, made Craig bump up the score

- Playing through the regular mode Matt saw presentation elements he liked and disliked

- Interface not up to Mario Strikers

- Matt didn’t do Title Defense but he would have scored it a bit lower

- All about patterns

- Craig thinks that Mr. Sandman in Title Defense mode is just as hard as Mike Tyson in the NES game

- Lack of online functionality is a missed opportunity

- Feels like Punch-Out!! remade but no major gameplay changes

- Great for nostalgia/if you haven’t played it before

- Stuck with core gameplay then added presentational stuff around it

- In-game visuals very fluid - For Bozon, almost forget you’re not looking at 720p stuff

- Balance board is terrible

- Bozon thinks it’ll sell well

- Actually marketing the title

 

Boom Blox Bash Party

 

- Recommending it

- 8.5, editor’s choice award

- Great sequel all around

- Packed full of content

- Level editor a bit more seamless now

- More options in editor mode

- Connecting to EA’s servers are quick

- No online play, Matt hopes it’s in next time around

- For this game Matt is pleased with the user-created options

- Can rate levels

- Fun game

- Can theoretically play this game forever

- Hardcore and casual gamers should buy this game

- Easy for anyone to pick up

- One of those games that can only be done on Wii

- Has a few flaws (no online, technical limitations, some textures)

- Highly recommended

 

 

 

Secret game

 

- Nothing earth shattering but it’s cool

- Still good for the hardcore

- The hardcore Nintendo fans will appreciate it

- Mind might not be blown but again, you’ll appreciate it and it’s good for the Wii audience

- It’s like, if you have a Wii, buy Mario Galaxy, buy Boom Blox, and then this is another one which fits in with that family

- If your name is Matt Casamassina it’s good for you

- Something they want to talk about

- Don’t want to overhype it though

- It’s a smart move

 

Third-party games

 

- A few game announcements here and there coming up next week

- Some more details on some big games which have already been discussed (the usual suspects)

- 1 or 2 that we haven’t heard about in awhile, IGN will show, some big ones

- All the stuff next week concentrated on the hardcore

- Craig has an exclusive for a darkish game on the DS - it’s a sequel

- Lots of exclusives/videos

 

Art Style: Pictobits

 

- Puzzle game

- Surrounding presentation about 8-bit Nintendo

- Tiles that you remove basically pixels in 8-bit Nintendo sprite

- As you’re playing, you’re playing music to that game

- Unique because you’re not sliding tiles around

- Taking tiles out of bin

- Paint them back into play

- Crazy and addictive

- Gets super hard

 

- Wii MotionPlus device embedded with jacket

 

Virtua Tennis

 

- From what Bozon played it’s framey

- Haven’t played with MotionPlus yet but doesn’t have the presentation

- EA’s game is better

 

- Need for Speed: Nitro coverage coming soon (way better than you think it is)

 

Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times

 

- 7.5

- Animal Crossing clone

 

Reader questions

 

- Starting to hear some good news about third-party E3 games

- Silver Star Chess is bad

- EA Sports Active a good workout but it’s tailored for women

- Matt, Bozon would be happy with Galaxy 2 from EAD Tokyo over a new IP

- Don’t know anything about the Bethesda Wii

- Will have some stuff on High Voltage’s new game soon

- Punch-Out!! Wii sales will be better than Excitebots

- There’s a lot of times when games won’t need Wii MotionPlus, some devs won’t put in the effort to implement it - More games will be supporting MotionPlus than the balance board

- Devs too lazy, not informed to include WiiSpeak support in their games

- Not sure why games such as Soma Bringer, Fatal Frame, etc. are releasing in North America - Matt heard Tecmo was asked to change controls/glitches in Fatal Frame, didn’t want to do that - Nintendo still not giving out official statement about the game

- Haven’t heard anything about online in Wii Sports Resort but they don’t really know - Shouldn’t be expecting it based on history of Nintendo games

- Haven’t heard anything about Metroid Dread either

- Don’t know if Metroid Fusion sequel will happen

- Might see No More Heroes 2 at E3

- Matt can’t say anything about his Miyamoto blog post - he just thinks “he will have something crazy”

- Red Steel 2 will be more focused on sword play

- Best case for Nintendo at E3: Live up to predictions/hope - Show Mario/Zelda/Pikmin/Something crazy new from Miyamoto that is Wii MotionPlus centric

- High Voltage Software’s project is a new IP - they have multiple games

[darksnowman]

Kind of interesting that they don't want to overhype this secret game. Probably for the best seeing as everything thats hyped ends up being underwhelming.

