Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

I’ve seen these types of mini projector flashlights before, but a) they weren’t shaped like a miniature Wiimote and b) they didn’t project characters from one of the greatest video game racing franchises of all time. So if you happen to be as big a fan of Mario Kart as I am, and don’t need a pocket-friendly flashlight that’s particularly bright or useful in any way, head on over to ThinkGeek who are selling these mini projectors which are actually fully licensed by Nintendo. It seems you don’t get to choose which of the 6 characters they’ll send you (Mario, Princess, Luigi, Yoshi, Wario & Baby Mario) but at just $5.99 I don’t see how you can go wrong.

[ Mario Kart Wiimote Projector Light ]

This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

One thing that I’ve disliked about my Wii is the lack of a controller modeled after either the GameCube or N64 controller. Sure, the Classic Controller does its job well enough, but I still just can’t get used to it when playing certain games. Luckily there are third-party manufacturers such as Hori to pick up the slack.

Later this month (November 27th to be precise) will bring us teh Hori Classic Controller, which very much reminds me of my old GameCube controller. My only complaint is that it will take some time to get used to the neatly-arranged A, B, X and Y buttons, since they chose to model them after the Classic Controller. If you’re wondering about those funny buttons in the middle, they are autofire switches for each of the other buttons.You can pre-order the controller now for $29.90.

[ PlayAsia ] VIA [ GamerFront ]

This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

It’s almost always a welcome sight when a company bundles several peripherals together for sale. There are generally two exceptions to this. First, if the included peripherals don’t seem to fit together (perhaps they work on different consoles, or just don’t all appeal to the same type of gamer). The other case is when the bundle doesn’t actually save you any money. The latter would be true for this “Multi-Player Controller Set” from Nintendo.

This bundle will give you a Wiimote, Nunchuck and a Wii Wheel for $74.99 at your local retailer. However, if you were to purchase each item separately, you would only pay $74.97. Now I’m not going to argue over a couple of pennies, but usually a bundle saves you money.

[ Nintendo ] VIA [ GamerFront ]

This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

I love Black Friday. There’s really nothing like staying up all night, standing in line while it’s freezing outside. Okay so it sucks, but the deals are totally worth it. Check out this awesome deal on a Wii over at Sam’s Club.

The members-only store has offered up a $224 Wii bundle that is the best I’ve ever seen. Not only will you be getting a Wii for $25 less than usual, but you’ll also get two extra Wiimotes and Nunchucks, along with Mario Super Sluggers and King of Clubs Mini-Golf. I can’t imagine that these will last long, so you’ll want to get there really early.

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This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

There are some items that you just can’t own when you have a non-gaming spouse. This pillowcase is one of those things, it also might be bad to reveal to any new mates that aren’t quite used to such geeky fashion. If you have managed to find a gaming significant other though, you can pick up a set of these for the two of you. That or just pick up one if you’re on your loansome and don’t mind the possible adverse effects it might have when you try to bring someone home. They are made of 100% fleece, and are made to order so it’ll take about a week before it can be shipped. The single is $35 and to get a set of two pillowcases it will cost you $60.

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This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

There’s no denying that the Wii has changed the way that we play video games. Prior to the console’s release we would hold a controller with a dozen or so buttons, and simply use our thumbs to get the desired on-screen response. Sure, back in the earlier days of gaming there were fewer buttons, but it was always the same concept. Then the Wii came along and we’ve been waving controllers to swing golf clubs, shoot a bow and arrow or control any number of actions. Well the most recently-announced game for Nintendo’s flagship console plans to change things up once again.

As one could imagine, Let’s Tap requires you to tap on something. You’ll set your Wiimote on a flat surface, and then just tap away. What you’re actually doing in the game still remains a bit of a mystery. Something tells me that you won’t be doing much that couldn’t be accomplished (or be just as easy) to do by “tapping” the A button.

The game will come with its own special cardboard box that is supposed to be ideal, but I’m going to hold out for a 3rd-party box. Maybe something with custom graphics, or made out of some sort of polycarbonate material. I don’t know why, but it almost seems like a crime not to play a game on my Wii without some sort of special attachment these days.

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This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

The other day we brought you the rumor of a new Nintendo DS that would be announced today. Well it seems that the information was indeed legit, and we will be getting a new model after all. No, this won’t simply be a new color, but rather a complete redesign.

First, the new Nintendo DSi is 12% smaller than its predecessor, with larger 3.25-inch screens. Unfortunately in order to cut down on size, they had to sacrifice the GBA slot (No more Guitar Hero: On Tour for you!). Other additions include dual cameras, a 3MP one on the outside, and a VGA camera located on the hinge pointing at the user. You’ll also find internal memory and an SD card slot for extra storage, which you can use to store pictures, muisc (for playback) or games.

The new DSi  will come in matte black and matte white finishes when it hits stores in Japan on November 1st, and the rest of the world sometime next year. The price is set at around $185 (for Japan, no word on pricing elsewhere). You can see all of the details on Nintendo’s Japanese website.

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This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net

Before I upgraded to an iPhone, there were always three gadgets that went everywhere with me. My cell phone, iPod and Nintendo DS were all essential to day-to-day life. I still know several people that carry around a similar trio of gadgets, however, if the latest rumors are to be believed, you’ll be able to ditch at least one of these.

No, Nintendo isn’t branching out into the world of MP3 players, but rather integrating music playback into their already popular DS. A Japanese economic newspaper is claiming that Nintendo will be releasing a new DS which will include not only music playback, but a camera as well. Surprisingly, the new device would only cost a mere $30 more than the current Nintendo DS Lite.

While we’re still labeling this as a rumor, we do know that Nintendo is hosting simultaneous media briefings in Tokyo and San Francisco this Thursday. If a new DS really is in the works, this is where we’d most likely hear about it.

VIA [ GamerFront ]

By Andrew Liszewski

It was a little weird when Nintendo announced the upcoming GTA: Chinatown Wars for the DS, but failed to provide any screenshots of what the game would look like. I mean let’s face it, as much as I love the DS, it’s not a graphics powerhouse, and the recent titles in the GTA series owe a lot of their success and popularity to their really great 3D engine. So a lot of gamers, myself included, were worried how a game like GTA could be successfully ported to the DS.

Last week we learned that the game would use a cel-shaded 3D engine and an isometric camera angle, but finally, as of yesterday, the first screenshots of GTA: Chinatown Wars managed to leak their way online to gaming sites Nintendo Everything and Gamekyo. The game looks like a hybrid between the newer GTA titles we’ve come to love, and the older 2D overheard versions of the game that quite frankly, I still really enjoy. It will be nice when we eventually get to see some videos of the game in action and an official release date, but these screenshots have definitely made me more anxious to get my hands on it.

[ Nintendo Everything - GTA: Chinatown Wars - More screens ] & [ Gamekyo - Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars first screens ] VIA [ Kotaku ]