Joystiq

Ivy the Kiwi? springs onto iOS, free and paid versions available now

Sinan Kubba — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EST

Ivy the Kiwi?, the Wii and DS game by Sonic creator Yuji Naka, is now available on iOS. The iOS port of PROPE's chirpy platfomer arrived on the App Store today in paid and free versions. The paid version is on sale for a limited time, slashed from $4.99 to $2.99.

Naka's game came to Wii and DS as a perpetual motion platformer, so an iOS port makes total sense. As before, the startled newborn sprints forward of her own accord, so it's up to players to guide her safely to her destination. This is done by drawing vines across the screen, done via a simple swipe. Vines can be used as ramps and bridges, and they can also be twanged to catapult the flightless chick through the air.

There are 50 levels in the iOS version of Ivy the Kiwi?, the same as the DSiWare 'Mini' edition released two years ago. The retail Wii and DS versions have 100 levels. The free version of the iOS release comes with ads and has a limited number of levels. As the above video shows, the game is compatible with iOS 6's Game Center challenges.

Ivy the Kiwi? springs onto iOS, free and paid versions available now originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prope reimagines three little piggybanks in FlickPig for iOS

Christopher Grant — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:25:00 EST

Meet FlickPig, the latest from former Sonic Team bossman Yuji Naka and his team at Prope. This iOS title tasks players with - can you guess? - flicking pigs across three lanes, while avoiding obstacles, gathering coins and ... chasing down wolves?

These three little pigs are really piggybanks who lived in a brick house, so instead of blowing it down a pack of wolves broke in and stole their coins. Out of their bodies! While we find it difficult to believe the pigs didn't wake up during this surgery / looting, they did eventually awake and give chase. That's where you and your finger come in - collecting coins not only gives you a feeling of moral victory, but you can use those coins to buy items to help your progress.

This hard-boiled tale of robbery and revenge can be yours for just $0.99, and will work on just about any recent iOS device, post-iPhone 3G. And for those of you lucky enough to have both an iPhone and an iPad, FlickPig will support iCloud data transfer, so your progress will be beamed across devices.

Gallery: FlickPig (iOS)

Prope reimagines three little piggybanks in FlickPig for iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inafune, Suda 51 signed for mobile development

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST

DeNA's popular Japanese mobile gaming platform, Mobage, is getting a major boost from some of the nation's leading gaming industry figures. During a press conference held earlier today (as translated by Andriasang), DeNA revealed that five famed producers will develop games for the platform, including Keiji Inafune, who's creating a game titled J.J. Rockets with his new studio Comcept, and Suda 51, who will make a new installment in the No More Heroes franchise.

Other contributors include Marvelous Entertainment's Yoshifumi Hashimoto, who is working on a Harvest Moon mobile title, former Sonic Team lead Yuji Naka, who will develop an adventure game with his new studio Prope, and Crafts & Meister co-founder Noritaka Funamizu. Sounds like a pretty great lineup, though we wish the five would also collaborate on a single project. The idea of a No More Heroes farming simulator is, well, the best idea.

Inafune, Suda 51 signed for mobile development originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yuji Naka describes Prope's canceled 'Haunted Tower' for Wii

JC Fletcher — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:55:00 EST

During an Iwata Asks interview about Wii Play: Motion, Prope's Yuji Naka offered details about a Wii game that he once worked on, but eventually put away.

"When Nintendo announced the Wii MotionPlus accessory in the spring two years ago, I suggested to Nintendo a project called Haunted Tower. You defeated monsters outside the screen, so the living room was the scene of the action." This game was never finished, but when Wii Play: Motion came around (a project for which Nintendo recruited several small teams, including Chunsoft and Skip), Prope started working on it again as a potential minigame.

The minigame turned out to be too similar to "Spooky Search," the prototype contributed to Wii Play Motion by Naka's former Sonic the Hedgehog collaborator Naoto Oshima. "But in the two weeks left for prototypes," Naka said, "we made 'Trigger Twist,'" the shooting game included in Wii Play: Motion.

