Link: http://www.bonafidereviews.com/review-of-the-last-airbender-wii/

Quote:
"Today for review THQ has sent me over The Last Airbender for the Wii. The game is based upon the movie of the same name. The game follows through the view of Prince Zuko whereas the movie followed Aaang, so in the game you get a different perspective on things than the movie offers. It’s something new really and not exactly a game based on a movie as one might think of when you think of movie based games. That’s a good thing as most movie based games don’t work well usually. So I’ve got a ton of screen shots and a rather long game play movie for you, along with my thoughts and impressions of the game…  "

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announces Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure and Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival, two fun and educational console videogames for preschoolers based on “Sesame Street,” the award-winning children’s television series. Available for Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and PC in fall 2010, the complementary learning games introduce “gameplay helpers” to simplify gameplay controls and make them more accessible for preschoolers with small hands and developing skills.

“Whether it’s learning the ABCs with Elmo or counting with Cookie, kids are sure to have a good time with their favorite Sesame Street friends.”

“In Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure and Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival, the youngest kids in the family and parents can learn and play video games together with their favorite characters from the much-loved and well-respected show,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Development and Production, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The games encourage early math and literacy skills that engage preschoolers in a fun and exciting way, enabling them to learn at their own pace with easy tools for parents to guide their experiences."

“We’re so pleased to offer families engaging new content that makes learning fun and easy for children,” said Scott Chambers, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Worldwide Media Distribution, Sesame Workshop. “Whether it’s learning the ABCs with Elmo or counting with Cookie, kids are sure to have a good time with their favorite Sesame Street friends.”

In Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure, kids head to the zoo with Elmo, Zoe and their animal friends, as they explore games based on a variety of literacy skills, including letter identification, letter sounds and word families. Kids can also explore exciting zoo habitats including the Aquarium, Savanna, Jungle, Wetlands and the Arctic.

In Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival, kids join Cookie Monster and Big Bird at a fun-filled carnival through gameplay steeped in math skills that include number identification, counting, shapes and pattern recognition. Kids journey through the game in the many areas of the carnival such as The Grandstand, Midway, Petting Zoo, Food Court and the Arcade.

Fun, education and accessibility combine with the unique offering of gameplay helpers, available for Wii and Nintendo DS systems at no additional charge. On Wii, the gameplay helper is a soft and fuzzy character cover with special grips that slips over the Wii Remote™, minimizing unnecessary buttons and making it easier and more fun to hold. For Nintendo DS, there is a jumbo click stylus designed for smaller hands, simplifying interaction with the touch screen.

Developed by Black Lantern Studios, Inc., the games are entertaining and intuitive, enabling preschoolers to play by themselves with minimal involvement and also offer ways for parents to help without interfering. The games feature a “Parent’s Page” where parents can review games their child has played along with relevant curriculum for each. Using this option, parents can customize up to four profiles, set functions including difficulty level and game limits.

To continue the Sesame Street experience, families can get snug as a bug with their favorite Sesame Street friends in the Warner Home Video and Sesame Workshop release Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies on DVD which streeted June 1, 2010 for $14.98 SRP. This entertaining DVD features three stories that will educate children all about insects, with celebrity appearances by Jenny McCarthy and Molly Shannon, that released just in time for summer vacation!

For more information on Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure and Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival, please visit www.SesameStreetVideogames.com.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

About Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that revolutionized children’s television programming with the landmark Sesame Street. The Workshop produces local Sesame Street programs, seen in over 140 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap including The Electric Company. Beyond television, the Workshop produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues including literacy, health and military deployment. Initiatives meet specific needs to help young children and families develop critical skills, acquire healthy habits and build emotional strength to prepare them for lifelong learning. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

About Black Lantern Studios, Inc.

Black Lantern Studios, Inc. was founded in 2003 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. Black Lantern Studios is committed to providing the highest quality, richest, and most satisfying gaming experience to its customers on the Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, XBLA, PSN, WiiWare and Nintendo Wii. Specializing in creating engaging, family-friendly games, Black Lantern has created more than forty games for players around the world.

Some of the games have a conflicting release dates, and i even found some that have release dates for this month, but were already released in March, which I didn’t include of course.

Prices are from Amazon where available, and just like the release dates, are subject to change!

