Wii Rally

What gamer hasn’t played at least one game of pinball? It was always a game that I would play at the arcade. It was a great way to spend that last token.

Southpeak is working on a new pinball game for the Wii. Dream Pinball will be tentatively released next February and will certainly capitalize on the Wii controllers to make playing pinball a new experience.

Dream Pinball will feature six tables and take into account real world physics when the ball is in motion. Dream Pinball will also be released for the DS and PC.

Are you like me and hoping to pick up a Wii game today? There are a few new games that have been released today including the much-talked about Super Mario Galaxy. It’s sure to be a hit and probably won’t disappoint.

Also released today are two games featuring beloved animated characters. First there’s Spongebob: Atlantis Squarepantis. Spongebob and Patrick stumble upon a magical amulet that will take them to the lost city of Atlantis. The rest of the crew from Bikini Bottom set out as Spongebob hopes to find the world’s oldest bubble. It’s rated E for Everyone.

Cars: Mater-National is a new racing adventure featuring the beloved characters from Cars. The cream of the crop have come to Radiator Springs for a chance to race against Lightning McQueen in the first annual Mater-National Race Festival. Cars: Mater-National is rated E for Everyone.

Three more classic games are now available for the virtual console. Play volleyball or either save the planet.

Volleyball
Originally released for NES®
Players 1-2
ESRB E for Everyone
Points 500 Wii Points.

AXELAY®
Originally released for Super NES®
Players 1
ESRB E for Everyone
Points 800 Wii Points.

BLUE’S JOURNEY
Originally released for NEOGEO
Players 1-2 players
ESRB E for Everyone
Points 900 Wii Points.

Donkey Kong and the crew have stumbled upon some high-powered barrel rockets. Now it’s a full-blown race for the jungle.

Player race using the Wii remote and Nunchuk. Shake both controls to accelerate and one or both to steer. Target enemies with a pineapple canon or blast out of a Style barrel using the Wii remote. There are several different ways to advance in the game. The Grand Prix is where a player races solo in 12 different cups across a variety of courses and difficulty levels. In Time Trial, you pick the course and try to set a new record. Players can even save their best times in the form of ghost data.
There’s also Candy’s Challenges where you help out Candy Kong™ by taking on 32 unique challenges. Donkey Kong does support up to four players at a time.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast is rated E. For screens, click on the full story.
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Apparently the three big console manufacturers are warning there may be a holiday console shortage this Christmas. Is it true or just a rouse to build holiday sales?

I can understand a shortage of Nintendo Wiis because of their price point and general fun factor for non-gamers. The Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 are more expensive and therefore have an appeal to gamers. Plus with new games still being released for the PlayStation 2, I find it hard to believe there will be a mass rush to buy one of the $400-$600 PS3s.

I’m unsure if it’s just done to hype sales or an actual warning to consumers. I have no doubt that the Wii should be a popular Christmas gift this season because of price point and appeal to casual gamers. It’s mind-boggling that Nintendo might not be prepared for the demand for the Wii this Christmas. It seems that since they have sales data from last Christmas that they might could use that to be prepared for the demand this year.

If a Nintendo Wii is on your shopping list, then start shopping now. Usually the stores around here seem to get in at least a few Wiis each week. To secure getting one this holiday, shop often to be able to catch one in a local store. Tuesdays are generally new game days and the day when new shipments arrive at a lot of stores. Check on Tuesdays to see if any Wiis arrive in your area. Start scoping out for one today to ensure that if there is a Wii shortage this holiday season that your gifts won’t be affected by it.

Link is back in a new game that features the Wii Zapper. Link’s Crossbow Training is all about learning to use the Wii Zapper with target games for one or more players.

The game comes bundled with the Wii Zapper that requires both the Wii remote and Nunchuk to use it. Both controllers fit into the zapper and are used for shooting and for movement. Link’s Crossbow Training is a shooting gallery game that features different scenes to give players plenty of practice. Multiple players can play but must take turns using the Wii Zapper.

Link’s Crossbow Training is just one of a handful of titles on the horizon that will use the Wii Zapper. Games soon to be released that will use the zapper include: Medal of Honor Heroes™ 2, Ghost Squad™ and Resident Evil®: The Umbrella Chronicles.

Link’s Crossbow Training has a launch date of November 19, 2007. It is rated Teen and up to four players can play in turn-based play.

Click the full story for screen shots.
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Mario fans in New York City will be able to get their hands on Super Mario Galaxy at midnight on Sunday. New York’s Nintendo World store will be the first to sell the much anticipated new Mario adventure for the Wii.

Fans will enjoy several activities before the midnight sale including being able to play the game at kiosks. It sounds like a grand affair. The problem with most midnight sales is that you must have pre-paid to buy the item. Anyone in New York wishing to attend should checl with the Nintendo World store for more details.