Yuji Naka describes Prope's canceled 'Haunted Tower' for Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yuji Naka's 'Rodea the Sky Soldier' in motion

JC Fletcher — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:10:00 EST

At first, you'll probably be underwhelmed with Rodea the Sky Soldier, Yuji Naka's airborne Wii/3DS game, thanks to the anime stereotypes and mid-90s CG look. But as soon as the gameplay starts up in this trailer, it gets more impressive, looking like a high-speed NiGHTs with rail shooter elements.

Continue reading Yuji Naka's 'Rodea the Sky Soldier' in motion

Yuji Naka's 'Rodea the Sky Soldier' in motion originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yuji Naka unveils 'Machinist of the Sky Rodea' for Wii and 3DS

JC Fletcher — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST

Here's something refreshing: 3DS news that isn't from a Nintendo event. The latest Famitsu magazine unveiled a new 3DS and Wii game by Yuji Naka and Prope: Machinist of the Sky Rodea, published by Kadokawa Games. Machinist is an anime-style flight game in which you control a character's flight by pointing (with the Wii remote, at least) and shaking, then pressing B in mid-air to fly in different directions. The A button fires projectiles or launches spinning attacks

Naka, of course, is no stranger to flights of fancy, having produced NiGHTS into Dreams for Saturn. And, in fact, according to Andriasang, Rodea is designed to "allow players to experience free flight through the skies" without complicated controls.

Yuji Naka unveils 'Machinist of the Sky Rodea' for Wii and 3DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sonic project lead discusses canceled Kinect / Move titles

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

At the Eurogamer Expo in the UK this week, Prope head and Sonic the Hedgehog creative lead Yuji Naka spoke of two canceled PlayStation Move/Kinect games he worked on that "unfortunately didn't come out." GamesIndustry.biz reports Naka as saying, "I do enjoy working with new hardware, so I am hoping to create something exciting using those new technologies." He then added, "Actually, I worked on two games which unfortunately didn't come out, but those games were using those two technologies," referring to Sony and Microsoft's motion peripherals.

He also spoke to the recent, repeated comments from Capcom global head of production Keiji Inafune regarding Japanese development in comparison to Western development, saying, "You could say that Japanese developers today are behind Western competitors in terms of technology. But at the same time, Japanese developers still come up with new game ideas and styles that are very much different from Western counterparts ... so I do agree with [Inafune's] comments to some extent, but I believe Japanese games technology has its own strong areas to compete with Western titles." In light of Mr. Naka's humility, we'd also like to point out that his team used the Nintendo Wii's motion controller in a completely unique way with Let's Tap, so the thought of them working with Move and Kinect is absolutely thrilling.

Sonic project lead discusses canceled Kinect / Move titles originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Yuji Naka on Ivy the Kiwi and life after Sonic

JC Fletcher — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST

Yuji Naka grew to fame within the game industry as one of the founders of Sega's Sonic Team, the core group of designers and programmers that created the Sonic the Hedgehog series. In his tenure at Sega, Naka produced titles like Phantasy Star Online, Chu Chu Rocket, and Samba de Amigo. He has since left Sega and formed his own company, Prope, who immediately began developing games to be published by ... Sega.

Now, with Ivy the Kiwi?, Naka has emerged from the grasp of the great blue hedgehog, with a game published in Japan by Namco Bandai and in America by XSEED. We spoke to Naka about the design of the game, side-scrollers, and the unique circumstances behind seeing your own game on display in someone else's booth.

Continue reading Interview: Yuji Naka on Ivy the Kiwi and life after Sonic

Interview: Yuji Naka on Ivy the Kiwi and life after Sonic originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Ivy the Kiwi?

JC Fletcher — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:30:00 EST

For some reason, I thought of Prope's Ivy the Kiwi? as a mellow title, a generally relaxing and lightweight game -- at least that's what I thought before actually playing the game. To my surprise, I was presented with a challenging, often chaotic arcade game instead of a frothy, low-impact diversion. It's just the kind of game I seek out, actually -- a game whose challenge comes from mastering a single, unique gameplay mechanic.

Gallery: Ivy the Kiwi? (Wii/DS)

Continue reading Preview: Ivy the Kiwi?