Satisfashion
Release Date: April 8th 2010 (Or May 8th)
Rated: Pending
Publisher: Desinteer
Price: $19.99

Step into the world of high fashion! As young designer Grace Styles, you’ll lead the team at the Satisfashion Design House on a journey to the top of the fashion industry. Create trends with the latest fashions, hippest models and funkiest makeup. Show off your hot new looks on runways across the globe and set the fashion world on fire! With each innovative new trend you create you’ll help elevate Satisfashion to the top of the industry!

 Ilvelo
Release Date: Apr 13, 2010  (or July 13th)
Rated: Everyone
Publisher: Tommo
Price: $19.99

Nothing appears, as they seem in this whimsical shooter that takes you on a bizarre trip through the imagination. Full of color and personality, this unique title is fun for everyone and will have you laughing, guessing and entertained all at the same time!

The Road Less Traveled – Searching for the Key of Destiny will take you on a journey that leads down multiple paths, all of which contain numerous in-game items and secrets; shoot, evade and warp your way and try to figure out what’s going on in this imaginative shooter where the lines between imagination and reality are blurred

 Military Madness: Nectaris
Release Date: Apr 12, 2010
Rated: E10+ for Everyone
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Price: $ ??

Military Madness takes place in the year 2156, where the Earth has become vastly overpopulated. In an effort to preserve the population, Earth establishes lunar penal colonies to remove convicted criminals from the population. Although it’s rough treatment for the criminals, the method proves to be effective. Soon however, the prisoners begin to rise up against the minimal security detaining them on the Moon, and begin to threaten the entire planet with a weapon so powerful, it could obliterate all of the Earth’s population. The newly founded Xenos (as the prisoners refer to themselves), are determined to take revenge on the planet that cast them onto the cold lunar surface.

Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII
April 13, 2010
Rated: Teen
Publisher: City Interactive
Price: $27.99

Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII is an aerial shooter for Nintendo Wii which places players in the vanguard of Allied forces in the most crucial air battles of WWII. Featuring more than 25 historically authentic and upgradable American, British and Russian aircraft, players can choose to take command in the all-out fun of arcade mode or opt for the tactically diverse 20+ combat missions that make up the game’s simulation mode as they relive classic aerial World War II scenarios including the Battle of Britain, the Eastern Front and the battles of the Pacific theater.

The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest
Release Date: April 13, 2010
Rated: E10+ for Everyone
Publisher: Warner Brothers
Price: $49.99

The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest is an action-adventure game for Wii in which younger players are introduced to the excitement, characters and lore of J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Lord of the Rings" (LOTR). Framed in-game by the storytelling of the hobbit Sam Gamgee to his children, the game features the ability to play as the future king, Aragorn, as he fights his way through the key battles and events of the War of the Ring. Additional features include: co-op gameplay as the wizard Gandalf, multiple weapons, the ability to fight from horseback and an in-game economy that facilitates item and skill upgrades.

Pirates Plundarrr
Release Date: April 16th 2010
Rated: Pending
Publisher: Majesco
Price: $29.99

In Pirates Plundarrr, plunder the land and the waters of the Caribbean as a pirate with up to 3 of yer’ best pirate mates in a swashbuckling fantasy-adventure! That scallywag Rudebelly has stolen yer’ treasure, an ancient artifact called the Sceptre of Power, and its yer’ job to get it back. The scepter will let a man call forth plenty o’ monsters, so be prepared to fight undead creatures, other monstrosities, and dangerous bosses that ye’ll find on yer’ journey to find Rudebelly and get your booty back! Gain XP points to earn perks and level up your characters with upgrades that will cause more damage to your enemies

Monster Hunter Tri
Release Date: Apr 20, 2010
Rated: Teen
Publisher: Capcom
Price:$44.99

Monster Hunter Tri Classic Controller Bundle
Release Date: Apr 20, 2010
Rated: Teen
Publisher: Capcom
Price:  $59.99

Monster Hunter 3 (Tri) is an action role-playing game (RPG) from Capcom. The first iteration of the popular Monster Hunter franchise to make an appearance on the Wii platform, action in it revolves around quest based gameplay involving the hunting and capture of monsters as a means of character development. The game features multiple modes of co-op gameplay—both online and offline—new monsters and weapons classes, multiple controller options and Wii Speak and text chat player communication support. This bundle includes the Wii Classic Controller Pro, developed with input from Capcom.

