If you choose to update your Virtual Console copy of this game, you'll get both upgrades and downgrades (am total).

It doesn't happen often, but some Virtual Console games are updated after their initial releases to correct various bugs. Many users of the service may not realize these updates are available, because Nintendo does not announce them or notify consumers through Wiimail or any other means. The only... Read more...

Trading cards featuring Nintendogs and Zelda characters, for those of you who need to own it all.

You may not have known it, but trading cards do still exist outside of major athletics. A company named Enterplay has recently been releasing trading cards featuring Nintendo characters. Card sets for Nintendogs are already available, and the company is working on sets for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight... Read more...

The father of Metal Gear Solid recently got the chance to test-drive his own character against Sakurai's Mario.

Speaking on the (official) Kojima Productions Report podcast, host Ryan Payton let it be known that Metal Gear Solid series creator Hideo Kojima played Super Smash Bros. Brawl at Masahiro Sakurai's development studio. According to Payton, Kojima thought that Brawl, as he played it, "felt very complete" and "was a lot of fun." Kojima later said that Nintendo "could probably put it out now and it would sell millions of copies."

Even the Nintendo prez can't believe the success of the DS. Also, 40% of Wiis are connected to the Internet and a lot of games are being developed by Nintendo.

In addition to releasing its financial report this week, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata held a press conference for his company's investors. The presentation highlighted Nintendo's reasons for success over the past year, most of which was due to the Nintendo DS. Predictably, Iwata focused his attention on the handheld for the bulk of his speech.

Lists are out for all systems in Japan and TurboGrafx-16 in the US and Europe and include some big-name games.

First up, we have seventeen games scheduled for release in Japan next month with Super Famicom oddly absent. Three games, Exerion, Super Mario Bros. 2, and Neutopia come out on the first of the month, while the rest will follow.

Famicom (NES)

Exerion [Jaleco]

Super Mario Bros. 2 (The Lost Levels) [Nintendo]

The developer has jumped from Namco to Nintendo even as Disaster: Day of Crisis is being prepped for Wii.

In a bit of Japanese business news that may affect gamers, Nintendo has purchased 1920 shares of stock in Monolith Soft (or 80% of the company) from the previous stockholder, Namco Bandai. No details were given on specific game titles or the exact nature of Monolith Soft's new relationship with Nintendo, although some kind of exclusivity deal is highly likely.

Sales and income are way up over last year; 14 million more Wii consoles and 40.3 million more DS portables to be sold in the next 12 months.

Nintendo opened up its books to the world today, and the numbers tell the story. For its 2007 fiscal year, which started last April and ended this March, Nintendo accumulated ¥966.5 ($8.19) billion in total sales, a third of which came from Nintendo's home country of Japan. That is an astonishing... Read more...

Wiis won't be on shelves until 2009?!

In what is possibly the most optimistic (in regards to Wii) analyst report yet, IDC research analyst Billy Pidgeon predicts Wii demand to outpace supply until 2009!

From the Home Media Magazine Article:

“I believe the Wii will continue strong growth although supply continues to be a problem,"... Read more...

Two different versions allow you to pick your side.

Activison just announced two Transformers titles for the DS. Taking a page from the Pokemon craze, each version will interact with the other with both local and online features. Appropriately titled Transformers: Autobots and Transformers: Decepticons, each game represents a side of the epic conflict. It's up to the player if they want to be good or evil.

Partial song list revealed.

Namco Bandai is bringing their popular rhythm game to the Nintendo DS this summer in Japan, making it the first time the series will appear on a Nintendo system. A partial tracklist has been announced, including the Super Mario Bros. theme, which was also included in the eighth iteration of the arcade version.

NOE thinks it's necessary to let people know about the menace that is illegal console modification.

Nintendo of Europe has updated its site—the front page, no less—with a notice informing people about the danger of Wii mod chips. The note explains that chips are illegal, of course, and that installing one into your console will void your warranty and possibly render your system unrepairable, should something go wrong. The final sentence of the update goes as far as tossing around the phrase "criminal charges."

Company's market value falls below NASDAQ listing minimum.

Game publisher Majesco Entertainment has received a second delisting notice from NASDAQ. This means that the company's market value (the number of outstanding shares multiplied by the closing price per share) has dipped below the $35 million mark required for NASDAQ listing. Majesco plans to schedule a hearing to petition for continued listing.

Worldwide sales will eclipse 700,000 units by the end of April, claims Disney.

Spectrobes Uncovers Global Sales Success

Disney Interactive Studios’ First Game Based on an Original Property Tops Sales Among Third Party Nintendo DS™ Games

Title Will Eclipse 700,000 Units Shipped Worldwide by End of April

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spectrobes, one of... Read more...

Half a million units sold and two games in the top ten means the portable is continuing to kick ass and take names. Updated with the official Nintendo statement.

The NPD Group has released the March 2007 game sales data, and the number one slot in hardware sales shouldn't come as a surprise. The Nintendo DS is far and away driving the industry forward, racking up 508,000 units sold in the 31-day month. The Wii topped all next-gen consoles with 259,000 units... Read more...

Build your own tracks and race on them with licensed cars. It's playable online, too.

As of right now, this game has only been announced for Europe. The Race Driver series is better known domestically as ToCA Race Driver, and seeing as how this is a perfectly fine game that yanks might appreciate, expect to hear details about this title coming to North America in the near future. For now, Europeans have another reason to be happy.

Starting this August, Konami will be calling SoCal home sweet home.

Konami currently has two main offices in the United States, both in California. In the north, it is based in Redwood City, which is near San Francisico. To the south lies its El Segundo office, which is located in the greater Los Angeles area.

By the end of July, Konami will be moving all of... Read more...

It's likely to come to the U.S. now that a top anime licensor has picked up the series.

Word is coming from VIZ Media, one of the biggest anime/manga licensors in America, has picked up the rights to the 13-episode run of the anime series based on the new Mega Man Star Force video game. A stateside release of the show is all but assured, though there was no mention as to how episodes... Read more...

The publisher is looking to exploit the strengths of each platform instead of porting everything everywhere.

THQ CEO Brian Farrell has made it known that going forward, his company's strategy is to ease up on broad multiplatform releases, instead focusing on each platform's particular strengths.

"In the past a lot of publishers - including us - would say, 'Okay, let's make a game and get it across every... Read more...

Company shares reach their highest level in 45 years of existence on the Osaka exchange.

You know that Nintendo is doing well when it needs to raise earnings estimates four times in one fiscal year. Now we have official word on the company's financial success from a group of people that are very, very important to Nintendo: Its stockholders.

Nintendo's stock price on the Osaka Securities... Read more...

Another 2D Sonic game is on its way ... with some 3D and touch screen controls.

SEGA ANNOUNCES SONIC RUSH ADVENTURE FOR THE NINTENDO DS

Sequel to Critically-Acclaimed Sonic Rush in Development

SAN FRANCISCO (April 16, 2007) - SEGA® of America Inc. today announced the development of Sonic Rush Adventure™ for the Nintendo DS™ system. Sonic Rush Adventure will seamlessly... Read more...