Preview: Ivy the Kiwi? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yuji Naka talks Ivy the Kiwi, teases new action game

JC Fletcher — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:30:00 EST

In a Gamasutra interview, Prope founder and former Sonic Team head Yuji Naka mentioned that his new company is at work on a new action game -- but not the "game like Sonic" on which the studio was once working. "Unfortunately, we had to stop development for the time being for the 'Sonic-like platform game,'" Naka said. "However, we are in the process of developing another action game right now."

As for the company's latest game, the DS- and Wii-bound Ivy the Kiwi?, it came from an experiment by some Prope staffers. "I really felt some great potential in the concept as a game so we decided to make it as a company project and it evolved into Ivy the Kiwi." The project was first released on Windows Phone in Japan, Naka explains, because its touch screen was more stylus-friendly than the iPhone's. "However, Windows phones now have electrostatic type touch panels too and users ended up playing Ivy with their fingers anyways, so maybe we should release it on iPhone as well."

Gallery: Ivy the Kiwi? (Wii)

Gallery: Ivy the Kiwi? (DS)

Yuji Naka talks Ivy the Kiwi, teases new action game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XSEED publishing Prope's 'Ivy the Kiwi?' this summer

JC Fletcher — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:00:00 EST

click to see more screens?XSEED has acquired the North American publishing rights to Ivy the Kiwi? for Wii and DS, the latest game from Yuji Naka's post-Sega studio, Prope. The puzzle game, presented in a unique "storybook" art style, stars a baby kiwi trying to navigate her way back to her mother. The player uses the stylus or pointer to stretch vines to bounce Ivy through levels and around obstacles. Along the way, players can attempt to pick up optional orange feathers for extra challenge -- that is, if they don't mind keeping a baby bird separated from her mother even longer, the monsters.

In Japan, the game was originally released on Windows Phone, with console releases published by Namco Bandai. XSEED is planning a "summer 2010" release -- there's still a question mark on the specific date.

Gallery: Ivy the Kiwi? (Wii)

Gallery: Ivy the Kiwi? (DS)

XSEED publishing Prope's 'Ivy the Kiwi?' this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prope's Ivy the Kiwi? migrating to Wii and DS

JC Fletcher — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:15:00 EST

In November, Yuji Naka's studio, Prope, revealed a new original IP, Ivy the Kiwi? ... for Windows Mobile. The latest Famitsu reveals that the developer is porting the game to some game consoles! Namely, DS and Wii. Namco Bandai will release Ivy the Kiwi in Japan on April 22 -- it's the first Prope game to be published by someone other than Sega or (in the case of the Windows Mobile version) Prope itself.

However, despite its origins as a mobile game, and its simple pick-up-and-play gameplay (which involves stretching and bouncing drawn lines to move a bird through a maze), Ivy the Kiwi is destined for retail on consoles, at a price of ¥3,990 ($43).

Gallery: Ivy the Kiwi (Windows Mobile)

Prope's Ivy the Kiwi? migrating to Wii and DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prope announces Ivy the Kiwi? for Windows Mobile?

JC Fletcher — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST

This could be really big news. Yuji Naka's studio, Prope, revealed what is likely to be the "Sonic-like" game mentioned last year. And Ivy the Kiwi?, the studio's new game (the question mark is part of the title), has some interesting mechanics: the game uses drawn lines to propel a character, sort of like Kirby's Canvas Curse or Wireway, but lets players anchor one side of the line and move the other endpoint around while Ivy's on it, for finer control of the character's movement.

However, it's for Windows Mobile (or, as the platform is being called in Japan, Windows Phone). Not what you'd typically think of as a major gaming platform. This game is part of a move to change that -- it's a launch title for Japan's Windows Mobile Marketplace and will be out in December.

Gallery: Ivy the Kiwi (Windows Mobile)

Continue reading Prope announces Ivy the Kiwi? for Windows Mobile?

Prope announces Ivy the Kiwi? for Windows Mobile? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sega to give away beautiful Let's Tap artwork from Yuji Naka

JC Fletcher — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:15:00 EST

Today, both Sega of America and Sega of Europe posted amazing Let's Tap artwork they received from Prope's Yuji Naka. Each branch received five pictures of the Tap Runner avatars, apparently hand-drawn by Naka. He even drew the logo on each one! The US office also got copies of the Let's Tap soundtrack and Tap Runner figurines.