 All Star Karate
Release Date: Apr 20, 2010
Rated: E10+ for Everyone
Publisher: THQ
Price: $19.00

The latest game in All Star video game franchise for play on Wii, All Star Karate challenges players to punch, kick and chop their way through the game with play features based on real karate moves. With optional Wii MotionPlus compatibility, the game offers a true full-body experience by allowing players to experience the life of a karate trainee who is under the guidance of a wise, but humorous sensei, and who is on the path toward attaining a black belt, the highest achievement level in karate. The game includes multiple play modes as well as 2-player multiplayer support.

Trauma Team
Release Date: April 20, 2010 (or May 18th)
Rated: Teen
Publisher: Atlus
Price: $39.99

The makers of the acclaimed medical action series Trauma Center blow the genre wide open with Trauma Team for Wii, bringing not one, but six exciting and creative gameplay modes! Play as a general surgeon, diagnostician, EMT, orthopedic surgeon, endoscope technician, or medical examiner. With improved game balance and a completely original approach to story cutscenes, Trauma Team delivers the thrills and drama of the best medical entertainment. Key Points – 6 specialists, 6 gameplay types – Try your hand at general diagnosis, where a keen, analytical mind comes in handy, or put yourself on the edge as a paramedic, where every ticking second could mean the difference between life and death! Tons of variety means everyone can find a specialty they like. – Incredible, dynamic story sequences – Taking inspiration from Japanese animation and comics, each dramatic chapter comes vividly to life with a style seen nowhere else! Hand-drawn art, innovative animation, and quality voice acting perfectly capture the intensity that sets medical action apart! – More realistic, more balanced, more fun – Taking years of experience and tons of user feedback into consideration, the Trauma Center team elevates the medical action experience with cooperative play, unlockable rewards, and selectable difficulty levels.

Flip’s Twisted World
Release Date: Apr 13, 2010
Rated: Pending
Publisher: Majesco
Price: $32.98

Flip’s Twisted World is a 3D puzzle-platformer that follows the adventures of Flip who is accidentally trapped inside a world where up and down are just a matter of perspective. By turning a magic cube, he is able to turn the entire world, opening up new paths and possibilities. Players must think “outside of the box” as they navigate the world that is literally in the palms of their hands.

Zany Golf
Release Date: April 20, 2010 (or Arpil 21st)
Rated: Pending
Publisher: Destineer
Price: $19.99

Grab your putter and head out to the mini-links for the zaniest putt-putt golf ever! Zany Golf will have everyone in your family up on their feet and swinging for a hole-in-one. Choose your favorite zany character and head out onto one of four courses, each with its own unique themes and challenges. Play through the Zany Golf tournament alone or grab some friends for some manic four-player fun.

2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
Release Date: Apr 27, 2010
Rated: Everyone
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Price: $49.95

With 2010 FIFA World Cup EA Sports celebrates the single largest sporting event on the planet with the only official and exclusively licensed video game for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Featuring all 199 national teams that took part in qualification and all 10 officially licensed stadiums to be used in South Africa, tournament creation allowing for 32 participants, and 4-player multiplayer support online and offline, 2010 FIFA World Cup is an experience not to missed by soccer fans and those new to the game alike.

Free Running
Release Date: Apr 27, 2010
Rated: Teen
Publisher: Graffiti Entertainment
Price: $49.99

Free Running is a completely unique game based on the alternative sport of Free Running, or Parkour. Free Running is the art of urban acrobatics where ‘Free Runners’ perform movements and tricks utilizing structures within urban environments. Free Running itself does incorporate techniques and movements from Parkour, but the philosophy is vastly different. Free Running allows you to go absolutely anywhere within specially designed environments. You are presented with over 60 unique challenges, within 10 levels, spread over 3 environments; Urban Jungle, Docklands and Inner City. Throughout the game you need to maintain your Flow and Sprint meters and, at the same time, be precise in your timings when you leap, jump, balance and run! The Wii version, have been enhanced and unique twists added. The physicality of Free Running has been thoroughly captured with the Wiimote and Nunchuk controllers. Flicking, pointing and swinging the controllers at the precise place at the precise time will fully immerse you into the action, drama and suspense, and once you’ve nailed the timings, performing the tricks and moves becomes second nature. The game includes 9 different single and multiplayer modes in a completely 3D, free-roaming world allowing you to go anywhere and climb anything. Featuring Free Running creator Sebastian Faucon as well as other top free runners that can be unlocked along with a variety of clothes, music, tricks and moves. Free Running is a unique game that will appeal to extreme and alternative sports fans as well as gamers in general.

Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans
Release Date: Apr 27, 2010
Rated: Pending
Publisher: Graffiti Entertainment
Price: $25.00

Follow Rassimus on his quest to become a gruesome gladiator. Explore ancient Rome and meet a host of horrible characters, play mad mini-games and fi nd out how to fi ght like a gladiator. Fight your way to the greatest duel of all in the cruel Colosseum and become Rome’s latest hero! Do you have what it takes to become the most ruthless Roman of all?

Let’s Play Garden
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Rated:Everyone
Publisher: Deep Silver
Price: $19.99

Have your own garden and invite your friends over to play

The Cages: Pro Style Batting Practice
Release Date: Apr 27, 2010
Rated: Everyone
Publisher: Konami
Price: $29.99

Get off the pine, grab your favorite bat – or Wiimote – and step into the batter’s box. Take your hacks against the smartest pitching machine around. Step your game up using The Cages then use your newfound skills to dominate your friends in small batting mini-games. The Cages pitching machine will dish out a pitches to mirror like fast balls, cut fast balls, 12-6 curves, sliders, off-speed pitches and more! Take your new found skills and compete against your friends in home run competitions or challenge yourself by challenges that require to spray the ball to all areas of the field. The Cages will help players to hone their hand-eye coordination and put them on track to be a digital hitting menace!

Activision Publishing , GameMill Publishing, Inc., and Cepia LLC today announced the release of Zhu Zhu Pets(TM) for Nintendo DS, based off of the cuddly "Toy of the Year"-winning hamsters. The initial shipment of the game includes a Collectors’ Edition baby hamster named Baxter and is available while supplies last.

"Zhu Zhu Pets for Nintendo DS is arriving at a great time for the property," said David Oxford at Activision Publishing. "After winning ‘Toy of the Year’, everyone is eager to see the next phase of their favorite toy."

Gary Miller, President, GameMill Publishing, added, "This game delivers loveable hamsters, fun adventures and everything that Zhu Zhu Pets fans will love to play."

a few screenshots and the rest of the PR after the break..

"The Zhu Zhu Pets ‘Zhu-niverse’ is growing exponentially and fans are having a lot of fun with each evolutionary step," said Natalie Hornsby, Vice President of Marketing, Cepia LLC. "We are extremely pleased to take this first step in our partnership with GameMill and Activision."

Zhu Zhu Pets for Nintendo DS allows players to care for and play with their favorite hamsters, including Mr. Squiggles, Num Nums and Chunk. Players can lead their hamsters through more than 30 twisty, loopy levels on a skateboard, in a car or spinning in a hamster ball. After so much adventure, hamsters are sure to get tired and hungry and will need lots of care and love. Players can to make sure their hamsters get snacks, exercise, sleep and lots and lots of love!

Zhu Zhu Pets was the best-selling toy last holiday season and recently won three industry awards at the 10th annual Toy Industry Association Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards, including the 2010 "Toy of the Year," "Girl Toy of the Year" and "Innovative Toy of the Year."

Zhu Zhu Pets for Nintendo DS is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is now available for Nintendo DS at the retail price of $29.99. For more information visit www.activision.com or www.gamemillpublishing.com.

About GameMill Entertainment

GameMill Entertainment is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. GameMill is a third party publisher of various Children’s and Casual games for the PC, Nintendo DS, and Wii from Nintendo. With development across the globe, GameMill is a source of entertaining and fun games for all ages. www.game-mill.com

About Zhu Zhu Pets

Zhu Zhu Pets are innovative, realistic, interactive, plush, and artificially intelligent hamsters that talk and move around in their own playsets. Zhu Zhu Pets include two play modes: nurturing mode where the hamsters coo and purr and adventure mode where the hamsters explore their habitat with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to various habitat stimuli. Add-on accessories can be purchased to build an ever-evolving habitat for your pet to play in and explore. Zhu Zhu Pets expands in product line with the addition of Zhu Zhu Rock Stars, Zhu Zhu Wild Bunch and Kung Zhu, the first Zhu Zhu Pets specifically designed to appeal to boys. Powered by 2 AAA batteries (included), both Zhu Zhu Pets and Kung Zhu are suitable for ages 4 and up. For more information, please visit www.zhuzhupets.com.

