Developed by THQ, the game mimics the experience of being on The Biggest Loser Ranch just like the TV contestants, except that you get to live in your own house and you can keep eating delicious donuts with reckless abandon — it’ll be our little secret.

Choose from 4, 8, or 12 week programs full of “structured routines with special weekly challenges, weigh-ins and eliminations” or create your own customized workout routines consisting of over 90 “upper and lower body exercises, as well as core, cardio and yoga exercises.”

While the Wii version appears to push most of the exercise stuff, the $30 DSi version (also compatible with the DS) serves more as a portable calorie counter and nutritional information system although you also get “complete exercise routines.” The Wii version is Balance Board compatible, although it’s not required.

Here’s more from the press release:

The Biggest Loser interactive fitness game is a fun and engaging way for players to get in shape and maintain their ideal fitness level. Set at The Biggest Loser ranch, players can take The Biggest Loser challenge and compete in 4, 8 or 12 week programs against former contestants from the television show, or work out with a friend to form a support system to see who really is The Biggest Loser. Players will work out to a series of structured routines with special weekly challenges, weigh-ins and eliminations, or they can even create their own workout routines. Workouts include upper and lower body exercises, as well as core, cardio and yoga exercises. Progress is documented on a calendar that keeps track of in-game achievements, upcoming training and weigh-in dates. Players can also input exercise done while not playing the video game, such as going for a walk or a bike ride.

The interactive fitness game also features 50 healthy recipes from The New York Times best-selling book seriesThe Biggest Loser to help users learn how to eat right for optimal weight loss. Throughout the Wii workout program, suggestions and tips from contestants and trainers will also help guide players as they transform their lives via diet and exercise. The video game also features an interactive calorie counter that tracks what players are eating and recommends their daily intake based on individual height and weight and fitness goals.

When paired together, the Wii and Nintendo DSi/DS products become powerful training partners with Nintendo DSi/DS serving as a portable tool. Featuring nutritional information on thousands of foods, including menu items from some of today’s most popular restaurants, users can count their calories and even get healthy recipe suggestions on the go. Players can take their ‘trainer’ with them for food and fitness tips, as well as complete exercise routines that encourage them to stick to their wellness goals no matter where they are. To find out more information on The Biggest Loser interactive fitness game, go to www.biggestloserthegame.com.

Available in North America starting today and heading to the UK and Australia “over the coming months.”

Right now the number is at 6.68 million units but with the pre-holiday shopping spree almost here, that number is likely to skyrocket. It seems that simply adding a camera and installing new software actually does spur sales. Apple is probably banking on this concept with its upcoming camera-sporting iPods, natch.

GameIndustry.biz via GoNintendo

Band Hero is coming to the Nintendo DS this fall and, yes, you’ll be able to play drums and, double yes, there will be an actual drum peripheral for your DS. Nothing too fancy, just something called the “drum grip” that fits over the DS’ buttons and D-pad. Oh, and as luck would (not) have it, the drum grip won’t work with the DSi. So there’s that.

The included guitar add-on won’t work either — apparently the DSi is just too dainty to be able to support such accoutrements. So DSi gets you DSiWare and a camera and all that good stuff, while DS Lite gets you full Band Hero peripheral support. Oh, and Beyonce!

[via Kotaku]

Disney Interactive Studios announced today that French dev Etranges Libellules has begun development of videogame adaptations of Lewis Carroll’s beloved Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass to complement Tim Burton’s upcoming film, Alice in Wonderland. The Wii, DS and PC title take place a few years after both stories in Underland and players must help Alice battle the Red Queen and Jabberwocky.

The Wii and PC titles will follow the storyline of Burton’s film while the DS version pits Alice against the Red Queen’s Army. All three titles are due out the same week as the film release. A “promo” app will be released this December with a full release for the iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Java/Brew devices in February of 2010.

BURBANK, Calif. – (July 23, 2009) – As Tim Burton and Lewis Carroll fans become curiouser and curiouser (Carroll, 1865) about Walt Disney Pictures’ upcoming “Alice in Wonderland” film, Disney Interactive Studios today announced development of video game adaptations of the beloved story. The video games, inspired by Tim Burton’s highly anticipated film starring Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Mia Wasikowska as Alice, find Alice several years after the original “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” stories. Alice in Wonderland for Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and Windows-based PC takes players on a topsy-turvy and immersive journey in Underland as Alice finds herself in a world of illusion and magic where nothing is quite like it seems. Alongside her endearing friends –Mad Hatter, March Hare, Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit – players aid Alice to defeat the Red Queen and Jabberwocky. Alice in Wonderland mobile games will begin launching later this year.

