By Evan Ackerman

As if having to wave your arms around while playing Nintendo Wii games wasn’t hard enough, those Riiflex Wii weights that we heard about nearly a year ago are finally up for sale. Each weight adds two pounds to the already hefty burdens of the Wiimote and nunchuk, which last time I checked, was a lot for someone who’s used to stationary gaming and looks forward to games that don’t require any movement at all.

The Riiflex cases are ergonomic and are made of soft rubber (which sadly doesn’t make them any lighter), and you can get a set on Amazon in that ugly green color for $30.

[ Riiflex ] VIA [ Gizmodo ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Man, it’s a good thing that Microsoft managed to snag that exclusive deal with Netflix back in August of last year. Otherwise PS3 and Wii owners might have the same access to the rental giant’s instant streaming library. What’s that, the PS3 already has it, and it’s just been announced for the Wii? Never mind then.

That’s right folks, despite whatever deal Microsoft snagged with Netflix, Nintendo has just announced that they will also offer the ability to stream Netflix movies to the Wii. As with the PS3, a special disc will be required in order to use this functionality, leading me to again believe that Microsoft’s “exclusive” deal technically only prevented the other companies from installing the software directly onto their consoles.

The discs will begin shipping out sometime this Spring, but you can sign up for them now. Aside from the minimum $8.99 unlimited streaming plan from Netflix you will not have to pay any additional costs. Again the trade-off is having to use a disc every time or paying for an Xbox Live subscription, personally I don’t mind popping the disc in my PS3.

There is one small drawback to using the service on the Wii, as opposed to the other two consoles. Since Nintendo’s console doesn’t output in HD, you will obviously be limited to watching movies in SD.

[ Netflix ] VIA [ Cnet ]

Yep, another one to add to the ridiculous Wii accessories list. This time it’s a 1:1 scale Heckler & Kock MP5 that Pocket-lint spotted at a trade show in Hong Kong. The controller was made by a Chinese company, and instead of having to find a place to stick your Wiimote and Nunchuck, the machine gun contains all of that functionality, as well as MotionPlus and a rechargeable battery, built-in. There’s no word on pricing or availability just yet, but the version pictured above with the orange tip was supposedly created for the US market so it wouldn’t look real or anything.

[ Pocket-lint - Wii gets custom-made Heckler and Koch MP5 controller ]

By Shane McGlaun

I spent many (many, many) a lazy summer day in my youth playing Punch Out on the Nintendo. There seemed to have been a Punch Out underground at the time. Everyone knew someone, who knew someone that knew a trick to beating the various fighters in the game, but no one knew the person who found the tricks directly.

Punch Out for the Nintendo Wii launched officially yesterday, and the game sounds like a workout. Like Wii Sports boxing, the game uses the Nunchuck and Wii remote to allow players to actually punch. The game can also utilize the balance board to let players duck and weave. If you are the type of gamer who likes to be slovenly, the game can be played with a classic controller as well.

Several play modes are offered in addition to the fight your way to the top mode we all know and love including multiple player and defend your title mode. In the defend your title you start at the top and have to fight the cast of characters with their weaknesses hidden. For instance, Glass Joe wears headgear and King Hippo hides his belly with a manhole cover. I wonder if the old Punch Out underground will reopen to pass on the tricks to beating the fighters in the new modes.

[ Punch Out ]

By Shane McGlaun

If you have never played Spore on the PC or Wii you are missing one of the coolest video games of all time. The original Spore lets players build their own creature and evolve it by adding new parts from a single cell organism to a creature, then to a space faring race.

EA has announced that two new Spore titles are coming to the Nintendo platforms this fall. The Wii will get Spore Hero and the DS will get Spore Hero Arena. Spore Hero lets players create their own hero with over 250 parts and unique abilities. Players complete puzzles and missions to save their planet as they upgrade their character.

Spore Hero Arena is an arena combat game for the Nintendo DS platform that allows players to create a gladiator hero and take them on a tour of the galaxy fighting other heroes. Special missions and wins will unlock new parts to upgrade the hero. Multiple players gaming over Wi-Fi is also supported.

