Don’t like this picture of Bonk? Well tough. I spent AGES drawing it to celebrate the virtual console release of Bonk 3: Bonk’s Big Adventure, which has to be one of the all-time seminal classics of caveman-based gaming.

Today’s other release is the the 1993 Super Nintendo classic Vegas Stakes, which is most likely one of the all-time seminal classics of Casino-based gaming, although I can’t verify that as I haven’t actually played it. Anyways, Vegas Stakes is 800 Nintendo tokens while Bonk is just 600, which has to be one of the, oh never mind.

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The Japanese Virtual Console library will soon be graced with Neo Geo titles. The console was home to many great games, and I always remember it being one of the most elite machines to own, when I was growing up. Unfortunately there is no sign of the console making an appearance on either the European or US Virtual Consoles in the near future, if at all. Although I’d love to be able to get my hands on some Neo Geo goodness, as not having played on the console is a big factor, I can’t help thinking that the same can be said about the Turbo GraFX, and the only good game on that is Bomberman.

With the Neo Geo being known for its arcade action, appropriately the first games to be added are beat ‘em ups (Fatal Fury on September 11, and World Heroes after that). Now there’s a use for that Wii fighting stick!

Source: CVG

Related posts: Neo Geo games on their way to Virtual Console | Wii gets a Fighting Stick, but no fighting games |

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Yesterday it was hoped that the No More Heroes update would be a trailer, but Grasshopper have treated us to 3 of the little blighters! And I do place emphasis on the little part. They are best described as teaser trailers, each one only lasting a matter of seconds, but a nice update nonetheless.

The 3 teasers (entitled “Holy Grenade”, “Holy Missile”, and “Holy Stage”) can be found in the newly-opened “Special” area of the site. The the good news is that there are 3 new trailers scheduled for next week. The excellent news is that there spaces for 51 trailers! At the rate of 3 trailers per week, that means that the whole grid will be full in 17 weeks. Does that mean that we are looking at a possible release date around the end of December? Or is it just that the game’s creator is Suda 51? As we want this game NOW, we’re hoping it’s the latter, as 17 weeks is a long time to wait.

Related posts: New No More Heroes trailer a coming! | No More Heroes’ Travis shows off his pad | Why 2007 can’t come fast enough: No More Heroes

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UK:Resistance, along with its author – none other than our very own Gary Cutlack – is up for a Games Media Award. UK: Resistance is going up against four other gaming blogs in the Non-Commercial Website or Blog category: Destructoid, Game Over, Yeah, Idle Thumbs, Wonderland are also nominated.Meanwhile Gary himself is facing fierce competition for the Best Writer in Specialist Digital Media. Gamespot’s Alex Colby, CVG’s Andy Robinson, Official Xbox Magazine’s Ryan King and Eurogamer’s Tom Bramwell make up the other nominees.

The winner will be judged by a panel of 100 experts, with the awards taking place on October 11th in a suitably pretentious trendy Soho bar. I spoke to Gary earlier today to find out how he feels about his nomination for this prestigious award; “Shit, I’d better start putting a bit more effort in” he said. We hope you’ll join us in wishing him the best of luck in the awards.

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The Wii proved its green credentials recently, when San Jose Mercury News reporter Dean Takahashi measured its power usage against numerous other electrical devices. Using a device called Kill A Watt to monitor electrical usage in his home, the results were rather surprising: while console’s hulking cousins, the 360 Elite and PlayStation 3 scored 194 and 171 watts respectively, the Wii knocked out an astonishingly measly 17 watts.

In comparison, Takahashi’s 42-inch plasma TV gobbled 200 watts, and his high-rig PC 266 watts. His refrigerator sat almost side by side with the Wii at 14 watts.

In case we forget, one of the Wii’s big selling points was the ability to provide content at all times of the day and night, so we can all feel a little less guilty (though not that much, you planet haters) about leaving it on standby, both in terms of the environment and how much money it costs. Now, if only Nintendo would actually do something useful with Connect 24.

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It’s a benefit of living in Japan that I’m able to pop down to the local shop and pick up a copy of Famitsu magazine every Friday. And having just done that, we can bring you fresh news of a Wii game that was until now known as Project O. This title has been in development at Marvelous (a Japanese developer-publisher with ties to Grasshopper, responsible for the enticing-looking No More Heroes) for quite some time, and now it has a proper name: O-sama Monogatari. Or, in plain English, King Story.

