Could the XBOX 360 game about humping pinatas make an appearance on the Nintendo Wii? It’s already coming to the DS with Pocket Paradise so maybe it could slide on over to the Wii in some form? Spong has an interview up with a couple of guys from the Rare side of things and they had a rumor enticing answer to the question as to whether the game may be coming to the Wii system:

SPOnG: I assumed that… So, we’ll never be seeing Viva Piñata on the Wii then?

Gary Richards: (Grins). I’m not saying.

I’m honestly surprised to see Viva Pinata on the DS with Rare being a Microsoft controlled dev house but who knows, they do like money after all!

I love the Metroid series and after MP3 was revealed with it’s Wii controls, I wanted Nintendo to revamp the other 2 MP’s and allow the Wii controls to work with them also. Well, according to GoNintendo, their little rumor mole may have dug something up:

Word has it that a certain retailer had a SKU pop up in their computer systems for a Metroid Prime Trilogy on Wii. What could this title be? Well, I would expect it to be Prime 1, 3, and 3 all on the Wii…but Prime 1 and 2 with all-new Wiimote controls.

I would buy this in a heartbeat. For $30.

GoNintendo.com is going crazy over the possibility that Sonic Unleashed is coming to the Wii and it looks like this:

They also found this info over at SonicStadium.org:

- Sonic becomes afflicted with a curse…that turns him into a werewolf. Sonic will have to battle himself, essentially.

- gameplay includes Sonic and the Secret Rings style running with switches to 2.5D platforming thrown in

- Sonic will transform at certain points in the game, and his new form will include some sort of new mechanic

- another new character will be introduced

- Sonic Unleashed is not the final name, and no platform(s) were mentioned. File names of the original leaked images indicate a multiplatform release of 360/PS3/Wii

So is this the real deal or a big hoax? Either way, this footage looks nice as also seen on GoNintendo:

They are awaiting official word from Sega as to what is going on with this. Still almost a week too early to be April Fools.. No one’s even sure if it will be a Wii title but it sure looks like fun.

If you follow the SurferGirl rumors at all, you would probably know that not only does she know her stuff when it comes to the inside view on gaming, but she’s also dead on many times. This time, she’s on a roll discussing a couple of Capcom games coming to the Wii and a game from Criterion that will also appear on the Wii as quoted below:

1) Namco is bringing Family Ski stateside under the name Wii Ski or We Ski. How marketing managed to pull out that one baffles me, it is the epitome of deft.
2) Namco also has an American-developed Wii cheerleading title, in which one uses the balance board for clandestine dancing operations and the nunchuck/Wiimote combo as pom poms. Namco, I feel strongly that you need to give those deft folks in marketing a breather, so I will do their work here, Wii Cheer or We Cheer it is.
3) The market of masses shalt not fret, the interesting and different new intellectual property that is Criterion’s next game will appear on that waggly machine and that touching machine with two screens, amongst others, perhaps this year.

Thanks to GoNintendo for the heads up on this one.

Could the image above really be Mario Kart’s final boxart? It’s easy to say it’s fake and it very well could be, but I’m not too sure the real product could be far from this design. It’s fairly basic and has details showing it includes the wheel accessory. The box looks big, but I thought the same about the Zapper box until I saw it in stores and it was actually about the size of pack of Twizzlers.

Thanks to Nintenerds for the image.

There’s a rumor going around that Jeff Gerstmann from Gamespot was fired for his negative review of Kane and Lynch for the 360 and PS3. While this may not be direct Wii related news, he has been controversial in the past for giving the Wii version of Twilight Princess an 8.8 while giving the GameCube version an 8.9. He also gave Majora’s Mask an 8.3 when it first came out. I’m not one to debate his review scores and what they perhaps should be, but the fact he was controversial at times cannot be disputed.

