By This Time Next Year: The Final Edition

As you may have guessed by the title, I'll be ending the blog officially. After this post and The Golden Duck Awards it shall be over (It'll be online, just not updated... Not much of a change, really). More details will be included in a final blog post which will be written towards the end of the month.


Welcome to the fourth and final edition of "By This Time Next Year", in which I will revisit my predictions made way back on December 4th, 2009. Without any further delay, let's jump right in.

"...Pikmin 3 will have been formally announced" = WRONG

Oh how painful it is to label this prediction inaccurate. Sadly, for yet another year, E3 has come and gone without any word regarding a new Pikmin game. Again. Come on, Miyamoto, let's get going!

"...Half-Life 2: Episode 3 will have gone another year without any sort of official announcement" = Correct!

Unlike the previous prediction, this one is correct. Just like the previous, though, the outcome is pretty crummy. A whole year and pretty much nothing. Way back in March Gabe Newell mentioned that future Half-Life games will turn back to "genuinely scaring the player" once more, but beyond that, nothing. Well, at least we're getting Portal 2...

"...a long-standing, long-since-forgotten Nintendo franchise will make its triumphant return" = Correct!

I had a feeling this would come true, but I didn't expect it would come true twice! At E3 2010 Nintendo announced both Kid Icarus: Uprising and Donkey Kong Country Returns, two classic franchises that have been absent for far too long. Even better, Donkey Kong Country Returns is out already, and it's getting amazing reviews. Let's hope Kid Icarus gets the same reception!

"...Project Natal will have been delayed until 2011" = WRONG

Now known as Kinect, the peripheral did indeed launch as scheduled, striking a blow to my score. I'm kind of surprised, really. I honestly didn't think it'd be ready so soon (And according to a few reviewers, it isn't).

"...people will still be erroneously calling the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 'next-generation'" = Correct!

Oh how painfully true this one is. ATTENTION CITIZENS: If a console is already available, it's NOT "next-generation", okay? If it's available, it is CURRENT. Say it with me: C-U-R-R-E-N-T. Damn it, people.

"...Mario Party 9 will have been released" = WRONG

Nintendo actually surprised me here... sort of. A party game was released by Nintendo, but under the name "Wii Party". SO CLOSE. Oh well.

"...Zelda Wii will have been confirmed for a Summer 2011 release" = Correct! ...ish

Yes. Yes. Yes. And more yes. At E3 2010 Nintendo pulled back the curtains on the long-awaited, built-exclusively-for-Wii The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The only problem? There's no specific release date yet. Just "TBA 2011". Could it be Summer? Possibly, but it can't be said for sure. I'm going to call this one 50/50 correct/wrong; Correct in that it was announced, but wrong in that there's no specified release date.

"...yet another same-as-before Call of Duty game will have been released, and people will still be yet to tire of it" = Correct!

...

...

Hmm? What? Oh, yeah. Uh huh. Sorry, the subject of this one is just so mind-numbing. It happened. Moving along.

"...a brand-new Nintendo IP will have been announced" = WRONG

Not much to say here, really, since it was wrong. Nothing happened, nothing to write about.

"...SEGA will once again bring shame to the Sonic brand" = WRONG (Wait, what?)

Oh boy, another Sonic game. What sort of crapfest is it this ti-Wait... Sonic Colors is GOOD? ...I... WHAT? GOOD? Oh, well, I'm sure Sonic 4 was terri- Oh. Apparently that was alright. Huh. Um... Aha! Sonic: Free Riders was terrible, wasn't it? It was? HA! I WI- What? It doesn't count? FIDDLESTICKS.

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Well, that's that. Now for my prediction accuracy... 50%? Well, that could've gone better. Ooh, what's this? In the comments section of last year's post...


Who does this guy think he is, huh? STEALING MY THUNDER? Well, let's have a look at these predictions of his.

"A new form of DS, be it an upgrade or a successor, will either be shown or released" = Correct!