The game receives a double-page spread in this week’s issue of Famitsu (click here or on the photo above for a BIG scan), which contains the first screenshots of O-sama Monogatari as well as juicy gameplay details. You begin the game as king of a verdant country, and your first task will be to construct and maintain a village. From there, the advancement of your kingdom depends on the commands you issue to your subjects. The overall objective is to turn your country into a prosperous one, defeating dragons along the way.

We can’t wait to try O-sama Monogatari. It looks fresh and seems to have plenty of depth, which is a quality that has been missing from many early Wii games. King Story will be told next year, and we’ll be listening.

Source: Famitsu

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Camelot, the Japanese developer behind the excellent Mario Golf games, is collaborating with Capcom on a brand new Wii golf title called WE LOVE GOLF! And Famitsu.com has the first screenshots — we think it looks pretty pretty.

In a Famitsu Wave TV video interview with Camelot, the game’s producers explain how WE LOVE GOLF! (all-CAPS necessary, apparently) will incorporate back-spin — just hold the Wii Remote’s 2 button while swinging — and they also talk about their new approach to course design, which compensates for the slightly increased difficulty level that results from Wii Remote controls in golf games. They’re impressed with how the Wii Remote balances competition, too, noting that in families who play WE LOVE GOLF! together, “there won’t be such a great gap between the abilities of sons and mothers.”

WE LOVE GOLF! is pencilled in for a ‘winter’ release in Japan, so it’ll probably turn up in the UK (with a less enthusiastic name) at some point during 2008.

Source: Famitsu.com

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We’re really looking forward to this one. Ghost Squad is in development at Sega-AM2 and, as a lightgun game, it’s going to make full use of Nintendo’s Wii Zapper peripheral. In fact, a special edition of the game will debut in Japan on the 25th of October, bundling Ghost Squad with a Wii Zapper for a few coins short of 6,000yen. Bargain!

The official Japanese Ghost Squad homepage today outlines a couple of Wii-exclusive play modes. First up, there’s a Party Mode that supports as many as four players (the original Ghost Squad arcade machine only had facility for two-player action). Sounds like a riot. And then there’s a new Training Mode, as well, which features quick-draw challenges and old-fashioned shooting matches.

Between Ghost Squad and Umbrella Chronicles, we’re going to be Zapping quite a bit this autumn.

Related posts: Sneak peak at Umbrella Chronicles using the Wii Zapper

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This isn’t about one of those embarassingly tacky made-for-your-old-PS2 ‘vaguely-like-the-Wii-Remote’ thingies that has started to appear with a whiff of skank in recent times. Oh no. It’s just about a representative of an accessory manufacturer called Logitech, who recently hinted to GamesIndustry.biz that his chums might be developing an “improved” version of the Wii Remote (for use with the Wii, by the sounds of it).

While we’re all for hardware innovation, first-party peripherals nearly always outclass those that are produced by other firms. But Logitech’s Chris Spearing is adamant in the GI.biz interview that there’s room for improvement of the Wii Remote: “If you couldn’t improve on it, we wouldn’t be in business,” he chortled.

(Our cynicism re: unofficial accessories and whatnot is based largely on memories of Logitech’s N64 controllers, which we thought were rotten. Perhaps our attitude is out of date?)

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

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It seems that in Europe some places still hold on tightly to ideas like freedom of expression. Yes it does indeed still exist! Those Dutch guys know a thing or two about laws and how to avoid the stupid censorship mess that Manhunt 2 has found itself in.

In the Netherlands it is supported by law that an adult is big enough to make his (or her) own decisions, this includes deciding which games they would like to buy and play. Therefore Manhunt 2 can and will be released on PS2, PSP and the Nintendo Wii in the region and should Rockstar wish it, Manhunt 2 could enter Europe in an UNCUT state!

This will come as a huge blow to all those opposed to violent videogames as it really would not be too difficult to get hold of the controversial title even if the BBFC’s ban remains in place. I personally think we will see the BBFC change their minds during the appeal process and the UK will see a version of Manhunt 2 just the same as the US have finally given it the green light.

Now, I’m no conspiracy theorist but I’d like to throw this in the mix to see what you guys think… what if Rockstar intentionally made Manhunt 2 so graphic and over the top as they knew it would create a media frenzy. Knowing full well that they would have to tone it down to get it into retail… what if the toned down version was what was originally intended and the over the top violence that led to the original ban was never intended to be there in the first place? Rockstar have generated thousands of internet articles and national press coverage from the ban and appeal process is it so difficult to think that this ban was actually part of the PR plan from day one?

Am I crazy? Well I will leave you with one last thought. The release date is very, very close. Could it almost too close to have enabled Rockstar to turn around these supposed sweeping changes to the games story, animations and graphic scenes?

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