Nintendo is releasing a new Wii Bundle for the upcoming holiday sales (is it really that time already?), which includes a newly configured Wii Console and includes the Wii Sports and Wii Party games.

Wii Party continues the “mini-game” idea of Wii Sports, and is ideal for quick arcade style gaming sessions which encourage group game playing. One interesting game is Hide ‘n Hunt:

“Compete or co-operate in 13 different game modes and, for the first time, take the action out of the television screen as the House Party mode turns your living room into a pivotal part of the game play. For example, search under the sofa or behind the bookcase for the hidden Wii Remote controllers in the Hide ‘n’ Hunt game or be careful not to be the last player holding the Wii Remote in Time Bomb. Wii Party also includes Pair Games and Party Games modes – both of which keep the varied challenges coming thick and fast as you play with fellow friends and family.”

Also included in this bundle is the original Wii classic, Wii Sports, offering five distinct sports experiences which make use of the motion controls enabled by the Wii Remote. Swing the controller like a racket in Tennis, and grip it like a bat for swatting fastballs out of the park in Baseball. In Golf, you’ll tee up and hold the controller like a golf club and swing naturally to guide the ball onto the green. While in Bowling, raise the Wii Remote and swing your arm to roll the ball, and in Boxing use the Nunchuk controller as one glove and the Wii Remote as the other to dodge, weave and punch your opponents.

This new Wii bundle not only offers great value to South African fans, but introduces a streamlined Wii console with a slightly altered configuration, which is designed to sit horizontally, rather than vertically. Maybe some Wii’s have been tipping over? Truth be told, we prefer it this way.

The new Wii bundle launches across South Africa this Spring and includes the newly configured Wii console in white, a Wii Remote Plus controller, Nunchuk, and copies of Wii Sports and Wii Party. A number of other Wii bundles will be announced this season all offering great value. Watch this space!

Last year’s E3 belonged to Microsoft – they showed off Kinect, and people went nuts for it. However this year they showed off a few new games to use the Kinect, and also the new user interface which focusses on the Xbox’s “center of your livingroom” strategy. Good on them, but clearly people were not impressed. Webtrends, an online analyics firm did this great infographic showing off what people spoke about online during E3:

While I am not quite sold on the new Wii U controller, it seems to have gotten people excited. Maybe it is just one of those things you have to use to get a better idea. After the success of the original Wii‘s with a reasonably simple control system, and then the massive success of the Kinect accessory which does away with the controller (our review here), why on earth would Nintendo go for a more complicated control scheme for its upcoming console? Clearly people want less complicated gaming, right? Sure, there is a market for hardcore gamers who will always want their peripherals, but Nintendo grasped the “non-gamer” market, which was very lucrative market. But judge for yourself – if you have not seen the new Wii U, here is a demo video:

So what do you think? Do you see the Nintendo Wii U being a success?

With winter fast approaching, and more people spending time indoors, it’s pretty good news that Nintendo Wii is now available at a lower price in SA. Nintendo has announced that on 20^th May 2011 it will be reducing the trade price* of its existing Wii bundles, which include a white, black or red Wii console, bundled with varying software titles.

MyBroadband was able to confirm with Incredible Connection that the Nintendo Wii cost is now available at R1600, around R800 cheaper than before…

Nintendo have also announced the launch of Nintendo Select, a range of discounted software titles. The Nintendo Selects range, launching on 20th May 2011, is a value for money selection of popular Wii game titles. Titles included are the all time favourites such as Wii Sports™, and the action packed Mario Strikers™ Charged Football. (more…)

OK, so if you bought the Nintendo Wii (and apparently there are a lot of you), you might want to look out for the upcoming release of Wii Play: Motion. The original release of Wii Play only used the standard Wii Remote, but later Nintendo released the Motion Plus add on which greatly improved accuracy of the remote. A few games have supported the Motion Plus add on until now, but now Nintendo is releasing this bundle of mini-games which will specifically use this type of controller. However, this time Nintendo is building the Motion Plus component into the controller, renaming it Wii Remote Plus.

Wii Play: Motion will be bundled with this new controller, in an exclusive red colour. This red colour remote will only be available for separate sale in Japan, in Europe (and SA) it will only appear in red and white if purchased seperately. All the Wii Play: Motion games require the motion plus add on if used with the original remote.

Screen shots are still a bit scarce right now, but the popular original formula is followed again – users control a “Mii” character on screen, with relatively simple graphics, but it does result in a lot of fun. You only have to go watch a few kids play Wii Play in a mall to see what I am talking about.

The good news is that Wii Play: Motion will be launched in SA on 24 June 2011, in line with the European release. We will keep you posted once more details are released.

Find Press Release Below:

As you make your way through the 12 mini-games which have multiple game modes for added depth to gameplay, see every swing, tilt, hit and spin of your Wii Remote Plus come to life as it becomes faithfully replicated on your TV screen with exacting precision. From Treasure Twirl – where the Wii Remote Plus acts as a “winch” to collect deep-sea treasure, to Cone Zone – where you tilt the Wii Remote Plus in the correct position to balance ice cream within a giant waffle cone and stop it from falling, whilst extra scoops are being added –- there’s a minigame for everyone to enjoy.

Each of the 12 mini-games included can be played in single player mode, yet if you fancy a different experience and want to get your friends and family involved, then the multiple game modes of a selection of Wii Play: Motion mini-games allow for up to 3 other people to join in on the fun, ensuring your game play experience is always a truly unique one.  For example in the mini-game Skip Skimmer where you can skip stones along a lake, there is a Score Mode in which up to four players take it in turn to skip stones through a series of rings with the aim of getting to the target at the end. By strategically angling the Wii Remote Plus you can compete against your friends to get the highest score in order to win the game.

If you and your friends fancy becoming ghost hunters then Spooky Search will see you working with up to three of your friends to apprehend and collect wayward spirits that have escaped through your TV screen – and into your living room. Using the speaker on the Wii Remote Plus, you are up against the clock to try and locate the ghosts. By pointing your Wii Remote Plus off screen and anywhere around your living room – whether that be above or behind you, your goal is to snare as many ghosts as you can and ‘drag’ them one by one back into your TV screen.

Eek! Nothing (except toffee apples) whizzes us back to childhood like a brand new Mario game. Thanks to Nintendo’s OTT quality control, you’re pretty much guaranteed to have fun when the little Italian plumber is around. This time: a return to space.

Should be in local stores around May/June, we reckon.

Nintendo has announced a new device, the 3DS, that will officially succeed the DS range of handheld gaming devices.

What makes it so cool? Purportedly, the 3DS will display fully 3D graphics without special glasses. (more…)

The lit-up spheres don't just show show who is P1 and who is P2. They can change colour depending on what is happening in the game. Neat!

We’re coming to this a wee bit late but in times of upheaval, some dead guy said, it behooves a wise man to sit back and let the facts sink in.

Playstation have unveiled their new motion controller, previously known as the Arc, at the 2010 Game Developers’ Conference. (more…)

"CGI? Because I'm worth it."

Nintendo is so hardcore. Or… that’s what they want you to think.

To prove it, they’ve just released a new cinematic trailer for Metroid: Other M, which the Japanese giant hopes will reignite some Wii-love from hardcore gamers. Will it work? No telling, really. The only gameplay we’ve seen is from last year’s E3 trailer, so the final product may look quite different by now. This latest video is all about backstory:

Here’s hoping that Samus entertains our socks off when Metroid: Other M launches in mid-2010.

Still curious? Read CVG’s hands on preview.