Well, he's got me there. As he predicted, the 3DS was revealed at E3 2010 this year, and it's pretty darn awesome, too. YOU WIN THIS ROUND, RAWFUL

"At least 2 Mario games will be released" = Correct!

Why that little... Ahem. Yes, he's right. Technically four Mario games have been released since then, but I won't be counting one of them (Super Mario Galaxy 2), as it was already announced when he wrote this. I don't appreciate cheating, boyo! (If you were wondering, the three released games are Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition and Mario Sports Mix, the latter two only available in Japan at the moment.)

So that makes his prediction accuracy... 100%? Well, I guess you guys know who you'll be going to for your predictions now that this blog is closing.

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The Upcoming 3DS Announcements: Predictions and Opinions

For an explanation regarding the recent void of updates on the blog, click here. Now then, moving along.


In a few short hours Nintendo will be holding a press event all about the 3DS. Many possible announcements float in the air at the moment. Hardware release dates and new software are well within the realm of possibility, along with many other hypothetical headlines.

First off, it's certain that the hardware's Japanese release date will be laid down tonight. After all, that's pretty much the core purpose of the event. Well, as far as we know, at least. Back on subject, many "sources" point to this yet-to-be-announced release dropping on the 11th of November. Can't really call it a prediction what with the crazy amount of outlets pointing in that direction, ergo this paragraph shall just sit here with a blank look on its face, much like I do every day.

Crossing the ocean back to the land upon which my blank look is typically fixated, many are eagerly anticipating a release date for the North American market. Sadly for those people (Myself included, blank stare and all), I just don't see such an announcement taking place tonight. Look anywhere and you'll see a million signs pointing towards the system not hitting our shores until at least 2011. Games deemed launch titles are being quietly announced for next year, bringing the 3DS along with them. Add to that the complications that would result from attempting to release a highly-anticipated system in multiple regions nigh-simultaneously and you've got a 2011 launch date*.

One announcement that's sure to please everyone, however, will be the highly-probable reveal of the 3DS' final design. As has been stated repeatedly since E3, the model we've seen so far is still in development, and changes from that model are surely going to be detailed tonight. I'm anticipating a sleeker design, one without the two different types of plastic comprising the inner and outer halves of the lower section. Doubling the camera on the inside to allow for more 3D picture possibilities would be nice as well, but I'm not exactly expecting it. I suppose such a feature would lend itself to some rather perverse interactions should a video chat service be included...

Slightly related to the above is the announcement of a new built-in, game-changing feature. It was suggested many months ago that the 3D was far from being the most revolutionary of gameplay-related additions to the handheld, and now would be the time to announce such a feature. What could it be? A multi-touch screen on the bottom, allowing for more advanced manipulation of and interaction with the game world? Perhaps the seemingly-normal camera we've seen on the inside is actually a highly-advanced, Kinect-like, hands-free motion controller? Or could there be no final secret after all and I'm just rambling like a madman? I suppose we'll find out shortly.

Uncertainties aside, one thing we all know for sure is that the 3DS is going to be a great system once it hits... Whenever that may happen to be. Whether it's next month or next year, though, it will certainly be worth the wait.

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*Slightly off-topic, I personally believe the 3DS will be hitting North America sometime in February or March 2011. My mind's stuck on February 20th for some unknown reason... Or maybe it could be really cool and launch almost a month earlier, on my birthday (Which conveniently lands on a Sunday). Well, Nintendo, if you've been wondering what to get me this year...

Nintendo's E3 2010 Press Conference: Prediction Accuracy

The day has come and gone, and Nintendo has, in my eyes, completely stolen the show. The 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword both look amazing, but the importance of that pales in comparison to the following: My prediction accuracy! Did I just say that a small post on my virtually-unknown blog is superior to Nintendo's entire press conference? Yes. Did I mean it? Not at all. Moving along!

