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Rumor: No Euro Wii price cut, new bundle to include both Wii Sports games, MotionPlus

by Ben Gilbert { Sep 23rd 2009 at 4:27PM }

Just like we saw earlier this year with the PlayStation 3 Slim, the rumor mill is churning at breakneck pace -- though this time around a possible Nintendo Wii price cut rather than a slimmer console. Aside from multiple retailer listings and today's alleged internal Best Buy memo, MCV reports that a "retail source" told it the UK won't be receiving the same price cut that North America and Japan are expected to receive. Instead, the current model will be given the bundle treatment.

GamesIndustry.biz spotted the new bundle on ShopTo.net -- it has since been removed, though an image and a shell of the page still exist -- which includes both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort as well as a MotionPlus attachment, for the same £199.99 ($326.76) the system is priced at now. If it is true, at least UK Wii buyers will be getting a bit more for their pounds. It's not quite the Duck Hunt/Super Mario Bros. with a Zapper combo of yore, but it'll have to do.

Source -- No Wii price cut for UK [GamesIndustry.biz]
Source -- New UK Wii bundle leaked [MCV]

Penguin United's new Wii gun doesn't need a Wiimote

by JC Fletcher { May 5th 2009 at 4:15PM }

Penguin United may be best known for its wonderful 24X Gaming Pouch, which allows you to carry a mess of DS games around without the, well, mess. But if its latest Wii product works well, it could have a new claim to (relative) fame.

Penguin's CrossFire Remote Pistol is a Wii Zapper alternative that doesn't require a separate Wiimote. While most Wii guns are merely shells with levers to push the B button, this one is a completely self-contained Wiimote, with an integrated speaker.

The final unit probably won't have jaggies -- this is a product render Penguin sent to us. The device will be available for testing at E3 next month.

Prepare for Darkside Chronicles with a Resident Evil Shot Blaster

by JC Fletcher { Apr 27th 2009 at 1:15PM }

Last year, Capcom released a limited quantity of an official Resident Evil Wiimote gun attachment called the Resident Evil Shot Blaster. It's your basic third-party Wii gun shell, but in a nice silver/black theme with Umbrella Chronicles branding, and includes Resident Evil-style Wiimote and Nunchuk skins.

The gun is available once again in Capcom's online store, for $29.95. It might be worth picking up if you're way into Umbrella Chronicles or if you plan to be way into Darkside Chronicles -- or, of course, if you're compelled to buy rare Capcom junk. Alternately, if you have a Fry's Electronics nearby, you may be able to snag one of these.

Gallery: Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (Wii)

[Via GoNintendo]

Dark Ops Wii Light Gun: It's the Wii light gun Jason Statham would use

by Dustin Burg { Mar 11th 2009 at 10:30PM }

The Cobalt Flux-developed Dark Ops Wii Light Gun is one of the newest peripherals vying for consumer attention. It's marketed to those of us who want to look Transporter-cool while playing Umbrella Chronicles ... oh, and to those of you who're simply tired of white peripherals.

Per the item description, the Dark Ops gun allows for independent use of the Wii nunchuck, gives easy access to the Wiimote's face buttons, and sports a nifty Lock 'N Load feature that totally makes the remote look like a clip. For your gun. A gun clip. Like, totally. All that for only $19.95. We're guessing the light gun's accuracy is significantly increased if its wielder dons a tuxedo, maintains a calm (yet cool!) demeanor, and kills bad guys for a living.

[Via GoNintendo]

Wii Warm Up: The Gun of the Dead: Overseas

by JC Fletcher { Jan 19th 2009 at 8:00AM }

So Sega is releasing an unbelievably awesome gun shell for use with The House of the Dead: Overkill ... in Europe and Australia. No word yet on the US. The Aussie version even (optionally) comes packaged with two of the things!

We can't imagine it would make a difference, but if you're on the fence about Overkill, would the availability of an officially licensed, quite cool-looking accessory push you over the edge? Conversely, does the lack of such an item in the US make you feel somewhat cooler on the title? Or do gun shells just not matter all that much?

Gallery: House of the Dead: Overkill

More awesome House of the Dead: Overkill art, European date

by Chris Greenhough { Jan 16th 2009 at 10:00PM }

Click to embiggen.

Wow. The build-up to House of the Dead: Overkill's release next month has resulted in some excellent art (be it in the form of comics, limited edition boxart, or swag), and here's something else Overkill-related to crave: this superb, grindhousey movie poster. We dearly hope Sega isn't intending to use this solely for the marketing of Overkill and then forget it forever, because this is precisely the kind of thing that needs to be on our walls. You can see a bigger version of this in our gallery, along with three new screens.

Meanwhile, Sega has confirmed a very spooky European release date of Friday, February 13th. That's just in time to treat your loved one to a helping of black magic and violence! Don't forget your Hand Cannon.

Gallery: House of the Dead: Overkill

Official House of the Dead: Overkill Hand Cannon: shoot like G does

by JC Fletcher { Jan 16th 2009 at 10:50AM }

House of the Dead: Overkill players in the UK and Australia will have the option to play the game in a distinctly more badass, yet vaguely cosplayer-esque style, should they choose. Sega and peripheral company Venom will release a Wii gun shell modeled after the "Hand Cannons" the AMS agents in the game carry. Amazon.co.uk is taking preorders for the item, to be shipped on February 13 (two weeks before the February 28 date they claim for the game) at a price of £12.99 ($19).

Australian zombie-haters have it even better: NeoGAFfer untoldhero (an accurate name if ever there was one) found a convincingly official-looking retail listing for a "Bang Bang Box" bundle containing the full Collector's Edition of the game, with the special sleeve and the comic book, as well as two Hand Cannons, for $89 AUD ($59 USD). That price has got to be a mistake. We've got a picture after the break of the heartbreakingly awesome package.

