New Super Mario Bros for Wii. Looks awesome. What say yee?

HUELEN10 suggested that the family purchase some games on the Wii Shop Channel, which requires a credit card. Later on, HUELEN10 received a phone call from the mother of the family explaining how her Wii no longer worked. When asked why, the mother explained that she had shoved three credit cards into the Wii disc slot thinking she had to pay for the Shop Channel games by physically using her credit card.

Seriously, did the kids not even realize how to use the console? The whole family is an epic fail. I feel bad for HUELEN10, the mother expects him to pay Nintendo to repair the Wii. There is no way I would pay for this woman’s stupidity. After all, the Wii does comes with a user manual.

Source: neogaf.com/forum; Fail & More Fail: GAF Tells REAL Stupid Owner Stories.

The update is compared to “the shift from Game Boy to Game Boy Advance.”  The hardware updates are rumored to include features such as high definition visuals, backwards compatibility, and either an internal hard drive or high capacity flash memory.

IBM and AMD currently have a joint development agreement to supply the hardware technology to the Wii console.  The joint agreement expires in 2011, so it is expected that the two companies will be involved in the next generation Wii console.

There is no anticipation of an official announcement for “Wii HD” until at least 2009.  Although some light may be shed this week when company president Satoru Iwata gives his annual fall presentation.

Source: What They Play; New Wii due by 2011

According to NPD Group, more than 514,000 portable Nintendo DS systems sold in the United States, bringing the lifetime U.S. total to nearly 22 million, and more than 448,000 Wii consoles sold in the United States, bringing the lifetime U.S. total to nearly 12 million and extending its lead as the best-selling video game console of this generation.

Five games made for Nintendo systems placed in the top 10 best-selling games of the month, including Wii Fit at No. 4 with nearly 395,000 sold, Mario Kart at No. 5 with nearly 329,000 sold, Wii Play at No. 6 with more than 200,000 sold, Madden NFL 09 All-Play for Wii at No. 9 with nearly 116,000 sold and Guitar Hero: On Tour for Nintendo DS at No. 10 with more than 111,000 sold.

“The positive public response to Nintendo DS and Wii has stayed strong throughout 2008,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “New titles like Madden NFL 09 All-Play for Wii have joined top 10 veterans like Wii Fit, demonstrating the wide and long-lasting appeal of Nintendo games.”

Source: Gonintendo; Mega Man 9 – first footage

NCAA Football 09 All-Play
Release Date: July 15, 2008

NCAA Football 09 All-Play debuts on the Wii in July with stylized gameplay that is quick and easy for fans to jump in and out of great head-to-head action. The game features All-Play controls, a multiplayer social experience that allows novice users to compete against advanced players and still enjoy success. All-Play controls are designed for the more novice fans, but also feature a traditional default setting for the more seasoned veterans. NCAA Football 09 All-Play features nearly 200 schools, making it the most authentic college sports gaming experience available for the Wii.

Madden NFL 09 All-Play
Release Date: August 12, 2008

Madden NFL 09 All-Play features fun, approachable and innovative gameplay by unleashing the power of the Wii Remote through the all-new EA SPORTS Call Your Shots feature. Call Your Shots allows the player to create his or her own plays on the fly and direct receivers where they should run. Gamers of all skill levels can also enjoy an all-new fast paced 5on5 mode which has a reduced field length and big head NFL players. Experienced Madden players or rookies to the game can utilize the all-new play calling system. No matter the skill level, players can be competitive with three playbooks to choose from, ranging from Easy to Advanced.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 All-Play
Release Date: August 26, 2008

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 09 All-Play features personalized coaching from Tiger Woods’ personal coach, Hank Haney and all types of gamers can pick up this game and have a fun and challenging experience. Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 All-Play features new graphics and user interface while also incorporating interactive and social mini-games. The standing swing control, the most “true to life” golf mechanic you can find in any videogame, truly takes advantage of the Wii console’s unique control scheme. The game will also feature online play for the first time with Simultaneous Online Play that allows up to four players the ability to play each hole at the same time.