My first prediction was the debut of Pikmin 3. You know, the game Miyamoto's been talking about for years, giving us subtle progress reports all the while? The one so many are eagerly anticipating and frothing at the mouth for? Yeah, didn't show up. Miyamoto did mention it in passing (Again) during his roundtable discussion, but that's it. I'm off to a bad start here. Prediction: WRONG

Not a great start. Next up I predicted a new Animal Crossing game to accompany the 3DS hardware revelation. Did it happen? Yes... but not until after the conference. So this is an incorrect prediction then, right? Well, no, I wouldn't say so. The Nintendo E3 Network is basically like an extended press conference, giving attention to the games unable to fit into the actual presentation's tight schedule. By that logic, I was right. Lovin' loopholes! Prediction: CORRECT(-ish)

Next up is the rumour that Retro would be announcing a new Donkey Kong game. Lo and behold, the rumours came true, and Donkey Kong Country Returns is headed our way, and it'll be here by the end of 2010. Prediction: CORRECT

How about that fifth generation of Pokémon? Two Pokémon games are playable on the show floor today, but, alas, these games are neither Black nor White. Sadly, those of you dying for more information on the next round of Pokémon will just have to wait a little longer. Happily for me, however, my prediction proved true! Prediction: CORRECT

One of Nintendo's strangest announcements at last year's E3 was the Vitality Sensor. Even stranger is the fact that we'd gone a year without any significant news on it. Certainly Nintendo would see fit to bring it out during their press conference, with a slimmer design and exclusive software, right? Well, no. The Vitality Sensor wasn't mentioned even once. And with this, my streak of correct predictions comes to a screeching halt. Prediction: WRONG

And now we come to the one prediction I have made every single year since I started this blog; StarFox making a grand return on the Wii. Due to a lack of evidence, though, this year I had to label this as unlikely. So, of course, now that I don't expect it, a new StarFox is announced. But wait, what's this? It's for 3DS? So my prediction of there not being a new StarFox Wii game was correct? Yet, while still being correct about it not showing up, I still get a StarFox game? This just worked out way too perfectly. Prediction: CORRECT

Next I predicted Nintendo would discuss sales, demographics, all that sort of stuff, and, surprise, they did. Yup. Moving on. Prediction: CORRECT

Last but not least, I made a remarkably-vague prediction that something completely unexpected would happen. I'd say a brand-new Kid Icarus launching alongside the Nintendo 3DS is pretty unexpected. Man, the one time I don't predict a new Kid Icarus... Then again, I probably would've predicted it for Wii, so perhaps things worked out just fine! Prediction: CORRECT! (Duh)

Oh, all the predictions I should have made... I can't believe I forgot to mention Kirby Wii. I guess I can't complain too much, though, as my score today turning out quite positive, with only two of my eight predictions turning out false. Can't ask for much better than that, can I?

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Nintendo's E3 2010 Press Conference: Predictions

Just gonna say I wanted to write up a similar article for the Microsoft press conference (No such intentions for the Sony conference), but I was unexpectedly busy on Sunday watching four guys blow things up in a spectacularly over-the-top manner. As a side note, A-Team was some pretty good action. Now then, moving along...


The time has come once more: Nintendo's E3 2010 press conference is nearly upon us. But we can't go having a press conference without a healthy serving of my predictions, can we? And so I come out of my nearly month-long Springtime hibernation to bring you this, my list of predictions for the rapidly-approaching conference.

First, though, let's get two little things out of the way: The 3DS and The Legend of Zelda. These two things are practically confirmed to be showing up tomorrow, so really, there's no need to "predict" their presence. Alright? Alright. Let's get started.

To get things going, I'll to start with something we've known about for so long yet have seen absolutely nothing of: Pikmin 3. This has been hiding behind the scenes for ages now, and I'd say it's about time for this flower to bloom. Pikmin 3, Nintendo; I know you've got it. Now show it!