About Cepia LLC

Headquartered in St Louis, Mo., Cepia LLC is a privately held company that manufactures toys and games for children of all ages. The company was founded on the premise that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Ingenuity, creativity, playfulness, and passion are the heart of Cepia and everything it creates. Cepia’s toy building enterprises include: Glo-e, a light-up plush bear, Hydro Max, a motorized water blaster, Sky Raptors, and their newest venture Zhu Zhu Pets. Zhu Zhu Pets has become an international sensation by combining realistic interaction with a fun, imaginative, interactive play design. Zhu Zhu Pets, their Zhu-niverse of accessories, and other toys from Cepia LLC are sold globally through national chain retail outlets and independent toy stores. For more information, please visit www.cepiallc.com.

About Black Lantern

Black Lantern Studios, Inc. is an independent interactive entertainment software developer for consoles and the PC. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Black Lantern Studios is committed to providing the highest quality, richest, and most satisfying gaming experience to its customers, and delivering value to its publishers and partners. For more information about Black Lantern Studios, please visit www.blacklanternstudios.com or e-mail info@blacklanternstudios.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing’s ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing’s products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology, industry standards and consumer preferences, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors and third-party developers, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, and the other factors identified in the risk factors section of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

©2009 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Web Site: http://www.activision.com/

The words “professional scuba diver” and “marine biologist” might not appear anywhere on your résumé, but thanks to an extraordinary new software title from Nintendo, people from all walks of life can enjoy an exhilarating undersea adventure without so much as a swimming lesson. Launching Feb. 22 exclusively for the Wii^™ system, the game Endless Ocean^™: Blue World takes Nintendo’s unique ocean simulation series to the next level, with new features and story elements that create a mesmerizing aquatic odyssey for players of any age or experience level.

 

 

“Endless Ocean: Blue World gives Wii owners the chance to take a round-the-world vacation from the comfort of their living rooms”

 

Endless Ocean: Blue World features an original story that players can follow as they choose. The plot involves Oceana, a girl who investigates the “Song of Dragons,” which her father, a prominent ocean explorer, sought before his death. Players can advance the story by exploring the game’s stunning underwater environments at their own pace.

“Endless Ocean: Blue World gives Wii owners the chance to take a round-the-world vacation from the comfort of their living rooms,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “With exotic locations and hundreds of new marine animals to encounter, the game’s adventures are as vast as the ocean itself.”

Two years ago, the original Endless Ocean invited Wii owners to embark on a relaxing, richly immersive dive through undersea environments filled with fascinating marine animals and plant species. Endless Ocean: Blue World dives even deeper with more captivating creatures, enhanced graphics, an engaging new story and support for the optional Wii Speak^™ microphone, which allows players with a broadband Internet connection to chat with friends near and far who also have the Wii Speak accessory/microphone while they play and explore the ocean depths.

As they investigate marine environments in regions around the globe, players can access information about the habits and behaviors of hundreds of sea creatures, from tiny seahorses to tanker-sized whales. They can also interact with creatures in interesting ways, such as viewing the health status of local fish. A new Pulsar tool sends waves of healing energy to ailing animals or calms aggressive sharks and crocodiles. Players also can train dolphins at the scenic Nineball Island and even grab onto them for a speedy undersea dive. For deeper interactive kicks, divers can sell salvaged items and use the dividends to buy coral that will attract new species to their own customized reefs.

With a broadband Internet connection, Endless Ocean: Blue World becomes a one-of-a-kind social experience. Using Nintendo^® Wi-Fi Connection, two players with their own individual game discs can connect wirelessly and join up for a cooperative dive. Players with Wii Speak microphones can talk to each other in real-time as they navigate the watery depths in search of rare species or hidden treasure. To facilitate this undersea chatter, Endless Ocean: Blue World is available bundled with the Wii Speak microphone at a suggested retail price of just $29.99, a great value that’s sure to set explorers of all ages off on new adventures.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

For more information about Endless Ocean: Blue World, visit www.endlessocean.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii^™, Nintendo DS^™ and Nintendo DSi^™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System^™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.3 billion video games and more than 558 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy^™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES^™, Nintendo 64^™ and Nintendo GameCube^™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario^™, Donkey Kong^™, Metroid^™, Zelda^™ and Pokémon^™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.Nintendo.com.