[Hero-of-Time]

Here's this weeks gossip.

 

Gladiator A.D.

 

- First trailer up

- There is a better trailer that HVS sent and will be up soon

- Knew about the game for awhile (around 10 months)

- Behind the back fighter

- Fighter goes transparent

- Matt thinks it’s promising but not completely sold

- Visuals look pretty good but some stiffness in animation

- Game screams for Wii MotionPlus support exclusively

- Are using Wii MotionPlus but it’s more supplemental

- Craig thinks MotionPlus should be packaged with the Wii

- Game is cool

- Ultra bloody

- Hits market that many developers are ignoring on Wii

 

 

The Grinder

 

- FPS

- Pretty much badass

- Basically Left for Dead for Wii

- Fighting vampires, werewolves, undead

- 4 playable characters

- Online co-op with 4 players

- WiiSpeak, Wii MotionPlus support

- 65+ enemies on-screen

- Looks pretty good in screenshots

- Hoping to get footage within the next few days

- High Voltage actually taking risks

- Matt feels that the art style looks pretty good, better than The Conduit

- Employees at High Voltage excited about the game

- Matt excited about The Grinder

- Coming out at the end of 2010

 

- New trailers for The Conduit, Ghostbusters

 

No More Heroes 2

 

- Looks like it’ll be similar to the first one

 

Thurs/Friday

 

- Tomorrow morning: Cool third-party announcement, but won’t be completely floored, Matt thinks it’s pretty awesome

- Story at 6 AM but not too important

- 4 top stories tomorrow, relate to major third-party games

- Friday: 4 top stories, again related to pretty major games

- Cool stuff for DS on both days

 

- GTA competitor for DS to be unveiled - Technology wise, Matt thinks it’s better in many ways than what Rockstar did on DS with Chinatown Wars

- Probably will have something on the game tomorrow - Neat open world game, go inside buildings, gunplay inside buildings

 

Drawn to Life 2

 

- First footage out

 

New Naruto games announced

 

- Ninja Destiny 2 for DS, Clash of Ninja Revolution with online play

 

Big reveal on Friday

 

- Confirmed that Craig will have it on Friday

- Already teased about it last week

- It’s number two to an existing game

 

Dead Space

 

- Craig played it

- Will be talking about it tomorrow

- Played a bit of the co-op mode

 

- Coverage on the hardcore games in next couple of days including Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Need for Speed, Shaun White

 

- Matt thinks Nintendo’s E3 conference will be, by and large, focused on Nintendo games (there will be SOME third-party games there)

 

- Craig’s prediction is that people will be disappointed no matter what

 

- Demoing Red Steel 2 over the weekend

 

- Craig really wants Pilotwings

- Bozon thinks Nintendo will have the best conference since E3 2004…Since it’s time…Time for developers to show off what they have

- Bozon’s gut feeling is that Zelda will be shown with MotionPlus - Thinks they have to do it, have had plenty of time

 

Zelda rumors

 

- Heard crazy rumblings last week

- NOTHING IS CONFIRMED, NO LONGER TRUE

- 95% sure this was true at one time

- A year plus ago, Retro Studios was doing the new Zelda or doing something big with it

- For one reason or another that’s not the case anymore they don’t believe

- Not working on it anymore

- Got reliable info, there were internet rumors at one point

- This is a rumor, really good rumor, since has been debunked that they’re working on it

- They are not making that game anymore

 

- Matt thinks Nintendo is downplaying their conference and will have a bigger show then they’re letting on

- Bozon thinks the conference will be a split: 50 - 50 (casual and hardcore)

- Iwata, Reggie, Cammie will be on stage, probably Miyamoto as well

- Matt hoping Retro unveils their new game

 

- There hasn’t been another New Super Mario Bros. game for the DS even though it has sold well

 

Reader questions

 

- A little bit worried that Gladiator A.D. is using motion control for a fighting game

- Craig hopes that a new Star Fox will be unveiled at E3

- Think that Bethesda will announce their new game at E3

- Positive vibe from third-parties for the Wii going into E3

- Bozon would love if Metroid went back to 2D

- Rumblings that games are coming to WiiWare that maybe you wouldn’t think would be for WiiWare

- Don’t know of any developers using MotionPlus in WiiWare titles

- The Nintendo conference will be up shortly after it happens

- IGN Nintendo team knows about 95% third-party E3 games, Nintendo probably 10% - 15% (probably Sin and Punishment 2, etc)

- Tried to call Factor 5 the other day, phoneline is disconnected

- Matt could see Ubisoft, EA picking up The Grinder - SEGA has been burned too many time

 

I wonder if the big reveal on Friday is the same game that Sega are going to show?