Do you take a lot of pride in designing your Miis? A new Wii channel that launches Monday will allow Wii users to show off their creations. Think of the Check Mii Out Channel as a virtual beauty contest where people can not only show off their Miis but can vote on their favorites.

Through the posting plaza, users can exchange, submit, or just browse for Miis. Once you’ve found one you like, you can tag it as a favorite, so it will be easy to find again.

Users will be challenged to submit look-a-like Miis of celebrities or even fictitious characters in the contest section. Submit your Mii that looks like Abraham Lincoln or a Mii Tooth Fairy. Then Wii users can vote on which ones they think most resembles the person.

The free Check Out Mii Channel launches the evening of November 11th.

Yesterday was election day across the United States as voters cast their ballots for local and state races. Earlier this week I had cast my vote but it was through my Wii. It would be nice if I could have voted for the elections from the comfort of home, but I’m sure there are too many problems with that for it to ever happen. No, I voted through the Everybody Votes channel on the Wii. While I have to admit that the channel itself seems unnecessary, I do like Nintendo’s attempt to make a channel that is social.

Wii owners can submit their own questions to be asked through the channel. Each question has two answers to choose from. You can cast your vote, see the results, and even predict which answer will be more popular.

The channel is fun for all of five minutes but is still a good move in the right direction to connecting Wii users.

Nintendo really isn’t holding back when it comes to promoting the new Mario Wii game, Super Mario Galaxy. In this photo taken in Las Vegas shows Mario training for his upcoming space odyssey with astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Oh, for the sake of publicity!

Super Mario Galaxy is set to launch November 12th.

On this election day for some of the country across the United States, there are only two new games for the Nintendo Wii being released today. The choices may be slim, but they look both to be solid Wii fun.

My Word Coach - From UbiSoft, it’s a vocabulary building game. It’s made up of mini-games where you fill in the blanks to complete the word. Besides being tested on spelling, players are challenged to know the definition of words, too. My Word Coach is rated E for Everyone and costs $49.99.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games - Two big name in gaming collide in Mario and Sonic: Olympic Games. Choose your character or your Mii to compete in one of 20 events that are based on Olympic sports. Mario and Sonic is rated E for Everyone and retails for $49.99.

Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicle Strategy Guide - Get the guide now and get the game next week. Develop a game plan for this new Resident Evil title before it’s released November 13th.

The characters from the worlds of Mario and Sonic come together in a new game that hits the store shelves today. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games features several sporting events modeled after the scheduled games of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Track, table tennis, and gymnastics are three of 20 summer Olympic events featured. There are also unlockable stages that bring in objects from both the Mario and Sonic world. Players can choose one of three game modes: Single Match mode, Circuit mode, and Mission mode. Play one of the beloved characters or bring our Mii to get in on the action.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games is rated E for Everyone and has a suggested retail price of $49.99. Click on the full story for screen shots.

edit: will be released November 9th. Wednesday was the day pre-sells began at Toys R Us.

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Three more classic games are now available for the virtual console of the Nintendo Wii, including one very popular Mario title.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points) - Mario and Luigi must stop Bowser whose antics aren’t just limited to the Mushroom Kingdom but are scattered throughout the seven lands surrounding it. This beloved title will give those Mario fans something to play while waiting for the release of Super Mario Galaxy next week.

Alien Soldier™ (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older –Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points) - This side-scroller puts you in the role as Epsilon-Eagle, an alien solider genetically built to be superior in strength and intelligence. You have recently broken ties with the criminal organization Scarlet and a run in with the new leader left causalities that you now have sworn to revenge.

Power Golf (TurboGrafx16, 1-3 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points) - Power Golf is a golf game for up to three people that features three different modes of game play. You have single player STROKE PLLAY mode. There is also the multiplayer MATCH PLAY and COMPETITION modes.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn hits the store shelves today. This title is the next in the Fire Emblem series and takes place three years after the great war that ended in the death of Mad King Ashnard. His land now is under the control of the war’s victors. A small band of freedom fighters have come together to free the king’s country Daein. Build your army to defeat the oppressors in this turn-based strategy game from developer Intelligent Systems. Suggested retail price is $49.99.

ESRB E 10+

Game Type Role playing/strategy

Players 1

See full story for screen shots.

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I’m Lynn, the new blogger for WiiRally.com. I’m a casual gamer who loves the Nintendo Wii as I think it is one of the most innovative video game consoles to come around in quite some time. While it may not be as beefy as the other next gen consoles, the Nintendo Wii packs a lot of fun. Needless to say, I’m a huge fan of the Wii, love to play the games for it, and to talk about it.

When I’m not playing games, I enjoy spending time with my gamer husband and our gamer-in-training two-year-old. I also blog for two other 451 Press blogs, SEODance.com and Homezookeeper.com.