I haven’t got this game yet, but I’m going to… not that I have time anyway to even play it..

This is our first review, it took a while but I finally got around to getting it done. It’s a game that I had high hopes for but just fell flat truly.

For review today I have JU-ON: The Grudge : Haunted House Simulator. This game is loosely based on the movies of the same name, and their original Japanese counterpart. I like horror and the Grudge was a decent scary movie so I was a bit excited about a game based on it. The basic idea is that you play one of the characters in the game, it’s sort of a first person shooter, but there’s not shooting involved, you’ve got a flashlight and that’s it. The game takes place in different locations with you trying to escape with your life basically in each one. it does have some actual scary moments where you’ll jump, but the controls are horrid to the point that the game is no long any fun.

Game Info:

Title: JU-ON: The Grudge : Haunted House Simulator

Publisher: XSEED Games

Release Date: October 13, 2009

MSRP: $29.99

UPC: 853466001223

It is said that when a person dies with a deep and burning grudge, a curse is born. When an average housewife in Nerima, Japan, was murdered in a grisly fashion, it gave rise to a curse so powerful that it threatens to kill at a pace thought unimaginable before.

The curse manifests on those who encounter the curse by any means, such as entering the house or being in contact with somebody who was already cursed. Once Erika Yamada is exposed to the curse while searching for her dog in an abandoned warehouse, the entire Yamada family is put in grave danger as soon as she reunites with them at home. They must now face their individual challenges alone, and only by overcoming the curse together will their family truly be free again.

Using the Wii Remote as a flashlight, JU-ON: The Grudge has players move forward with the touch of a button and explore haunted areas such as an abandoned warehouse, a dimly-lit hospital, and a mannequin factory. Much like a haunted house, the player must proceed forward even after being frightened and running away from the initial threat. As much fun as it is to get scared, sometimes it’s even more fun to watch others play to observe their reactions. For instant gratification, grab a second Wii Remote and push buttons to make in-game events happen immediately to make the player jump and hate you forever.

First Impressions, Look and Feel:
The entire screen is the view of the game with the exception of little battery icons in the bottom left corner. The only thing you’ve got in the game is a flashlight and you’re limited to batteries so you’ll have to find more as you explore the game. The screenshots in this review are from the Abandoned Hospital level.

You wake up in the hospital to find everyone else is gone. From there you’ll have to explore and try not to get killed basically. It’s a simple premise that is the basis of all of the levels, exploring with your flashlight and fining batteries is about all there is to it.

The girl and the little boy from the movies both make appearances in the game, but the girl is the one that seems the most dangerous.

The are several jump or scary moments in the game and it’s better to play the game in the dark. I played it on my 47” HDTV in 480P mode, such a large screen like this does make the game more enjoyable. Playing it on a small screen would just not be enjoyable at all I think.

Here’s the opening cinematic:

Graphics:
The graphics aren’t that bad, but they aren’t great either. Yes it’s the Wii so it’s not Xbox caliber graphics, but I’ve seen some very nice graphics done on the Wii and these could have been much better. You’re supposed to be exploring this world or area in the game but everything is flat and pixellated making it look very unrealistic. The graphics detract from the game feeling overall really.

Since it’s a horror game everything is dark, very dark really. That’s part of the charm though of a haunted house, being in the dark just seems to make things more scary.

Controls: 
Ju-On The Grudge could have been a great game, it’s got a good premise and idea behind it but the game falls apart truly at this point, the controls are just horrible. The delay between moving the remote and when it actually happens on the screen is a few seconds. It’s amazing that a game could be sold to the public with controls that are this bad truly.

The Wii remote does come into use in more than just movement. There are times when you’ll have to do certain movements to get something done like moving in a direction, or trying to keep it in a circle. I don’t quite get the idea of keeping the X in the circle to avoid being seen though..