Sadly, we've seen nothing about the Hand Cannon in the US. We fear that Sega's deal with Venom doesn't extend out of PAL territories.

Gallery: House of the Dead: Overkill

Continued →

Try out Sega's Wii line-up early

by Chris Greenhough { Jan 13th 2009 at 9:00PM }

If you're in the New York area between February 6 - 8, we are now officially jealous of you, for something other than the fact that you live in New York.

Sega USA's blog informs us that House of the Dead: Overkill, Sonic and the Black Knight, MadWorld, and The Conduit will all be playable at the 2009 New York Comic-Con, which in our opinion makes the $30 fee for a Friday or Sunday ticket (or even the $40 for a Saturday pass) totally palatable. Alternatively, if you fancy being the jerk who hogs the Wii booths for a full three days, you can pony up $50 for the entire event.

Gallery: MadWorld

[Via IGN]

CES 2009: Zapper crossbow lets you shoot Gorons in style

by Chris Greenhough { Jan 13th 2009 at 10:55AM }

We were impressed by the "WeeP 5" Zapper mod, but did have one reservation: Link would never use an MP5 to mow down a herd of Stalfoses (Stalfi?). Enter CTA Digital, who were displaying this Zapper crossbow shell at the recently finished CES 2009 (which is strange, because apparently this has been around for a while, but it's the first we've seen of it).

This bad boy comes equipped with a laser sight (we seriously question the historical accuracy of this) and, as you can see, a fetching "woodgrain" finish. It looks way, way nicer than the fugly crossbow peripheral we previously covered, and is roughly the same price: a rather eye-watering $29.99.

Gallery: Link's Crossbow Training

N-Strike's price Nerfed by GameStop

by JC Fletcher { Jan 12th 2009 at 7:08PM }

We've been eager to try out EA's Nerf N-Strike since its October release, tempted as we are by the insane Nerf gun/Wii gun shell peripheral, but the $60 price point has kept us at bay. It is based on a toy license, after all, and $60 is a big risk for that.

But $40 is approaching a reasonable price point for the set. Luckily, that is just the price to which GameStop has just marked the bundle down! Now we have to ask ourselves the tough question: if we thought the Zapper was overpriced at $20, is it worth twenty more for a Zapper that we can also bother people with?

Gallery: NERF N-Strike

Patents from gaming's past

by David Hinkle { Jan 6th 2009 at 3:45PM }

See that odd diagram above? That's Nintendo's original design for the Zapper. Aside from that, you'll find other gems such as the early prototype for R.O.B., along with some other non-Nintendo patents. It's an excellent gallery of diagrams that Technologizer has put together here, so don't waste any time and dive right in. You won't be disappointed.

Gallery: Wii remote peripheral diagrams

[Via Joystiq]

Realistic Zapper mod is impressive, also sort of scary

by Chris Greenhough { Dec 26th 2008 at 5:30PM }

Say hello to your new little friend, the "WeeP 5 Advanced Zapper," a mash-up of a toy MP5 gun and Wiimote innards (you can see the painted IR sensor just below the muzzle). The WeeP 5 is the work of Instructables user THeOReos, who was left disappointed by the range of gun shells available for the Wii (WHAAAT?!). It's just the ticket if you want your Zapper-compatible games to feel extra authentic, and we'd rather enjoy using it to drop bad dudes in Ghost Squad (though it may not suit Link's Crossbow Training).

THeOReos is confident this works well, and has posted a full step-by-step of the building process here. We lack the patience or skillz to make our own, but don't let that put you off building one and sending it to us!

Gallery: 5 Great Zapper Mods

[Via Hack A Day]

Amazon celebrates new year with savings on accessories

by David Hinkle { Dec 23rd 2008 at 7:17PM }

Those of you who still have some spare cash in your wallet at the conclusion of yet another holiday season, know that Amazon wants it. They've put all of their gaming accessories on sale, taking 10% off the price of certain items. If you were looking for that extra Wiimote (and aren't expecting it as a gift), they qualify. Or, you could just grab Wii Play with a Wiimote, if you're into that sort of thing. The Nyko Perfect Shot, the Zapper, WiiSpeak, and even Wii Wheels qualify. There's a lot to check out.

Planning on picking something up? Do it before January 10, 2009. Offer expires then.

North America also getting House of the Dead: Overkill bonus

by Chris Greenhough { Nov 24th 2008 at 11:55AM }

Click for full cover.

The House of the Dead: Overkill collector's edition bundle is one of the best preorder items we've seen in a while, so it was understandably upsetting when Sega initially revealed the package as a Europe-only bonus. You can pack that pitchfork away for another day, however, because Sega has confirmed it will be spreading the love to North America. Preorder Overkill at GameStop, GameCrazy, or Amazon, and you'll have the option to bag all of this. Yum.

Gallery: House of the Dead: Overkill

House of the Dead: Overkill gets Euro release date, Collector's Edition

by Chris Greenhough { Nov 20th 2008 at 12:50PM }

Sega will release The House of the Dead: Overkill in Europe next February, and there'll be an optional bonus at "selected retailers" for fans who preorder: this rad Collector's Edition. Arriving in a fetching minimalist slipcase (loving the authentic scuff marks), this will come bundled with a graphic novel that tells the stories of Agent Washington and Varla Gunns, and the events that lead up to the game.

Here's the downside: this sweet package has so far only been announced for PAL regions -- apart from Germany, obviously. Sucks to be Germany, eh? Hit up our gallery for a closer look at the comic's cover and a sample page.