Neither office has decided how it will give away the amazing swag yet, but we will let you know when they do. Right after we enter.

In other Let's Tap news, the European release, like the Japanese release, will include two big boxes -- as a "Limited Edition." We've contacted Sega of America about the stateside packaging. We need boxes!

Sega to give away beautiful Let's Tap artwork from Yuji Naka originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEGA reveals another Project Ringo teaser, not much else

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:15:00 EST

You may have noticed -- but probably not -- that Sega's Project Ringo teaser site was updated earlier this week, coinciding with the February 24 date revealed earlier this month. What do we get for nearly two weeks of waiting in breath-filled non-anticipation? Not much. All we get is another ambiguous flash animation with equations, apples, and the silhouette of an unknown character (which seems a bit Sonic Team-esque to us).

The animation ends with the hilariously translated question, "What's mean 247?" and notes that the next tidbit will be revealed on March 12. What is Project Ringo? We speculated that it might be a new game from Yuji Naka's Prope studio or perhaps an iPhone game. Whatever it is, we have a couple of weeks to ponder or, as the case may be, remain completely uninterested.

Check out the teaser video after the break.

Continue reading SEGA reveals another Project Ringo teaser, not much else

SEGA reveals another Project Ringo teaser, not much else originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq fingers-on: Let's Tap (Wii)

Jem Alexander — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:10:00 EST

Let's Tap is certainly unique. As the world's first "controller-less" game it has already set itself apart from the myriad other minigame collections found on the Wii. As the first game from Yuji Naka's (Sonic series, Nights) new development company, Prope, Let's Tap will form expectations of the studio's future output. Based on what we saw, that means unique, experimental, yet ultimately shallow minigame collections.

Like we say, Let's Tap is "controller-less." That's not strictly true, however. You'll still need up to four wiimotes, depending on how many players are involved. The wiimotes are placed upside down on cardboard boxes, two of which are bundled with the game -- you're expected to provide the other two yourself. We're assuming you probably have quite a few empty tissue boxes lying around, so that should be no problem. Tapping on the box is the extent of the game's required input.

Sadly, the controls aren't perfect. Tapping works fine, there are no qualms there, but double tapping can take some time to get used to. That's all you'll be doing, even when navigating the menus. Single taps move through the menu options and double tap selects. It's quite frustrating to move through the twenty-odd options on screen, only to have the game register your double tap as a single, meaning you have to navigate through the entire screen again. Of course, you can always pick up the wiimote and point at the screen, but that sort of defeats the point, doesn't it?

Continue reading Joystiq fingers-on: Let's Tap (Wii)

Joystiq fingers-on: Let's Tap (Wii) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sega teases ... something ... called 'Project RINGO'

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST

Alright folks, we're going to be straight with you: We have no idea what this is. Sega of Japan has dropped an almost teaser/maybe ARG, definitely confusing and certainly ambiguous flash animation on its website under the moniker "Project RINGO" (its capitalization, not ours). Aside from the notably monochromatic 2D image in the animation, the text "What happens? ... next_2.24" appears at the end, and source code is provided for a Flash doodad you'll find after the break. We're guessing the "2.24" reference is a countdown to the 24th of February. Oh and that Flash doodad after the break? It's an equation ending with the numbers "247" -- as in 24/7.

We don't know much else, but we can speculate:

-Is Sega making an iPhone game? "Ringo" = "Apple" in Japanese. "Project Apple" could be a game for the iPhone we've ever heard of or seen. You'll presumably play it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and undoubtedly be picking apples.

-Will "Project RINGO" finally unveil Sonic the Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka's platformer from Sega subsidiary (and Naka's company) Prope? Speaking with Gamasutra at last year's Tokyo Game Show, Naka said, "At Prope, we're actually actually planning on making a game like Sonic right now." That was four months ago.

-Is Sega making a game about NiGHTS and Sonic having a child who juggles apples and likes club music? Clearly the most likely choice.

Join in the speculation fun yourself in the comments!