Next up I'll play off a little rumour I heard recently. According to Destructoid, Nintendo's planning on launching a new Animal Crossing game with the 3DS. Will it be a revolutionary step for the franchise? Will it bring back all those who were turned away by City Folk's over-familiarity? Heck if I know. Considering the prosperity of the franchise, though, I get the feeling that this little rumour will be going to E3, not crying "wee wee wee" all the way home.

Another rumour that's been floating about is Retro Studios working on a new Donkey Kong game. To give this rumour a little more validity, an IGN staff member Tweeted teasingly in a sly manner, using terms such as "go ape" and "barrel me over". A suggestion of insider knowledge, or just some of that classic trolling we internet users have become so used to? It's hard to tell right now, but man, I could really go for a rumble in the jungle right about now. I'm gonna let my hopes take the wheel here and put this in the "probable" column.

Talk around in some groups and all you'll hear about is Pokémon Black and White. Pokémaniacs are practically (And in some cases, literally) frothing at the mouth for more information on the fifth generation of Pocket Monsters, and they've got themselves convinced that these games will be showing up at the conference tomorrow. Myself being a somewhat reformed Pokémaniac, however, I'm looking at the situation from a more fact-based angle. In the past, information on new Pokémon games has emerged almost exclusively at Japanese venues. While Nintendo's been doing a lot of things differently as of late, I don't see this particular trend changing. If I hear the Pokémon theme coming from my headphones tomorrow afternoon I'll be very surprised.

Turning attention to the Wii, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a major redesign of the Vitality Sensor showing itself tomorrow. Today Ubisoft showed off a very similar device, and it was far smaller than the clunky device shown hanging off a Wii remote just over a year ago. I've always thought that the Vitality Sensor was over sized, and now I see it's more than possible to shrink it down to a more manageable level. I'm willing to bet Nintendo see that, too.

Now to revisit a prediction I have made every single year since E3 2007: Star Fox, and its long-overdue return. Do I even have to say it anymore? The Wii remote is perfect for the job, and it's an absolute mystery why this game hasn't surfaced yet. To be perfectly honest, I don't see this prediction as likely or unlikely. I just see it as far, far overdue. I can't just leave this here without a likelihood rating on it, though... Well, as much as it pains me to say it, I'm going to file this in the "unlikely" column. As much as I hope it'll come true, there's just been no evidence whatsoever of its existence. Sorry, Fox, but it's looking like you'll be warming the bench for another year.

There will probably also be talk of sales, reaching new demographics, slideshows of actors pretending to be families and overdoing the motion controls, graphs, charts... You know, the typical Nintendo conference stuff. Okay, I get it, you're successful. Can we see games now?

And finally, there's always that announcement that comes out of nowhere and defies all predictors such as myself. Can I predict such a vague thing, or is that cheating? Bah, I'll do it anyways. Feel free to consider it a null point on my score sheet when it happens.

That's all, folks! The predictions are made, and the wait is on. Not that I expect anyone to read this before E3... in which case I could totally just edit out all the false stuff and write in a bunch of facts as "predictions"... Nah, I wouldn't. Or would I? Nah. Good night, and have fun watching the conference!

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By This Time Next Year: Volume 3

This is but the first of two annual traditions taking place this month. Tune in on the 23rd for the second annual Golden Duck Awards!


Beginning in November 2007 and continued in December 2008, "By This Time Next Year" (Now properly capitalized!) comes back for its third iteration, with past predictions reviewed and a whole new set crafted for the upcoming year. First up, as usual, revisiting those predictions made on December 3rd, 2009!

"...at least one more console will be added to the North American Virtual Console" = Correct!

Released the same day it was announced, Virtual Console Arcade was added during the 2009 Game Developer's Conference this March, bringing classic arcade games to the living room, bedroom, or wherever the heck you stuck that console!

...Star Fox Wii will have been announced for an early 2010 release (I'm not giving up on this!) = WRONG

I've been posting this one for two years now, and it still hasn't happened. Eh, I give up... Which, of course, means it will now happen.