[Ganepark32]

Will be interesting to see the GTA competitor on the DS. I think I have an idea as to what it is given that it's already on the iPhone and seems fitting to bring over to the DS. We'll have to wait and see but I reckon it is what I think it is.

 

Been awhile since I heard the Retro-Zelda rumours. Knew nothing had come of it but knew it had happened. Just very strange that it's resurfaced now.

 

I'd reckon one of the big reveals has to be Bethesda's title for the Wii. Their showing the new title from them on that Gametrailers E3 special thing later on tonight and it's believed to be for the Wii. Don't know what the reveal on a title that is number two to an existing title is though. Surely wouldn't be an announcement of a Nintendo title prior to E3.

[D_prOdigy]

I am going to be dead by the end of next week.

[Hero-of-Time]

I am going to be dead by the end of next week.

 

Agreed. I love this time of year, im just glad im on the right shift next week so I don't have to use holidays for the press conferences, like I had to last year

[dazzybee]

So what was the 3rd party announcement yesterday?

 

And 4 big stories today? Cool

 

Actually the 3rd party announcement was probably Sega Kart

[Noku]

Today another big title reveal, yes?

[Tellyn]

I think I'd have preferred to find out about these at E3 rather than having IGN drip feed everything the week before. There's going to be very few surprises come next Wednesday from anyone other than Nintendo.

[Shino]

I agree, I hope there's enough left to be excited about. Still thinking the reason for this is some major titles from Nintendo and others that could probably overshadow them.

[ShadowV7]

I think I'd have preferred to find out about these at E3 rather than having IGN drip feed everything the week before. There's going to be very few surprises come next Wednesday from anyone other than Nintendo.

 

Exactly what I feel. I would of prefer to hear about all this at E3 instead of a week before it, make the surprises that bit more awesome and to get more excited about.

[david.dakota]

I think I'd have preferred to find out about these at E3 rather than having IGN drip feed everything the week before. There's going to be very few surprises come next Wednesday from anyone other than Nintendo.

 

I think thats why they've taken this week to announce their goods. If Nintendo have gone silent, and closed their door to third parties appearing on their stage, publishers may be feeling next week is Nintendo's, and don't want to risk their own stuff being overshadowed by "Super Mario in The Metroid Attack of Hyrule".

 

I'm hopeful we'll see a few announcements from Nintendo, plus with rumours of things from Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Everyman's Dog, E3 is likely going to be one the the best in recent years.

[Goron_3]

I think thats why they've taken this week to announce their goods. If Nintendo have gone silent, and closed their door to third parties appearing on their stage, publishers may be feeling next week is Nintendo's, and don't want to risk their own stuff being overshadowed by "Super Mario in The Metroid Attack of Hyrule".

 

I'm hopeful we'll see a few announcements from Nintendo, plus with rumours of things from Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Everyman's Dog, E3 is likely going to be one the the best in recent years.

 

Yup that's the reason precisely. Remember when the Wii was first playable and you saw all those hundreds of people running to play it? Now, imagine if you're a developer and you decide that's the day you're gonna show off, i dunno, Zack & Wiki (or a game like that; not a AAA game but a quality one nevertheless)...well you're screwed because no one would give a crap.

[dazzybee]

So I'm guessing all the TOP stories today are just videos of No More Heroes 2 and info on Lego Indiana Jones 2?!

 

But the big reveal is Nintendo related isn't it. The one they've been teasing about for ages. With the Mii Channel DS download thing as a clue....and it's a sequel.....

[Ashley]

"Craig’s prediction is that people will be disappointed no matter what"

 

Well, yes isn't that a tad obvious?

 

And this talk of "hardcore" and "casual" gamers, why the divide. Didn't Martin Luther King have a dream?

[Grazza]

Thanks for the update, Hero of Time. I find the rumours about Retro once making a Zelda remarkable. I'd love to know why they were once asked to do it and why they're not now.

 

I don't quite understand these bits though, especially the 2nd sentence:

 

Zelda rumors

 

- Heard crazy rumblings last week

- NOTHING IS CONFIRMED, NO LONGER TRUE

 

Do they both relate to the Retro rumours?

 

Retro Studios do some fine work and I wouldn't mind them doing a series of "Link" games. These could star the "badass" Link from Twilight Princess and have realistic graphics. The tone of Metroid Prime was just right (then again, so was Twilight Princess).

