Well, that about wraps it up for 2007. We’re off to take a well-earned break. But before we go, we’d like to wish each and every one of a very Merry Christmas. It’s been an eventful twelve months for the Wii and DS, and there’s been plenty of news to cover. But it wouldn’t have been as much fun if it wasn’t thanks to comments and input from you, our lovely readers.

Have fun this Yuletide season, don’t overindulge on the turkey dinners, and we’ll see you back here in 2008!

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Merry Virtual Console and a “when are they going to put Pilotwings on here?” New Year! Grab another handful of AAA batteries and prepare to stuff yourself while I tell you three magical, heart-warming tale passed down from WiiWii’s ancestors. Get yourself comfortable now.

When the temperature turns cold, the snow falls, and the lakes ice up, it’s best for a man to stay indoors. That’s no good, though, as how can this man engage his loutish, violent tendencies? Lo, ice hockey was born, an excuse to go out into the freezing weather and having a good old punch-up. Thank goodness for modern times, then, where the good old video game can get rid of the cold part and just get stuck into the punch-up bit. Which is a long way of saying here’s Blades of Steel for the NES for 500 Points.

Konami’s puck-to-goal game was, as ever, pretty good for its time. We have it on good authority, however, that EA’s NHL game on the Mega Drive was better. Don’t ask us which year, though, because, like the rest of this country we don’t have a particular interest in ice hockey. Huh? What is ice hockey? It’s a bit like Speedball 2 except with sticks and without that score loop at the sides of the pitch. Blades of Steel plays without any of the realism of recent simulations of the sport, but it does have a punch-up mini-game, and that’s about all I can say about it.

Skate or Die. Is it an order? A threat? A suggestion? We don’t know, but we do know for sure it’s a skateboarding game for the NES and now VC for 500 Points. The slacker sport didn’t have quite the videogame appeal that came later with the arrival of Tony Hawk. That’s why we get a tough to control effort with little sensation of actual skating. A series of events - half pipes, races, and an empty swimming pool joust make up the roster. No gnarly list of tricks, no insane combos, and no running away from killer bees. A bit of fun, but it’s safe to say its a bit limited now that we’ve been spoiled by Hawk and chums.

Then there’s Monster Lair. M-M-M-Monster Lair! Hang on, it’s not that. It’s Wonder Boy III. Bah! Part of the confusing naming of Wonder Boy sequels, which we’re not even going to begin to explain here, it’s a cutesy platform shooter on the Turbografx for 800 Points. Both ground and air-based shooting is catered for, but it takes too long to get going, and isn’t inspiring enough when it does. Not a hugely exciting week for Virtual Console, is it? Come on, Nintendo, it’s Christmas! At least give us Snowboard Kids.

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By popular demand, we’ve now extended the deadline on the LG Video Media Talent Award competition until January 1st, just because we’re full of Christmas cheer and want to give you a few extra days to put the spit and polish on your entries.

And if you haven’t heard of the compo yet, no need to panic. There’s still plenty of time to get something together and we really want to see what you can come up with. This is your chance to soar to internet stardom, sporting a brand new LG Viewty mobile, jetsetting your way on an all expense paid trip to 3GSM in Barcelona, and kick starting your career with a six month internship here at Shiny Media in our swanky Covent Garden offices. We’re looking for one presenter and one editor to join our team of blogging wizards, and to enter all you need to do is show us your skills either in front of the camera or behind the scenes with some clips we’ve provided.

We’ve already had a ton of entries, which have been the source of much furious debate and analysis in Shiny Towers and the standard is already getting very high. But we won’t be relying on our giant egos alone to decide the final victors; we’d love to hear what you guys think as well – after all, you’ll be the ones watching the final products in action. Head on over to our Official You Tube page. to check out your rivals and to leave your opinions on the current entries.

If you want to enter, this video will give you all the instructions you need. Make sure you also check out the Terms and Conditions too.

In the meantime here’s just one of our many promising hopefuls in action. Can you do better?

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If you thought your Thursday morning couldn’t possibly get more exciting, then feast your eyes on this video of Wii Chess in action. The game will allow for all the features you’d expect from a modern chess game, including customisable boards and online multiplayer features. It’s also got the most irritating theme tune you’ll have ever heard.

We’re slightly puzzled as to why Nintendo thought this game was necessary, even by casual gaming standards. We’ve had the option to play chess online - for free - for a good few years already, and it doesn’t look like there’s anything new and different about this version. Maybe there’s a mind-blowing version of three-dimensional hyperchess (a la Asimov and Star Trek) tucked away inside as a bonus, but it’s not looking likely.

Via Nintendo

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Could there be two new games machines on their way to the Virtual Console? Quite possibly, going by recent activity on Nintendo’s Japanese VC webpage. An update has expanded the number of slots available for retro consoles from its current six to a massive eight. Using simple maths, that means two more consoles to add into those gaps. Nature abhors a vacuum, and we’re sure Nintendo does too (proof: no Luigi’s Mansions sequel), so let’s hope they fill them up pretty quick.