“These games fully capture the magnificent and whimsical world of Underland while experiencing key moments from the film,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “More than just a retelling of the movie, Alice in Wonderland introduces fans to an entirely new style of innovative gameplay designed to challenge the puzzle solving skills of older players while making the adventures accessible and enjoyable for the younger crowd. Innovative gameplay and distinct artistic styles on each platform gives players a range of unique and engaging experiences.”

Alice in Wonderland allows players to guide, protect and aid Alice as she journeys through the world of Underland while unraveling the game’s many twisted mysteries. Along the way, players call on a diverse and unique cast of characters such as the Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat who each have unique abilities to help evade traps and solve challenging puzzles. The Mad Hatter can help Alice alter her perception of Underland and take advantage of optical illusions to open up places in the world the player alone would not have noticed. Meanwhile, the Cheshire Cat can use his ability to make himself and objects appear and disappear helping Alice through this strange world. Players must choose wisely when using each of the characters’ powers and combine the abilities to solve more complex puzzles.

The Wii and PC versions follow the film’s epic storyline and introduce new fiction and locations. With an upgradeable combat system, players collect “impossible ideas” to replay levels and unlock Underland’s secrets. Players must carefully select the supporting characters and their abilities to defeat the numerous enemies set forth by the Red Queen and her army of cards, destroy the Jabberwocky and restore Underland back into Wonderland.

The Nintendo DS version will introduce a new twist as players guide Alice alongside her diverse and enduring friends to combat the legions of the Red Queen’s Army. Creating their own path through Underland using an oracle, players lead, protect and help Alice on her quest. The DS version features an innovative art style unique to the platform, a playable character not seen on the home console version, and unique character abilities similar to those of the Wii and PC versions. DSi players will use the system’s camera to detect colors mapped to unlockable content when tasks are completed. Also included in the DS version is DGamer, the online community exclusive to Disney gamers on Nintendo DS, allowing players to connect with others and unlock additional items in their DS game.

Developed by Etranges Libellules in France, Alice in Wonderland will be available for Wii, Nintendo DS and Windows-based PC with the same week as the film release in early 2010.

Disney Interactive Studios will also release iPhone and iTouch applications for the franchise. A promo application will release in December, 2009 with the full game releasing next year. Alice in Wonderland: The Mobile Game will take you on an upside-down, inside-out adventure on your phone. The whole world is a puzzle and players must twist and turn their iPhone to have Alice make it through Wonderland safely. Also available on Java/Brew, Android and RIM February 2010.

Band Hero is almost here to rock out on your Nintendo DS and it sounds like it’s going to be a decent adaptation. Soon you’ll be able to jam with your buds over the four-way ad-hoc network and play either the guitar, drummer, or lead vocalist. Players will be able to configure the game so if you all want to be drummers, you can. But there is one little thing that might bug some of you early adaptors.

Yeah, so Band Hero uses the GBA cartridge port. I know what you’re saying. Your brand new DSi doesn’t have a GBA port. Exactly, so you will not able able to join in on the fun. Sorry. [via joystiq]

Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey is being developed by Ludia and features 12 “magical worlds” and a multiplayer mode. I have no idea how it works, but this is how Ubisoft describes it.

In the multiplayer mode, gameplay is enhanced through a variety of power-up features where players unleash different special effects to gain an advantage over opponents or enhance their own search capabilities.

Umm. OK. Said power-ups include:

• Wacky Paint: Splatter colorful paint onto your opponent’s screen to obscure the view.
• Thunder Clap: Cast thunder onto your opponent and make the screen shake.
• Frosty: Freeze the search window by encasing it in ice.
• Sparkly: Keep your eyes on the twinkle and glitter effects to detect items.
• And many more!

Shipping this Fall for the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS is Lucas Arts’ latest installment in the Star Wars Battlefront series, Elite Squadron. Players can now engage in battle on foot and then take to the skies to continue the fight with every shot fired affecting the outcome of each battle on every front.

