Sometime around 3 pm on Monday, I finally got my copy of Smash Brothers Brawl into my Wii. Aside from a brief break to cook dinner for my wife, I spent a solid six hours with the game. Since there is only one of me, I dedicated my time to the one player options today. Sure, I could have spent some time messing around with computer opponents, but I’ve already made plans to spend tomorrow evening with a few good buddies to test out the multi-player action, so why bother? I’ve torn myself away from the game to offer you my very first impressions, in my usual scattershot fashion. I’ll be back tomorrow with my multi-player first impressions. Give me a week and I’ll give you a full on review.

Here we go, in no particular order: (beware, Spoilers after the jump)

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Wow, here we are with an exclusive for Wii Centre as we talk to one of Animal Crossings busiest ladies–Gretchen Gruntch–and get all the fashion gossip Trinny and Sussanah style as she comes to us live from the red carpet of the First Annual Nintendo Game Fashion Awards.

Hi sweeties! Gretchen Gruntch here live blogging for Wii Centre from the 1st Annual Nintendo Game Fashionista Awards. I’ll be treading the red carpet will some of your favorites and calling them out on their fashion faux pas. That isn’t to say they all dress badly my dahlings, but some of them, my word, it’s like they just rolled over in their laundry hamper before stepping out of the door.

Okay dahlings let’s get to it shall we, so much fashion, so little time….

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I still remember when the Revolution became the Wii and even in my evil mature female gamer mind, there was a silly giggle as I pictured myself playing with my Wii or going into a game store to ask for a Wii controller.Since then I’ve come to love the name and all it entails, especially the pure evil of the Nintendo Wii. What, you never noticed anything evil with the Wii, are you kidding me? You just need to look a little harder. The big boys might have all the blood and gore covered with more realistic graphics, but the Wii has it covered when it comes to pure evil.

Maybe it’s just because I’m an evil girl gamer… seriously I’m like treasurer of the EGA–that’s Evil Gamers Association for those not in our super secret society, a society so secret even Tom Cruise isn’t a member, I kid you not… he really isn’t.

So let’s take a look at some Wii evil shall we (or as we in the EGA refer to them Wiivil).

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Step onto your Wii Balance Board or grab your Wii Remote and Nunchuk and hit the fresh powder as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., announces We Ski, an exciting skiing game for Wii. Now up to four skiers can experience the sweetest mountain runs in the comfort of their homes as We Ski’s highly responsive and intuitive controls take them down the slopes like never before. We Ski will slalom into stores in Spring 2008.

If you are thinking this sounds like Family Ski, you’re right, it is the same title, just with a different name. “We are thrilled to be the first publisher to offer a realistic and enjoyable skiing experience that can also support the new Wii Balance Board,” said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “NAMCO BANDAI is working to entertain both casual gamers and hardcore enthusiasts with a recreation of a beloved sport and pastime.”

In We Ski, up to four skiers can test their skills on more than a dozen runs from the bunny slopes to the most challenging Black Diamonds. Not only can players carve through the trails using the motion-based controls but they can also mix in the Wii Balance Board for a whole new level of realism. Players can ski using their own Mii or create a new character with a host of customizable options including changeable face and body types. Boosting the customization feature, additional skis, poles, goggles, and costumes can be unlocked.

We Ski features an entire mountain to explore, complete with a ski school, freestyle skiing, moguls and slaloms, photography, and a variety of other events. Players can even try their hand at night skiing while enjoying the spectrum of fireworks that color the sky. With We Ski no more long drives to the snow will be necessary to enjoy a day of shredding the mountains.

Finally European / Australian gamers can join the Ninja Revolution as the legendary Naruto anime franchise makes its long awaited European / PAL debut on Wii in Naruto Clash of Ninja Revolution European Version on March 28th. Yes that’s right folks, it’s only been out in the US since October last year (yes that’s sarcasm). We should all just purchase FreeLoader for Wii and live in an idyllic region free gaming state! Oh and you Euro gamers, it will cost you 35 UK pounds, which is about $70 US dollars and it retails in the US for $49.99.

Anyway now you’re over that price hacking shock, back to Naruto. It’s said to feature the very best of Naruto, this brand new game combines the latest characters, environments and storylines with the next generation technology of the Wii, resulting in a fast and furious fighting game guaranteed to bring out the Ninja in you.

Set in and around the mystical village of Hidden Leaf, Naruto Clash of Ninja Revolution European Version takes key elements from the recently aired Chunin Exam storyline and gives players the chance to play as their favourite characters to become the greatest ninja that ever lived. With four key modes of gameplay – Mission, Single Player, Multi Player and Mini Games – players are continually confronted with numerous, testing challenges to improve their combat skills and effectively use their Chakra energy. Learning the basics is easy, but only through dedication and commitment will players master the art of being a true ninja.

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Rockstar Games has announced that Bully: Scholarship Edition for the Wii is now available at North American retail stores for the suggested retail price of $49.99. Bully: Scholarship Edition will be available in Europe on March 7.

“With all the love and care that we put into Bully, we are excited that two new audiences can experience this game,” said Sam Houser, President and co-founder of Rockstar Games. “It’s really difficult to make a compelling comedy-action game about anything, let alone about the experiences of being at high school, and we think we achieved something unique with Bully. I hope people new to the game love it as much as we do.”