NBA LIVE 09 All-Play
Release Date: October 7, 2008 (North America); October 14, 2008 (Worldwide)

Step onto the court and into the fun with a unique basketball experience designed exclusively for the Wii. NBA LIVE 09 All-Play offers more action, more often, with an over-the-top basketball experience designed with everyone in mind. Improved responsiveness and more control options make this game easier and more fun to play than ever before.

FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play
Release Date: October 14, 2008

Step onto the pitch and play a unique soccer experience exclusively for the Wii. Enjoy FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play one of two ways—a Wii-specific take on the classic ‘11 vs. 11’ simulation or over-the-top ‘8 vs. 8’ arcade action. Play with your Mii™ alongside your heroes Ronaldinho, Wayne Rooney and other soccer stars created as customized characters in an arcade version of the beautiful game. Steal the ball and make outrageous shots by simply waving your Wii Remote. You’ve never played soccer like this before! Plus, play Footii Party Games called Table Soccer and Boot It for more great fun with family and friends.

WiiWare frees developers from the traditional constraints of video game development. WiiWare lets developers experiment with big ideas and small budgets to the benefit of players everywhere. Newer, smaller teams now have an outlet for their creative ideas. The constantly growing WiiWare library will have a regular flow of unique video gaming experiences consumers might not otherwise have access to.

“WiiWare is to the video game industry what independent films are to Hollywood,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “WiiWare lets developers experiment with new ideas and experiences. Combined with our collection of classic Virtual Console games, Wii provides one-stop shopping for the greatest games of the past – and the future.”

WiiWare games can be downloaded via Wii Shop Channel with Wii Points.

The inaugural lineup of WiiWare games includes:

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King™ (Square Enix, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,500 Wii Points): FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King takes a legendary franchise and launches it into the realm of simulation gaming. Players are challenged to rebuild a kingdom, leading its young king on a path of discovery through an adventure bristling with mystery and intrigue.

LostWinds™ (Frontier Development, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): A fresh, enchanting platform adventure that puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand – from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze. You’ll wield your Wii Remote™ controller to power Toku’s jumps and glides, suspend and smash enemies, meet friends and solve puzzles using LostWinds’ novel, intuitive and playful control system.

Defend your Castle™ (XGen Studios, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Defend your Castle takes place on a grassy plain surrounded by invaders. You are the commander of your castle, and it is your duty to fling the invading enemies sky-high, watching them plummet to their demise. As you progress, add powerful spells and upgrades to your arsenal for repelling the attacks. How long can you hold them off?

Pop™ (Nnooo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Pop bubbles to score points and stop the timer from running out. Pop can be enjoyed by anyone – casual gamers can simply play to pop bubbles and keep the game moving, whereas advanced players will need to pick their shots rapidly and accurately and generate combos to maximize their score.

V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack™ (High Voltage Software®, Inc., 1-4 players, Rated T for Teen – Simulated Gambling, 700 Wii Points): V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack re-creates the casino experience, with fully animated players and a realistic Las Vegas dealer. Single players can increase their bankrolls, while multiple players can engage in a head-to-head mini-blackjack tournament.

TV Show King (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): TV Show King transforms your living room into a real TV quiz show studio where you’ll face the challenge of answering more than 3,000 questions across six different categories. Compete against family and friends and use your Wii Remote controller in original ways to make it to the finals to see who can win the greatest amount of cash in one final, deciding duel.

Nintendo is also projected an increase in projected shipments of the Wii console. For the fiscal year that began April 1, 2008, Nintendo forecasts global Wii console shipments increasing to 25 million.

Nintendo also forecasts shipment of 177 million Wii software units for FY09, while the FY08 shipment was 119.6 million units. Through March 31, 2008, Wii enjoys a life-to-date tie ratio of 6.07 games per system worldwide.

Nintendo also finished with the top-selling U.S. game of March. Super Smash Bros.® Brawl, which launched March 9, came in at No. 1 with 2.7 million units sold.

“Nintendo systems represented 58 percent of all video game hardware sold in March in the United States,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “We expect our momentum to continue with big upcoming game launches like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit.”

Other March U.S. statistics, according to NPD, include:

• Three Wii games finished in the top 10, including Super Smash Bros. Brawl at No. 1, Wii Play™ at No. 4, and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock at No. 7.
• Nintendo DS has now sold more than 19 million units in the United States alone since it launched in November 2004.