You’ll traverse the Star Wars galaxy as X2, a clone trooper with Jedi Master roots, who opts to give the Empire the bird and join the Rebellion. X2’s clone brother X1 decides to take his Force-sensitive self on a path of destruction that could decide both sides fate.
Elite Squadron on the PSP will support 16-player multiplayer while the DS will host up to four players in a variety of modes, including the new “Heroes and Villians” mode.

Playable characters from the Star Wars universe, include Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Kit Fisto, Darth Maul and a handful from Renegade Squadron and The Force Unleashed.

Nobody wants to read “businessy” news on a Friday afternoon on CrunchGear, so let’s keep this one short: Nintendo only had an okay year last year; this year, it expects sales to be flat. It chalks that up to a decline in the software tie-in ration for new DS and Wii consoles. That is, the sheen of Wii Sports has worn off, and people are no longer compelled to buy the four game per Wii (2 per DS) that they had.

Or, in other words, boys and girls, Ninteno won’t exactly be printing money this year. The Wii, perhaps, has peaked; it’s only flat or downhill from there.

We now return you to your non-business news afternoon.

Photo: Flickr

Earlier today at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata made it abundantly clear that his company is doing just fine despite the global recession.

When asked about discounting the cost of the Wii, he responded by saying that consumers don’t care about price if it’s on their “wish list,” which the Wii clearly is and that Nintendo has no plans to drop the price anytime soon. However, Iwata did say that it could happen down the road.

On the DSi front, Nintendo sold over 300,000 units in the first two days of going on sale in the US. The same can be said in Europe, says Iwata. It was unclear whether the following plans are meant for the DS Lite or DSi, but I’m sure they apply to both models. Sometime in the future the DS will get maps, coupons and guidance when you’re at a museum or mall.

“Convenience in life will be enhanced by having a DS,” Miyamoto said.

I really wish Miyamoto had given the GDC speech instead of Iwata.

AP

Sony has fired a peremptory strike against the Nintendo DSi, launching tomorrow. In a harshly worded letter they wrote:

If Nintendo is really committed to reaching a broader, more diverse audience of gamers beyond the “kids” market that they’ve always engaged, there isn’t much new with the DSi to support that. Significant gamer demographic groups are being ignored, and there continues to be limited opportunities for games from external publishers to do well on the DSi. Compare that with the PSP platform, where we have many blockbuster franchises from our publishing partners launching this year, representing a wide variety of genres and targeting diverse demographics. Games such as Rock Band Unplugged from MTV Games, Assassin’s Creed from Ubisoft, Dissidia Final Fantasy from Square Enix, and Hannah Montana from Disney demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the PSP. From our own first-party studios, we’re launching unique versions of LittleBigPlanet and MotorStorm, and we’re also planning a steady stream of downloadable games — both new titles and PSone classics — to add to the content that PSP owners can already purchase wirelessly through PlayStation Store.

WHOMP!

Take a look at one line in there: “there continues to be limited opportunities for games from external publishers to do well on the DSi.” What Sony is really saying is that “hey, we’re not as harsh as Nintendo when it comes to what can pop up on the DSi and what can’t! Bring us your Custer’s Revenge or Dead Rising clone with more cursing and boobs! We’ll put it in a brown box and sell the heck out of it.”

Obviously the DS is outselling the PSP 2-to-1 and Sony needs a win on the next iteration. However, it might as well push the PSP dingy out into the water to sink on her own. I doubt there will be a single game on par with anything the DSi has to offer in terms of sheer hype and popularity, even given that the DSi is for “kids.”

via AOL and Kotaku

The Health Control Game Timer (Japanese) is designed to do just that, so if you’ve found yourself bent like a tree and light-headed after a marathon Advance Wars session, this may be in order.

It plugs in like a GBA cartridge (video here), then monitors the time you’ve been playing — and how close your face is, which I guess could be problem for some. It has a little LED that flickers when it’s time to stop, and then it unceremoniously turns the thing off, never mind whether you’re in a boss battle or whatever. Lots more pictures here.

Of course, this is one of those things that only works if you want it to work, like other alarms; you can always keep hitting the snooze button. But for those of us who have lost track of time playing a game (who among us is innocent?) and just need a reminder that it’s been an hour or two (or three), this seems like a handy little accessory.

[via DVICE]

Has Nintendo finally exhausted all the momentum out of the Wii and DS? Deutsche Bank seems to think so, which earlier today downgraded its rating of the Japanese super-happy-fun company to “sell.” The logic is pretty simple: odds are this is as good as it gets for Nintendo, so investors would do well to cash out now, and collect whatever profit it is they’ve accrued over the past few years.