[ Spore

By Shane McGlaun

After being on the market for a long time the Nintendo Wii is finally reaching the level of availability where you can walk into a retail store and find the console sitting on the shelves. The Wii has some great sports games like the Tiger Woods golf game that are very fun with the Wii controls.

EA has announced that it is moving the launch date of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 game and the Grand Slam Tennis for the Wii to June 8. Wii fanatics may recognize June 8 as the day the Wii MotionPlus accessory is set to launch.

Both the EA Sports titles will be available with the game along for $49.99. However, for $10 more players can opt to buy either title in a bundle that includes the Wii MotionPlus accessory. If you want either of these sports games, that $59.99 bundle will get you about a $10 savings towards the normal retail price of the MotionPlus accessory.

[ EA Sports ]

By Shane McGlaun

I am a big fan of Spore. The game is way cool and very original. I have spent lots of time playing it on the PC and begin able to grow your own creature from a single cell organism into an intergalactic civilization is too cool.

EA has announced that since the Spore Creature Creator launched in June of 2008 players have created and up loaded about 100 million creations. Out of that massive number, EA says that 31,017,761 of them are creatures. That means that the Spore universe has about 19 times as many creatures as the Earth. At least until we find the cave entrance into the dinosaur realm in the center of the Earth, obviously.

EA is also getting ready to launch an official expansion pack to the Spore game for PC and Mac called Spore Galactic Adventures on June 23. New games for the Wii and Nintendo DS will also be released. The Wii game is Spore Hero and the DS game is called Spore Hero Arena. The Wii and DS titles will launch this fall.

[ Spore ]

By Shane McGlaun

Until Nintendo announced its Wii game console, sitting around playing with your Wii had decidedly negative connotations to it. Thankfully, today you can call up your friends and ask them to come play with your Wii and they will happily come over. Nintendo is set to launch new accessories and games this summer that many have been waiting for.

Nintendo has announced that the new MotionPlus accessory and Wii Sports Resort are going to be available for purchase this summer. The MotionPlus accessory will be available on June 8 for $19.99. The accessory adds accuracy to the motion detecting Wii Remotes. I wonder if we will see future Wii remotes simply get the MotionPlus tech built-in.

I think that the most fun game for the Wii is the Wii Sports title that it came with. A sequel to the original called Wii Sports Resort is coming this summer that will take full advantage of the MotionPlus accessory and allow players to enjoy new sports. Among the new sports in the game are water scooter riding, sword fights, and Frisbee throwing. The game will sell for $49.99 and the exact release date is unknown.

[ Nintendo ]

By Shane McGlaun

The Nintendo Wii makes for a much more involved video game experience than competing consoles. Some games like boxing are as much of a workout as Wii Fit. The popularity of the console for people looking for a fun exercise platform is undeniable with the Wii fit game being at the top of many sales charts.

For Wii Fit fanatics looking to get more from their workouts a new product will be shipping soon called the Riiflex dumbbells. The dumbbells are cut out to hold the Wii remote and nunchuck while you play games.

Two different weights are available with a pair of two pounds dumbbells selling for $34.95 starting this summer. Later a pair of four pound weights will be offered for $39.95. The dumbbells were announced earlier this year, but pricing and an estimated ship date were unknown at that time.

[ Riiflex ]

By Jonathan Kimak

Rock Band 2 for the Wii is just one month away and since I don’t have a 360 but do have a Wii I’m rather excited about the release. Even better is the news from Harmonix, makers of RB2 for the Wii. If you have the Wii guitar from Guitar Hero III you will be pleased to know that it will work with RB2.

And chances are a lot of Wii owners did get Guitar Hero III instead of the original Rock Band that was stripped of many features in its conversion for the Wii. So if you’re a guitar only player you can save some money by just getting the Rock Band 2 game. Or get the whole package and have an extra guitar on hand.

Either way I’m looking forward to the release for the Wii, November 18.

[ Harmonix ] VIA [ Wii Fan Boy ]