The MotionPlus attachment has been out for a while and this game could have been much improved if they had utilized it in this game.

Your character moves so slow in the game it’s pitiful actually, a turtle could easily run right by you. The slow speed of the game though is how they get it to last for so long. The slow speed is agonizing really especially when you’ve got to double back and get a key for a locked door you’re just come across, or you find the key and then have to go back to where the door is.

Turning is the game is just as bad, you’ll turn left and end up looking at the ceiling or you’ll do a complete 360 turn and by right back where you started. It’s just horrible truthfully.

Videos/Screenshots: 

Here’s a few screen shots and then a couple videos to finish this up:

Videos:

Conclusion:
Ju-On The Grudge could have been a great game really. It’s got a good idea behind it but the execution is what’s really scary about this game.

The controls are just amazingly horrible, the very first games on the Wii had funky controls, but even they weren’t this bad. You’d think after all this time companies could have figured out how to program for the Wii controls.

It does have some scary moments yes, but they aren’t worth the trouble of actually playing the game.

I’d like to see this game re-done, it has the potential to be a great game.

I’m sure the owners of the Ju-On franchise are not very happy that they lent their name to this piece of junk game…

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Disclosure: This product was given to Wii Digest for review by the company for review purposes only, and is not considered by us as payment for the review, we do not, and never will, accept payment from companies to review their products. This product may have also been bought by us for review purposes and does not influence the review.

Consumers nationwide continue to snap up Nintendo products for the holidays, and Nintendo is poised to carry that momentum into 2010. Dozens of games for the Wii^™, Nintendo DS^™ and Nintendo DSi^™ systems are on the way in a wide range of categories from both Nintendo and its third-party partners.

To bring a little color to the winter months, Nintendo will release two new colors for its Wii Remote^™ controller. Starting Feb. 14, the controller will come in Pink or Blue and will be bundled with a Wii MotionPlus^™ accessory. Along with the current White and Black versions of the controller, now every player in four-player matches can have his or her own color.

“During the holidays, tens of millions of Americans are going to spend enjoyable hours with both Wii and Nintendo DS,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “And the enjoyment will only grow in the early weeks of 2010, whether your taste in gaming comes from exploring ocean depths, catching, training and battling Pokémon or even designing your own micro-games.”

On the Wii console, Endless Ocean^™: Blue World arrives on Feb. 22 to provide players with an adventurous and educational experience, complete with underwater exploration, an adventurous storyline and Wii Speak^™ compatibility. This January also sees the highly anticipated release of Tatsunoko VS. Capcom^™: Ultimate All-Stars. Available exclusively on Wii, this new VS. series fighting game features global online game play for those who have access to a broadband Internet connection.

On the portable side, Nintendo’s hand-held systems will see the arrival of a number of diverse games, including the eagerly awaited Pokémon^™ HeartGold Version and Pokémon^™ SoulSilver Version on March 14. Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version allow fans to return to the scenic Johto region first introduced in the beloved Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver games. The games have been fully enhanced with rich graphics, updated sound, new touch-screen controls and much more.

On March 28, WarioWare D.I.Y.^™ lets users design their own micro-games from scratch and share them with other WarioWare D.I.Y. owners via a broadband Internet connection and Nintendo^® Wi-Fi Connection. Every element, such as the characters, the environment, the actions and even the purpose of the micro-game itself, can be created entirely by the player. Also on March 28, hungry gamers can dig into America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking, which gives family members the chance to prepare 300 different dishes together. All of the recipes and the how-to videos in the game were created by the popular public television show America’s Test Kitchen.

On Jan. 18, Glory of Heracles^™ introduces U.S. role-playing fans to the popular Japanese franchise. The game is inspired by Greek mythology and written by Kazushige Nojima of Final Fantasy fame. The traditional role-playing game features an engrossing story and a robust battle system.

Below is a partial list of upcoming packaged and downloadable games for the Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems. Note that game titles and launch dates are subject to change.

Remember that Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about Nintendo, visit www.nintendo.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii^™, Nintendo DS^™ and Nintendo DSi^™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System^™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.2 billion video games and more than 535 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy^™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES^™, Nintendo 64^™ and Nintendo GameCube^™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario^™, Donkey Kong^™, Metroid^™, Zelda^™ and Pokémon^™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.