That’s what the financial guys will tell you, at least, and all they care about is PROFIT and GROWTH and other such words you’re most likely to hear on CNBC.

As it is, the company’s stock has been trending downward today.

As I say I’ve said in the past when it comes to all these financial stories about the games we play, look, so long as you’re happy with your system and games, there’s no need to get into a pissing match about attach rates, sales broken down by region, etc. Just enjoy yourself.

Wii
• Excitebots: Trick Racing: Excite-type fun for the whole family. Minigames!
• Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat: A Gamecube game with motion controls!
• Punch-Out!!: Could be good, but almost certainly will not break any rules.

DS

• Rhythm Heaven: Another rhythm game — big in Japan, but what isn’t, other than the iPhone?
• Personal Trainer: Walking: No comment.
• The Legendary Starfy: “Players dive into a spectacular undersea adventure with Starfy, the legendary hero of Pufftop.” Finally tapping into that under-4 demographic.

Well, it’s not all bad, but I’d say that a full 90% of the big list is fluff, franchise, and licensed games. Give me a break! Give us more MadWorld, give us more The World Ends With You, give us more Cave Story! Less Garfield games, less yearly EA crap, less Gamecube games repackaged with “New Play Control!”

At least there are folks like Atlus and Sega making some decent original content. I think I can wait to wade through the rest, though. Think I’ll give it another year before I buy into this generation.

The patent, number 6,640,086 at the U.S. Patent Office, covers “methods and systems that allow an operator to distribute messages having aural or visual content that is generated by the operator using handheld apparatuses such as mobile telephones.” I think one problem with the patent office is that the language is so generic that damn near anything can be said to infringe someone else’s patent. “A device [eyes] used to collect reflected light, which is later interpreted by a centralized processor [brain].” Sue!

The patent was granted in 2003, and the lawsuit specifically targets the Sony PSP, Nintendo DS and several of the Nokia N series phones, such as the N95. Note that the PSP and DS came out several years ago, and only now is this Texas company filing lawsuits. Smart.

It’s a little early to call the lawsuit frivolous—who actually thought Immersion had a case against Sony a few years ago?

A little bit of electronic know-how is all it takes to turn your DS into a solar powered gaming device. Captain Planet would be proud.

This Instructable should guide you through all the steps necessary to make a recharging system. The four solar panels cannot provide enough juice for constant gaming, but just enough to trickle charge the battery when not in use. Really, the system isn’t that hard to construct with just a bit of soldering and hot gluing and with the DSi coming out soon, it could be a fun project without worring about bricking your DS gaming fun forever.

The next-gen Nintendo DSi is already for sale in Japan and American gamers should get access to it within the coming months. It seems that The DS Lite Onyx might be the first of the current generation to get that axe. This comes from an internal GameStop newsletter and begs the question if other models will soon join this model.

DS Lite Onyx hardware systems have been discontinued and stores will no longer be replenished on this product. Once your store sells through its current stock of this item, please remove any empty DS Onyx display boxes (onyx color only) from the sales floor and discard. Please continue to display the other colors of the DS Lite system display boxes on the sales floor (eye level and above perimeter of DS software section, above the DS accessory section, etc)

So far only the black model has been discontinued leaving the silver, red and blue models alone on the shelves to gather dust before the DSi becomes available. We initially heard the the next-gen model was coming sometime in the summer but rumor circulated a few weeks ago stating an April 1st launch date. Maybe it was true. Fingers crossed.

Despite the current economic conditions, Americans purchased 10.17 million Wiis in the year 2008. Not only is this a huge sales figure, but it’s also the first time Americans have purchased 10 million units of a game console in a single year. The handheld DS came very close to the 10 million mark with 9.95 million units sold. Last year Nintendo moved 8.52 million DS portables. Of all game consoles sold in America, the Wii accounted for 55 percent sold while the DS took up a whopping 72 percent.