The current hot rumor goes like this: Eidos is paying GameSpot bucket loads of money to advertise Kane and Lynch with full page background ads and more. (I can’t seem to find a single page on their site with the ads now.) Jeff was in charge of reviewing the game and gave it a not so glowing score of 6.0 and then went on to totally rip the game apart in his video review. As the rumor goes, Eidos didn’t quite enjoy this and in turn, Gerstmann was let go. For the record, Jeff Gerstmann has been with GameSpot for over 10 years.

The video review has been taken down by GameSpot on their own site it was apparently deemed so controversial, but you can view it here in all of it’s glory. From what I’ve read from other reviews and forum denizens around the internet, the game is absolutely deserving of the 6.0 Gerstmann gave it and was right on par with what he is saying in the video.

Watch it while it’s up:

He does mention the game is not worth a buy in the end there, perhaps that was what sent Eidos into a tizzy. But the fact reviewers are discouraged from being honest due to marketing dollars coming in is a nightmare come true for gaming journalism. A better idea would be to not take money from companies to advertise crap games and in turn endorse only what you truly believe in if this is such a problem. Not firing your reviewers because your advertisements don’t line up with the honest word of the review.

I personally wasn’t too fond of Gerstmann for various reasons myself, but this is just horrible. Shame on Eidos and most definitely shame on GameSpot.

Opposable Thumbs has an interesting tidbit up concerning a possible pack in for the Wii Zapper peripheral called Zelda: Crossbow Training which allows you to played as link in a shooter that utilizes the Zapper. Of course this could all be a load of bull but it would definitely make for a great pack in on the Zapper. Best part about the whole deal is it’s going to retail for $20.

Here’s the quote directly from the source they got the info from:

The game looked beautiful,” my source said. “I’m pretty sure it was running on the Twilight Princess engine. It’s a third-person game, and you had some control over Link. While the video was way too short to get a good idea of the gameplay, it looks like a light-gun inspired Zelda title.”

I’m normally not a betting man and while this would be all kinds of cool, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nintendo knock this rumor out when questioned. Matter of fact, I’d wager $10 on the usual response, “Nintendo doesn’t comment on rumors and we haven’t announced any pack in for the Zapper at this point in time” yadda yadda. Oh and if this is true, please don’t let this be the sole Zelda title developed specifically for the Wii.

What about you? Would you be interested in buying the Zapper if it was packed in with a unique Zelda title?

There’s some rumors on the internets going around saying Brothers in Arms, the WWII based military shooter being developed by Gearbox for the Wii, has been canceled. Nothing too strong as for evidence and no reasons for the possible cancellation, but I have sent a message to Gearbox asking for a bit more clarity. If I hear more on this, I’ll be sure to post my findings.

Update: Well, that was quick! Already heard back from Gearbox, and this is a “nothing to see here” situation. Straight from the man at Gearbox himself, Randy Pitchford, the game is pretty much done and is “awesome” he says. Here’s the full reply from Mr. Pitchford concerning the status of the title:

I have no idea where those rumors have come from, but they are false.

Brothers in Arms is coming to Wii. It’s pretty much done and it’s
awesome! We’re really looking forward to releasing it. There could be
something going on with the official title, but the game is definitely
coming.

Thanks for checking with us!

-Randy

So there you have it, the game is definitely still coming to the Wii. Panties, un-wadded.

Some hot and heavy rumors coming from the N-Europe compound this morning starting with a juicy one concerning Mario Kart appearing at E3 this year. E3 is set to kickoff this week and while we already know Smash Bros Brawl will not be shown there, N-Europe is reporting they have word that Mario Kart may make a surprise appearance. Not only that, but Mario Kart is expected to launch in Europe around the same time Smash Bros Brawl is launching here in the US, giving both parties something to be excited (or to complain) about. Here’s a quote from N-Gamer:

Mario Kart for the Wii will be a “replacement” for Super Smash Bros. Brawl in Europe, which will sadly miss Europe this year, and it will be out early 2008 instead. However, this also means that the US will not see Mario Kart until early 2008, and they will be getting Smash Bros. Brawl in 2007. This means that Nintendo fans in both Europe and the US will have something to moan about (they’ll have something to be glad about, too….but there will probably be more moaning).

