Nintendo has (unofficially) announced that a DS version of the cult Super Nintendo classic Mario Paint will be released in the second half of next year. It sounds like they also want it for Revolution, which would be totally sweet! More info here.
I still remember Christmas in 1991 when my dad bit the bullet and spent $200 for a brand new Super Nintendo Entertainment System (just before the price dropped $20 at Toys R Us). The NES before it had been for him, but this baby was all for me. Super Mario World was the game that launched the system and I spent forever playing through it, discovering all of its secrets. I still remember the first time I beat it. Some of my cousins were staying over and we stayed up half the night playing through the last levels.
On more than one occasion I’ve sought a SNES emulator and a ROM to play this game again (my SNES is 10 hours away at my parents house). Now someone has made it possible to play brand new levels!
Lunar Magic is a level editor I created for Super Mario World (SNES). It’s the first and, as far as I know, the only level editor available for this game. I began looking into making an editor for it shortly after releasing the SoM VWF patch, mostly on a whim to see how hard it would be.
So yeah, ROMs aren’t technically legal. Did I say I’ve had them before? I was only kidding. Although, I do actually own the game. Doesn’t that make it slightly less illegal? Hey, look over there! *Downloads ROM for the nth time*
Time Magazine has released its list of the top five tech innovations of 2006. Nintendo Revolution comes in strong at number two, right behind Boeing’s new 787 dreamliner. So where are Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360? Oh wait…they’re just shinier versions of their former selves.
Nintendo has announced a partnership with Wayport who provides WiFi for McDonalds. So now you’ll be able to play your DS online from McDonalds. I also like the fact that Nintendo’s online support is free as opposed to Xbox Live.
This is a nice overview from 1up.com detailing everything known about the Revolution and what it will mean for the next-gen of gaming.
Edit: One thing I didn’t already know – the next Smash Brothers will have online support, which likely means other popular games (at the least) will follow.
I really haven’t been paying a lot of attention to the hype about Microsoft’s next console. My feelings for it are pretty much the same as the original Xbox: Halo is fun and all, but I won’t be buying one anytime soon. Ok, I realize there’s more to the Xbox (and it’s predecessor) than one successful game, but I just don’t care that much. I’ve never had the urge to buy an Xbox (or a Playstation for that matter).
Well, I decided I would learn a little bit about what the 360 is going to offer, so I spent the last hour or so reading James Ranson-Wiley’s impressions of the system and some of it’s games over at Joystiq. It seems to me there’s a mix of good and bad with the new console.
His impressions of the games were mixed. It sounds like they all look nice, but some lack the immersive environment he was looking for. I’m really not surprised that he doesn’t think Perfect Dark Zero will carry the Xbox launch. I really like the way he describes how the gameplay doesn’t really seem to be “next-gen.”
My hope for next-gen gaming is that character and environment interaction will become more seamless and intuitive—I want grass to move when I walk through it. PDZ does not feature next-gen gameplay. I understand a developer’s decision to leave out a “jump” action. It’s a design choice that, among other things, will help shape the multiplayer experience. But not being able to will Joanna over a knee-high crate is simply unacceptable.
A few other games look like bright spots, though. The description of Condemned sounds pretty cool, with the potential for an involving story. That’s something a lot of games seem to be missing. I don’t know about the graphic violence but the concept sounds intriguing. There’s also Kameo: Elements of Power from Rare. Who doesn’t like fun?
The part of this series of reviews I found the most interesting, though, where his thoughts on what makes Xbox 360 innovative and truly next-gen: it’s interface (and it’s potential).
The real Xbox 360 can only function when its hooked into the network, Xbox Live. If all goes according to plan, Microsoft has developed a system that will rank and categorize gamers like never before—and what’s so brilliant (or scary) is a user need simply to create a profile to initiate this process, that’s it. In effect, your Xbox 360 is always watching; it’s always cataloguing and taking notes. Theoretically, once it gathers enough information from you, if you do decide to make your experience Live, the system will have gathered enough information to group you with like-minded gamers, automatically. In addition, the options are there for you to fine-tune your preferences.
This is the most interested I’ve been in the 360. Making the console more powerful can only take it so far and that’s been a big factor in my indifferent attitude toward Microsoft’s and Sony’s offerings for the next generation of consoles. What he’s talking about is a totally new type of gaming community tailored specifically for each player and others like him/her. I really think there’s a lot of potential there.
A user comment from Gunnar sums up most of my thoughts pretty well.
I think this review, the whole series, was great. In fact it just may have brought me back to the XBOX 360 camp. This review, compared to many others seemed very real and seemed to try to present a decent non-bias. Perhaps the next gen of gaming isn’t actually graphics, but gameplay and the online community the 360 will have. If so…we all benefit.
I may not be part of the “Xbox 360 camp,” but I can see where the world of console gaming could benefit from what Microsoft is trying to create. If the interface is really the 360’s best selling point, why is it lost in all the hype about graphics, processing power, and wireless controllers? The real question remains: how many people will plug in and take full advantage of Xbox Live?
Currently Watching: Major League II
Here’s a little incite on how the upcoming Nintendo Revolution works. The article includes an overview of the console itself as-well as it’s unique and revolutionary gaming controller. This is a pretty good high level view of what the control is supposed to do.
I was surprised by the comparison in power to the Xbox 360. Everyone is talking about how Nintendo isn’t a part of the power war that Sony and Microsoft are taking part in, but it sounds like Revolution might not be as far off the mark as many people think. I’ve read that PS3 and 360 aren’t really going to live up to their full potential anyway. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re rushing the product to make it available sooner. I heard today that they’re scaling back the multiplayer in Perfect Dark Zero so it can be ready for 360’s launch in November. Not necessarily a smart move.
The thing I found most interesting was the comparison between the known Revolution specs and the GameCube. I’ve never had a problem with the Cube’s performance, but Revolution will simply blow it away. And a dedicated physics processor? That would only make sense with the new style of gameplay.
Some guy made a portable NES comparable in size to the Game Boy Micro. Impressive.
Blizzard is looking for more than just your $15/month. I’ll have to say this really surprises me. I’ve always thought Blizzard was a great company that made great games. I understand them wanting to combat piracy and cheating, but this is out of line.
Here’s another guy asking, “Is Nintendo smarter than we think?”