No word, or even a wink from Nintendo that things are happening. We wonder if they knew what they were doing when they updated the page. Surely it’s a sly marketing ploy to keep interest up, isn’t it. You don’t do something like this without knowing the fanboys will pick over it endlessly. Or maybe you do. Who knows.

In the meantime, what can we do but guess what those consoles are going to be. One strong rumour suggests that the Master System will be on there soon, and we don’t see why not. The other is anybody’s guess. It’s probably the MSX, though. We’d have quite liked to have seen the Spectrum or C64 on there, even the Amiga. Sadly, it’s most likely to never be. Of course, the newer the platform, the more money Nintendo can charge. If so, we’d say Dreamcast, but those games would take up quite a bit of space. Bet you wish you’d sold that hard disk now, eh?

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With the Wii being harder to pick up than that scruffy stuffed rabbit in a crusty funfair grabbing machine, it’s no wonder unscrupulous retailers have decided to cash-in. Instead of offering the console on its own, a number of stores also require you to purchase one of their games bundles. The problem being that despite offering a (small) discount on the price of buying them individually, a lot of those games will be poorly-reviewed, average titles you wouldn’t normally give a second glance.

Now Nintendo are voicing their disapproval of this cheeky consumerist practice because the price of these bundles has the disadvantage of making the Wii sometimes look more expensive than the PS3. Nothing is more expensive than the PS3.

“Retailers have already been given feedback that we are not big fans of that. We think it masks some of the price advantage we have versus our competition and, frankly, the consumer should decide what they want,” Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime stated the other day. You heard him. Sort it out.

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Grr. Yes, we know we’re posting last week’s Virtual Console news this week, but when we’ve committed to posting the news, a bit of tardiness isn’t going to stop us.

Then again, it didn’t help that Nintendo decided to release one of their titles a few days before the official Friday launch. Were they trying to catch us out? Pokemon Snap was that early contender, an N64 title that achieved something of a cult buzz around it. It’s an on-rails ride through a Poke-infested landscape, trying to snap various Pokemon in various poses. Points are awarded for photographic technique, and the thrill comes from unearthing those rare species at the most opportune moments.

Surprisingly, this is also the first game to come with extra Wii-specific extras. Photos can be saved and posted to friends. Not the most innovative of features, but it goes to show that they’re prepared to tinker in the future if necessary. Given the limited nature of the game, though, it’s perhaps best to approach it with slight cynicism if you’re not a fan. Here’s the test: if you’ve captured a total of more than two hundred of the fellows amongst any of the Gameboy adventures, then go right ahead and spend a big 1000 Points on it.

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We like this hack, which basically involves hooking up a dance mat to a Game Boy Advance. If the video is to be believed, you can play a nice relaxing game of Pac-Man just be stamping your feet in the appropriate direction. Crazy stuff, but oddly compelling. Could it point the way towards Balance Board/Nintendo DS interoperability in the future?

Via Engadget

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Mario might have got all the headlines this year, but did you know Princess Peach is the one with the most coin?

That’s what Forbes magazine reckons, who’ve compiled a list of the 15 richest fictional people in the world. Peach has a net worth of $1.3bn which, coincidentally, is the same amount that Nintendo is losing thanks to the Wii shortage.

But that’s not all, folks. It turns out that she and Mario used to be married, and a big part of her fortune stems from the bitter divorce battle. Blimey, Nintendo sure kept that one quiet!

Forbes is also insinuating that, because she’s been kidnapped by Bowser so often, Peach is suffering from a strange variation of Stockholm syndrome. The full entry is reprinted after the jump. Check out the complete list here.

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Studying the latest sale figures from Japan, it pains us to see that a number of third-party games have flopped on their first week of release.

Actually, to say they’ve flopped is putting it mildly. They’ve died a horrible death like a man stranded in the desert, tortured by the mirage of Christmas flavoured money-water that remains tantalisingly out of reach.

See for yourself:

• Chocobo’s Mysterious Dungeon: Labyrinth of Forgotten Time (Wii, Square Enix) - 30,000
• NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Wii, Sega) - 7,000
• Soul Calibur Legends (Wii, Bandai Namco) - 5,000
• We Love Golf (Wii, Capcom) - 4,000

The surprising thing is Chocobo’s Dungeon. It’s a Final Fantasy spin-off and it’s customary for those to sell in their millions. NiGHTS and Soul Calibur, meanwhile, are titles with a solid gaming pedigree and were widely expected to do well this Christmas. Last but not least, We Love Golf should have held some appeal for the casual demographic at the very least.

There’s a number of possible explanations for this lacklustre performance. The games could be absolutely rubbish for one thing. For another, third parties still don’t have a clear understanding about what the Wii’s audience wants to play. Either way, let’s hope they take these losses in their stride and stick with the console for the long haul.

Via Qj.net

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