NPD data released for December and all of 2008 also included the following:

* The industry’s top 4 selling games of 2008 were: Wii Play™ at No. 1, Mario Kart™ Wii at No. 2, Wii Fit™ at No.3, and Super Smash Brothers™ Brawl, at No. 4.
* Industry annual revenues jumped 19% in 2008 over 2007, and Nintendo products were responsible for 99% of those additional retail dollars.
* Nintendo DS set another industry record for system sales in any month, with 3.04 million units sold in December.
* Wii broke its own monthly record, set in December 2007, by selling 2.14 million units last month.
* In December, Nintendo titles filled 20 of the top 30 spots on the best-seller list. Six games made for Nintendo systems placed in the top 10, including Wii Music™ for Wii (No. 9), which has now sold 865,000 units following its launch in October 2008, and Mario Kart DS for the Nintendo DS (No. 7), which has sold a total of 4.3 million units 38 months after launch.
* Activision’s Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock and Guitar Hero® World Tour, and MTV Games/EA’s* Rock Band Special Edition Bundle all sold more units on Nintendo platforms than any other platforms in 2008.
* More 3rd party units were sold for Wii than any other home consoles in December for the 2nd consecutive month.
* For the year, more than 132 million games were sold in America for play on Nintendo systems.

]]> http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/01/15/nintendo-is-the-greatest-of-all-time/feed/ 2 http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/10/book-like-nintendo-ds-to-get-you-guessed-it-books/ http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/10/book-like-nintendo-ds-to-get-you-guessed-it-books/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:40:00 +0000 Doug Aamoth http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/10/book-like-nintendo-ds-to-get-you-guessed-it-books/

Turn the Nintendo DS sideways and then open it. It’s like a book! ROFL!!! They should totally make it so you could read books on it, but they should only make 100 books available at first and it should only be available in Britain– like so.

One hundred of HarperCollins’ classic books will cost only £20 as part of an e-book test that Nintendo will be trying out in Britain starting on December 26th. Turning pages will entail a simple finger-swipe on the touch-sensitive lower (or rightmost, in this case) screen. I’d guess that the collection will come on a DS cartridge but that, if successful, Nintendo would harness the DS’ Wi-Fi chip and build an online bookstore.

It’s an okay idea, I suppose, but the fact that the DS is mostly owned by kids, has limited screen space, and doesn’t have that sweet e-ink that big boy e-book readers have might pose some challenges. It might actually take off with kids, though. Offer enough kid-friendly books and you might see them reading more often. And it might also appeal to big kids like me who own a DS but don’t want to shell out for a Kindle.

[via SlashGear]

]]> http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/10/book-like-nintendo-ds-to-get-you-guessed-it-books/feed/ 2 http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/02/nintendo-dsi-more-than-500000-sold-in-just-one-month/ http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/02/nintendo-dsi-more-than-500000-sold-in-just-one-month/#comments Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:00:01 +0000 Nicholas Deleon http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=56489 Flickr’d

Nintendo’s printing factory continues unabated! More than 500,000 DSi’s were sold last month in Japan, its first month of availability (the DSi won’t come out in North America or Europe till the first half of 2009), which suggests that gamers there are still enamored with the device.

The exact number of DSi’s sold was 535,379, from November 1 to November 30.

Add in the number of DS’s sold, including the DS Lite and original DS—note that the DSi doesn’t play GameBoy Advance games—and the total climbs to 24.2 million units.

While we’re on the subject of Nintendo DS, any of you play Chrono Trigger yet? It’s good, duh, but good enough to buy it again?

]]> http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/02/nintendo-dsi-more-than-500000-sold-in-just-one-month/feed/ 4 http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/10/30/dsdsi-incompatibilities-inconceivable-says-nintendo/ http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/10/30/dsdsi-incompatibilities-inconceivable-says-nintendo/#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:30:30 +0000 Devin Coldewey http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=51279
A DS developer, who shall remain nameless, has encountered an issue that seems odd to them. A game they are developing on works flawlessly on their DS test hardware, but crashes regularly on DSi hardware. B-but, Nintendo said “All DS titles are compatible with DSi, with the exception of those that require use of the GBA slot”! Yes, and they’re sticking to that. Unfortunately, that means no support for the poor buggers (or debuggers, I suppose) who are trying to suss out the problem with the new gear.

If a problem popped up so quickly on the radar, it doesn’t seem so unlikely that the DSi may have trouble with extant cartridges; I’m sure they designed it for compatibility, but who knows what effect the minor architecture changes and firmware tweaks have had. I’m skeptical of the DSi’s benefits anyhow, and Lites are about to drop to ridiculous prices, so I’d say buy one of those instead. Or better yet, a Super Nintendo.
[via Kotaku]

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