[Via SegaOnline.nl]

Continue reading Sega teases ... something ... called 'Project RINGO'

Sega teases ... something ... called 'Project RINGO' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sega: Let's confirm Let's Tap for Europe, North America

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:20:00 EST

Let's consider, for a moment, the immense and stalwart dedication exhibited by one Jem Alexander, our man at an ongoing Sega event in a snow-encased London. Despite being in the magnificent company of games featuring a certain sword-wielding hedgehog, this blogger deliberately looked away from the screen (reminder: featuring a hedgehog wielding a sword!) to send us an important email from his iPhone. Which he briefly confused with his iPod Touch -- a notable hazard for those eccentric and loaded enough to own both. What's up with that, Jem?

Anyway, he says Sega's rhythmic finger bash, Let's Tap, has been announced for European release. With the party game's undoubtedly arduous localization confirmed, it probably won't take too long for Sega of America to drum up a press release of its own. We'll point out (and at) any updates as we receive them.

Update: Sega has confirmed a North American Summer release.

Gallery: Let's Tap

Sega: Let's confirm Let's Tap for Europe, North America originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's Tap down under

David Hinkle — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

A rating for Yuji Naka's latest project, Let's Tap, has popped up on the OLFC and would appear to indicate the title is destined for an Aussie release. Seeing as how we haven't heard anything on a North American or European release, this is likely going to be good news to folks outside of Australia. If Sega plans to localize the game down under, there's a very good chance that those of us who are looking forward to tapping away with the quirky title will get a chance to.

Let's Tap down under originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yuji Naka talks Let's Tap, departure from Sega

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Rhythm, Casual

Described as "thoughtful and driven" by his interviewer, Yuji Naka is a man inexorably linked to Sonic the Hedgehog -- well, back when that was the cool thing to have on your business card -- and now, the surprisingly fun Let's Tap. Speaking to Gamasutra's Brandon Sheffield during TGS 2008, Naka delved into the reasons for leaving his position at Sega for startup Prope (still backed by Sega).

"The game industry has a very short history behind it, and as a result, the more games you make, the further you work your way up the company ladder, until you become one of the heads of the whole outfit," he explained. "Once that happens, you start running out of time to actually make games." We can't really blame the man for wanting to make games, even though his realistic reasoning comes at the expense of the "hedgehogs with guns ARGH" tantrum we've always envisioned him throwing on his last day at the office.

As for the "Let's [Verb]" series, Naka hopes to continue it should Let's Tap and Let's Catch catch on. Shh, nobody tell him the bad news.

Yuji Naka talks Let's Tap, departure from Sega originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sonic creator's studio working on Sonic-like game

Randy Nelson — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Action

Shown for the first time at TGS, Let's Tap! and Let's Catch! - the inaugural Wii games from former Sega executive, designer, and co-creator of Sonic the Hedgehog, Yuji Naka - were (refreshingly) not what we'd expected from his new studio, Prope. Frankly, we'd expected a Sonic or Billy Hatcher-esque platforming title. Wait - what's that, Gamasutra? Prope's working on a Sonic-style game? Shocking.

Speaking to Gamasutra during the show, Naka revealed that, "At Prope, we're actually actually planning on making a game like Sonic right now," when asked about his future with character-based action games. "That's what we're making now," he further affirmed.

So ... time for a game of "animal, vegetable, or mineral?" We're going to go with "animal." You can play along in the comments.

Sonic creator's studio working on Sonic-like game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's Tap trailer explains penguin accessibility

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii

Imagine our excitement when word arose that Sega's upcoming penguin-friendly title Let's Tap could be played "without holding a controller". We thought the day we've dreamed about since we pressed the power button on our respective first home consoles had come -- the day when video games aren't played with hands, but with minds. Unfortunately, a trailer for the game surfaced during the Nintendo Media Summit, revealing that while no controller-touching will actually be required to play Let's Tap, hands will still be part of the equation.

To get a clear understanding of the control scheme, check out the trailer after the break. It seems the game will be manipulated by placing a Wiimote face-down on a flat surface (a Nintendo Wii box is used in the video), then tapping upon said surface. We're still not positive how it works -- though we are positive that the speak-and-spell-infused song used in the trailer has stick-in-your-head properties we haven't seen since the days of Lou Bega.