 

I'd prefer it if the more magical Zeldas were left to EAD, as Eiji Aonuma is a genius.

 

Also, good for Bozon with his comments about Zelda and Metroid. The latter certainly deserves to go back to 2D, if only for some of the games. It might even be what they mean when they say "...games are coming to WiiWare that maybe you wouldn’t think would be for WiiWare".

[Retro_Link]

Retro should be allowed to express themselves now on a few projects, not be continually lumbered with Nintendo franchises.

[Grazza]

I wouldn't be surprised if they were asked to modify Raven Blade, ie. putting Link in it like putting Star Fox in Dinosaur Planet.

[dazzybee]

So was their BIG SURPRISE Dimentium 2? If so then that is disappointing!

[Dante]

IGN's Nintendo Voice Chat 49 At E3.

 

- Craig wasn’t surprised by Microsoft’s motion announcement

- Have had a lot of third-party exclusives

- Tune in tomorrow for Silent Hill

- Might link to some cool things in liveblog

- Full demo of Red Steel 2 up

- Dementium II still early on

- Renegade Kid has another secret game

 

Silent Hill

 

- Red Steel 2/Silent Hill impressed Matt

- Atmospheric, may have the best lighting Matt has seen in any Wii game

 

 

Red Steel 2

 

- Sort of feels like you’re playing Metroid Prime 3

- 60 FPS

- A little more forgiving when you shoot things

- Coming with Wii MotionPlus

- No jump (context sensitive)

- C-button for other context sensitive moves

- It’s the real deal

- Matt impressed

 

No More Heroes 2

 

- Trailer released

- Ubisoft publishing the game next year

- Suda couldn’t answer most of Matt’s questions in an email interview

- Game crazier than before

- Matt thinks MotionPlus is in, Suda just not talking about it yet

- 2 beam swords

 

Rabbids Wiimote feature

 

- Bozon alluded to it last week

- Ubisoft was really protective of the feature

- Game in general is cool

 

- No Beyond Good and Evil at Ubisoft’s conference

 

- GTA competitor embargoed until tomorrow

- Should be up tomorrow with videos

 

- Will demo The Grinder, Gladiator A.D. for footage

- Nintendo’s conference at 9 AM tomorrow

- Have photos of Nintendo booth - some areas that are covered

- Sin and Punishment 2 has own area, Mario and Sonic, Silent Hill, DSi

- Have area that is completely covered - 1 area still covered with tarps, already have posters but they’re covered with 3 - 4 TVs

- Matt liveblogging, there’s livestream, Craig with pictures/twittering, Bozon taking photos

- Wii Fit Plus might add MotionPlus, go online

 

Expected announcements

 

- Wii Fit Plus, definitely

- New modes in Wii Sports Resort

- Red Steel 2 was going to be at the conference but it isn’t now - makes Matt think Nintendo has own MotionPlus sword fighting experience - Maybe Zelda

- Sounds like Mario is a good in some form

- Like the idea of New Super Mario Bros. 2

- Matt thinks we’ll see Pikmin

- Miyamoto will come out in a clown suit and so Marionette (joke)

- Might show Stage Debut

- Will have interviews with people at Nintendo, one interview with Miyamoto - Can’t talk to him until we see what concoction he has

- After the show Miyamoto has roundtable at 5:30 or so - Smash Bros. debut at a roundtable a few years ago

- Matt doesn’t have an interview opportunity with Retro

- Bozon hoping they show something good for DSiWare

 

- Mighty Flip Champs! is out

 

Reader questions

 

- Don’t think they’ll show Shaun White 2 on stage tomorrow

- Matt thought Microsoft’s showing was overall expected, no big surprises, good technology

- Played Red Steel for awhile - still some interpretation problems with slashing - still demo, works way better than original Red Steel

- New Zelda: Four Swords, if it happened, would have to be released over WiiWare

- Feels good when you shoot someone in Red Steel 2, melee combat always harder to pull off - Matt had no problems

- MotionPlus controls could work with racing games

- Ubisoft did the camera on their own

- Craig not a huge fan of Grand Slam Tennis

- Put HDTV in game mode for HDTV lag

- VC has gone down to pretty much 1 release per week

[Ten10]

I would so love to see Stage Debut. Its another one of those ideas that were ahead of their time. But with the Mii's and DSi camera or even photo channel support they could be onto a winner with that one.

[D_prOdigy]

This is hilarious :')