It would be great to see Mario Kart for the Wii this week at E3 and hopefully, the game will have online multiplayer, but let’s not hold our breaths. I’d be happy with a great version of the game for the system with no tacked on Wii Remote controls please. I am sure given Nintendo’s history with the Mario Kart franchise, whatever may come will be good stuff.

Take this whole list with a huge grain of salt, but really, some of this could easily be feasible. Found this by digging through this forum post and ending up at this guys blogsite where he’s listed these out. The person of interest that runs the blog has been successful in the past with a few rumors and is posting these tidbits of info after interviewing a super secret person from Nintendo just days away from Nintendo’s media summit. Check out the juicy rumors below, but keep in mind they are just that. Discuss this stuff in the comments and let us know what you think. BTW, I left in the original writers editorialized comments after the info as seen in parenthesis.

Nintendo Upcoming Game “Fun-Fact” Sheet

Misc:

* Project H.A.M.M.E.R. and Disaster: Day of Crisis are both very close to finalization. Nintendo plans to use them as drought fillers. (Makes sense, no one knows if they’ll be a success.)
* The Virtual Console will be getting some major additions soon, not just Classic Game wise. (All I can say about that.)
* The Wii-Specific Zelda is currently in the works. It is not currently planned for release within the next two years. It will differ greatly from former Zelda titles. (Zelda fans tend to have mixing reactions toward “new” Zeldas…uh-oh.)
* Mario Kart, Various Sports are also currently in development. Currently being worked on with online in mind. (Almost sure-fire successes.)
* No word on StarFox. (I have no idea if this means it’s not even planned or if details aren’t allowed to be discussed.)
* Even more surprises in terms of new IPs are in store. (We might be able to expect some info at the media summit)
* Wii Music and Fitness Pack are still set for release this year. (I’m a musician, so I can’t wait to see Wii Music. Fitness…eh.)
* All going according to plan, Animal Crossing will be released in ’08. (Meh, not a big fan myself.)
* Kirby is not on hiatus, contrary to some people’s belief. (Huge fan, but no Sakurai may change things quite a bit.)
* No word on a non-bongo DK yet. (Lame.)
* Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has had more man-power put into it since the expectations for the game are becoming greater. (That’s good; I don’t want a bad game that I will end up buying anyway. It is gonna be a piece of VG history after all.)
* Nintendo is working closely with third parties this time around, to ensure that Wii will not go unsupported. (No-brainer. I’m grateful though.)

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption:

* Players will not have to re-gain all of their abilities. (Holy Cannoli, apparently this isn’t news but it is to me and it excites me in the pants.)
* Players will have a corruption mode, similar to hyper mode, that will only be available to use for a limited amount of time. (Think symbiote spidey in SM3.)
* Players will not have to switch beams, as they combine. (Think 2-D Metroid.)
* The developers are working closely with Nintendo themselves to include some sort of online functionality. (Don’t get your hopes up, the way the PR worded it it sounded like it was more WiiConnect oriented than Multiplayer)
* Planned to be released this year, “sooner than most are expecting.” (Oh snap.)

Super Mario Galaxy:

* SMG is planned to boast some sort of multiplayer functions. (Oh god, whens the last time that happened? SMW? YES PLEASE.)
* No online functionality is planned to be included. (Well, to be honest, I didn’t really expect any.)
* Will be released this year. No word on when. (My guess is early/late Q4)

Super Smash Bros. Brawl:

* Players will be able to choose from multiple control options. Main focus is on GC controller, and Nintendo is currently considering redistribution of them. (Good, I can’t find wavebirds anywhere. I hope this means I can just use the remote and nunchuck, he wouldn’t say.)
* No motion-sensitive controls in main game. (Does that mean mini-games etc. will?)
* Game will feature no more than 50 characters. (Gee, thanks a lot. I didn’t know that already )
* “Since there’s a huge fan-demand for online play, the game will almost definitely feature it. That’s the plan. We pay a lot more attention to the fans than you would think, and we think it would be pretty dumb to ignore it. What’s funny is if we had never addressed the rumor, people wouldn’t be so expectant of it as they are.” (Thank god, hopefully an end to the “This better be online or I’m not buying it” stuff.)
* They wouldn’t tell me any new specific characters. (Just thought I’d get that in there.)
* “Fans will be extremely pleased with the quality and number of characters we’ve brought around, as we made this very much a fan-desire project. There won’t be anymore ‘clones’ (just thought I should mention, he did the finger quote thing, and I literally lol’d) either. There are definitely characters that will be huge surprises too, one of which happens to be my absolute favorite.” (Thanks for the cliffhanger. Wait…so no more clones? What about…)
* Not all characters will return. The original smash bros. will. (Oh…bye Roy (one of my mains.))
* Alternate Costumes/Color Schemes will be included. (Hot sauce. I’ll take white Zora Link please.)
* No comment on third parties. (Damn you.)
* The game has been made “more balanced”. (Cool. No more tiers? Ummm…idk if I like this yet.)
* No comment on N64 like intros. (lol)
* No comment on “advanced techniques”. (I’m mediocre at that stuff anyway, so, I’m neutral on this.)
* There will be new items, and some have been taken out. (Bob-ombs confirmed, don’t worry.)
* Super Smash Attacks are not immediately activated, can be reserved. (Well, now that I think about it…duh.)
* Adventure mode will be much larger, classic mode will be featured. (No word on if chars. Would have individual stories)
* Will include more game modes, some from N64 will return. (Due to popular demand, apparently.)
* Events will be included. (I love those things, so to me it’s awesome.)
* This game is scheduled to release this year. (My guess is Fall.)
* No comment on shoot the credits.

No real substantial support here, although it would make sense for this rumor to be true. FalafelKid from Nintendo-Revolution makes a mention during a rumor article of Table Tennis coming to the Wii system as the first Rockstar game on the console. Again, this wouldn’t be too far fetched, although the time frame might be tight for a first from Rockstar and the graphics would have to be tuned down a bit from it’s 360 predecessor. The game mechanics would fit perfectly with the system perhaps expanding on what we see in Wii Play. We’ll keep our ear to the wire on this rumor and bring more info as it rears it’s head.

GoNintendo has had some interesting events unfolding over the past day, I’ve been waiting to report on it to see how it would pan out and so far, the evidence keeps stacking up towards a Wii version of Resident Evil 4 coming to the system. It all started with this article here and the screen taken below from Gamestop’s listing of the title (which is now a defunct page seen here):

After the listing being pulled from GameStop.com, Capcom responded to this posting by saying:

Capcom has not made any announcements about a new Resident Evil title. - Capcom rep

Which didn’t really mean much as it’s true.. Capcom hasn’t announced any new Resident Evil title.. Yet.

Next, GoNintendo is sent more confirmation in the form of a snapshot taken of a computer screen at Blockbuster listing the item as seen below:

The latest news on this rumor is the screen taken below from a Japanese retailer listing a Wii edition of Resident Evil 4:

The question still remains, is a Wii edition of Resident Evil 4 coming to the Wii? And if so, what differences will exist between it and the already awesome GameCube version? We’re assuming the controls would be reworked, could they get the game to look any better on the Wii system? Maybe they could add more levels or features as well. We’ll keep an eye on this rumor and keep reporting back with what we find.

ComputerandVideoGames.com has the lowdown on a pretty big rumor going around right now talking about the Nintendo Wii system getting an external hard drive in the future. It all started with a magazine that had an inside scoop on Nintendo big wigs having a meeting concerning the addon. This could mean a number of things including more storage for VC games, media, and other downloadable items. More storage space is always a good thing, let’s see how this rumor pans out over time.