Originally developed by Rockstar Vancouver, the critically acclaimed fan favorite finally makes its debut on the Wii. “With new single-player missions and multiplayer games, as well as updated graphics, dialogue, and music, Bully: Scholarship Edition looks like it could attract a new audience with hours of next-generation juvenile mayhem…,” says GameSpot, and Official Xbox Magazine writes “…there’s so much gameplay richness and black humor in here that we’d jam a dunce cap on anyone who passes it up.”

Bully: Scholarship Edition for the Wii and Xbox 360 is rated “T” for Teen.
You can check out more information at the Official Bully Site.

When the sun shines we’ll shine together, You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh eh. Yes Capcom must be singing tunes of happiness with this news, that comes as a bit of a shock to me, because quite frankly I thought Umbrella Chronicles kind of sucked. Seems like that didn’t affect sales figures for the title since Capcom has just announced that Resident Evil : The Umbrella Chronicles, which was released in November 2007 for the Wii video game system from Nintendo, has shipped over 1 million units worldwide. This is the second Capcom Wii title to ship over a million units, following Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, which was released in June of 2007.

The Resident Evil series, which has sold over 34.5 million units globally (as of February 29, 2008), is one of Capcom’s most critically acclaimed and beloved franchises. As a testament to Resident Evil’s longevity and success, the series remains as innovative and original today as when the first title shipped in 1996.

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a brand new game in the Resident Evil franchise, with familiar locales from the entire series, created specifically for the unique characteristics of the Wii console. This action/shooter hybrid reveals the back story behind the fall of the Umbrella Corporation by exploring locations from Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 and 3 as well as new never-before-seen locations, such as Umbrella’s stronghold. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles combines first-person, light-gun style combat with interactive pathways, multiple weapons and new enemies to create an entirely new Resident Evil experience that could only be delivered on the Wii. The game includes a two-player co-op mode and support for the Wii Zapper for even more annoying and frustrating intense light-gun style shooting action.

The Resident Evil series is not limited to the realm of gaming though, as evidenced by its popularity with movie-goers around the world. Autumn in 2007 saw the continued success of the series on the big screens when the Hollywood blockbuster “Resident Evil Extinction” opened in theaters worldwide, going on to generate $147 million US dollars in revenues. Currently, Capcom, in cooperation with Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan Co., Ltd., is in the middle of producing a full-length CG movie, “Resident Evil: Degeneration”.

Why is it that shaping familiar characters as Legos and putting them into a video game make them instantly more fun? Okay, so it’s probably because the folks behind Lego Star Wars actually made a really fun game. The novelty of the world in Lego certainly gives it an added appeal, but if the game weren’t fun it wouldn’t get played. Let’s hope the story stays true for Lego’s Batman game as well. And it looks likes they are moving in the right direction.

According to the latest news, Batman will not only give you the chance to fight crime in the dark streets of Gotham, it’ll also hook you up with the ability to perpetrate crime. No, you can’t turn the caped crusader to evil … but you can play as a villain and put the dark knight in his place. Of course, if the game were going for realism, you’d just lose to Batman most of the time.

Get your appetites read! Video game publisher Mastiff has announced Major League Eating: The Game, which makes its debut as an exclusive on WiiWare, Nintendo’s new downloadable game service for the Wii console, which launches May 12 in North America. The game will make extensive use of the Wii Remote to simulate the fast and furious action of a professional eating competition.

“Watching Major League Eating is like watching poetry in motion” says Bill Swartz, Head Woof at Mastiff. “Professional gurgitators have the grace of ballerinas yet the brute strength, mental focus, and intestinal fortitude to push their bodies and minds as hard as athletes in any other extreme endurance sport. Victory is sweet and defeat can be well, really, really messy. It’s an experience we’re proud to help bring into the home.”

The game features the world’s greatest gurgitory athletes competing across a variety of foods and venues. Built much like a classic fighting game and deeper than a Chicago style deep-dish pizza, MLE: The Game requires players to master a smorgasbord of offensive and defensive weapons including bites, burps, belches, mustard gas and jalapeño flames while cramming and chewing food at a world-class pace. It’s not for the faint of heart, the slow of reflex, or those with an overly strong aversion to a Technicolor reversal of fortune.

Major League Eating: The Game uses the Wii Remote to simulate a variety of eating techniques including the cram, toss, and ‘typewriter.’ Burp-offs and Hot Potato challenges during the contests keep the competition intense and eaters on their toes.

Major League Eating: The Game is for one or two players, offers online play and a leader board. Well doesn’t that sound burptastic? No.. I wasn’t really feeling it either.

I certainly do. It is a story I’ve told various times over the years, and it always helps establish my geek cred. I was relating the experience to someone this past weekend, and thought to myself “hey Mark, you write for a Nintendo blog these days. Why don’t you share this with Wii Centre’s audience?” And so I will. In return, I ask only that you share your first time stories with me. It’ll be like a sleepover gab-fest! (First time video game stories only, please).

My dad was a first generation video gamer. I learned to play the Atari and the Intellivision practically before learning to speak. Ms. Pac Man remains one of my all-time favorite games. I’ve claimed high score on at least 3 machines in my general area.

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