Continue reading Let's Tap trailer explains penguin accessibility

Let's Tap trailer explains penguin accessibility originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's tap the Let's Tap box

Chris Greenhough — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Do you reside in a house with no flat surfaces whatsoever? Do you awake in your hammock every morning surrounded by nothing but domed, conic or pyramidal furniture? Then good luck playing Let's Tap, chump! As we've already seen, Prope's new game is played by resting the Wiimote face down on a flat surface, and then tapping on said surface to complete minigames.

It's barmy and utterly gorgeous, and will also come ingeniously packaged in a box which doubles up as a convenient flat surface for you to play on. We doubt you have a single flat surface in your home as stylish as this.

Continue reading Let's tap the Let's Tap box

Let's tap the Let's Tap box originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Six of our favorite Media Summit videos

Chris Greenhough — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:48:00 EST

Filed under: Video

You've already had the chance to examine scores of wonderful screens from new Wii games announced at the Nintendo Media Summit. This new post is dedicated to displaying thousands of more screens (squashed together to create videos) of some of the bigger titles that have been shown at the event.

We settled on placing Nintendo's official Punch-Out!! trailer at the top of this post, but could have easily led with some truly fantastic Sin & Punishment 2 footage, an impressive tech demo of The Conduit, or Yuji Naka's wacky-looking Let's Tap. Instead, all of those (and more) are past the break, and need to be viewed right now. Before you go, though, one final note: if any game released this year has a funkier soundtrack than Let's Tap, we'll be gobsmacked.

Continue reading Six of our favorite Media Summit videos

Six of our favorite Media Summit videos originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's Tap, Sonic creator Naka's 'penguin' game, coming Dec. 2008

Ross Miller — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Action, Rhythm

At last, Sega has finally revealed Let's Tap for Wii, Sonic creator Yuji Naka's game teased as, "World first, the game that even penguins can play." How exactly a penguin does play it is still not explicitly stated, although our marine biologist friends tell us that penguins are prone to waddle, so this inverted Wii remote laying on the ground may indicate that we will be, erm, tapping on our remote somehow.

As for the game itself, the available screenshots vary greatly and provide no basis for interpretation. There is a countdown on the official website that expires in seven days. What we do know, according to the info box in the lower right corner: the genre is "tap action," it supports one to four (to infinity) players and will release this December for 5,040 yen (approx. US $48).

Gallery: Let's Tap

Let's Tap, Sonic creator Naka's 'penguin' game, coming Dec. 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sin & Punishment 2 and other third-party gems confirmed [update]

Chris Greenhough — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:02:00 EST

Filed under: News

Update: Screen grab from Nintendo's media page, which has video of all these new games! Check it out right here.

Nintendo just unleashed a demo reel of upcoming third-party Wii games, including Taiko no Tatsujin Wii, a new Tsumi to Batsu/Sin & Punishment game from Treasure, a Wii version ofAnother Code (otherwise known as Trace Memory, the DS adventure game), Let's Tap (Yuji Naka's latest project, a.k.a. the game that even penguins can play), Sengoku Musou 3 (Samurai Warriors 3) and a new "mothership" title in the Tales Of series.

Will the internet regard this as the press conference that E3 should have been? We suspect so!

Sin & Punishment 2 and other third-party gems confirmed [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sonic's creator teases something new

Justin McElroy — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:10:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

Ms. Naka: Janene, has Sonic seemed a bit ... off to you?
Janene: Why, how do you mean? Sure, he's a little rambunctious, but --
Ms. Naka: No, it's more than that. He's spinning around town with the wrong crowd, he pawned all my gold rings to buy, well, other gold rings ...
Janene: No! His own mother's rings?!
Ms. Naka: It's true. Ever since Prope -- you know, Yuji's studio? -- put up that teaser image about a new game it's going to reveal in 17 days, Sonic's just been completely out of control!
Janene: Oh, Doris, that's perfectly natural. Yuji created Sonic, and now he's making something new. The little blue guy's just afraid he won't be the favorite any more.
Ms. Naka: ... Oh, God, are you joking? We haven't loved him for years. Did you not play Sonic and the Secret Rings?

Sonic's creator teases something new originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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