...the true successor to the DS line of handhelds will have been announced = WRONG

You know, I'm honestly not sure what I was thinking here. It was preposterous to imagine Nintendo doing such a thing. The system's still flying off the shelf like mad, and it would be stupid to stem sales by pushing out a successor. They did release the DSi XL, though, which makes my prediction slightly less inaccurate... Slighty.

...Nintendo still won't have released a true solution to the Wii storage problem = WRONG

This one requires a little backstory for anyone either new to the site or prioritized enough to not bother remembering the ramblings of a random internet weirdo. At the time the previous edition of "By This Time Next Year" was written, Nintendo had announced a solution to the Wii's greatly-limited storage space, but the wording was so cryptic that it sounded as if it solved no problems at all. In reality, though, it appears to have been lost in translation, as the solution did indeed arrive in March 2009 (Same day as Virtual Console Arcade), and it sure did deliver. In short: I misinterpreted a cryptic Japanese press release and made an ass of myself. Next!

...Wii sales will surpass 60 million worldwide = WRONG

Oh, but I was so close! The Wii didn't quite reach that landmark, stopping just short of the predicted number with... Oh, this is painful... 58.37 million, according to VGChartz.com (Which I find to be quite accurate, thank you very much). Now this is just crazy. Well... I was close!

...the combined sales of the Nintendo DS, DS Lite and DSi will overtake the Playstation 2's record sales of 140 million+ = WRONG

...here, however, I was slightly less accurate. The DS, DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL (Man there's a lot of them!) came up 23.53 million short at 116.47 million. My predictions aren't faring so well this year, are they?

...Mother 3 will still be landlocked in Japan, without any sort of announcements made for a release outside of its homeland = Correct!

Okay, I admit, this was a bit of a "Well, duh!" prediction, following in the painfully-obvious footsteps of 2007's prediction of "Duke Nukem Forever will remain unreleased." Sadly, Professor Obvious couldn't be here today to cover this prediction, as he's having a stick of chalk removed from... Uh, on second thought, you don't want to know.

...at least two more Pokémon games will have been released (Main series and/or spin-offs) = Correct!

In fact, four have been released since then (Seven if you count the slightly different versions some games were released in)! Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (WiiWare), and Pokémon Rumble have all seen release since this prediction was made. Oh, that Nintendo and its Pokémon!

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And this year's overall prediction accuracy is... Five wrong, three correct. Heck, that's almost the exact opposite of last year's results! Well, perhaps these new predictions will fare better:

...Pikmin 3 will have been formally announced
...Half-Life 2: Episode 3 will have gone another year without any sort of official announcement
...a long-standing, long-since-forgotten Nintendo franchise will make its triumphant return
...Project Natal will have been delayed until 2011
...people will still be erroneously calling the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 "next-generation"
...Mario Party 9 will have been released
...Zelda Wii will have been confirmed for a Summer 2011 release
...yet another same-as-before Call of Duty game will have been released, and people will still be yet to tire of it
...a brand-new Nintendo IP will have been announced
...SEGA will once again bring shame to the Sonic brand

And thus ends the list of predictions for the year of 2010. Hmm... Ten predictions, tenth year of the century... COINCIDENCE?!

...okay, yeah, it's a coincidence. Neat, though. Well then, what do you think of my predictions? Good? Bad? HORRENDOUS? Let your opinion be heard (And maybe even make a few predictions of your own) in the comment section, or in this forum thread.

Nintendo's E3 2009 press conference: Prediction accuracy

There's much to say after today's conference, but let's start with seeing how well my predictions fared. A green "YES" for whatever happened, and a red "NO" for whatever didn't. First off, my "highly likely" predictions:

Mario Wii 2 and Wii Fit Plus: Mario Wii 2 turned out to actually be two games: New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2. Wii Fit Plus also made the scene, sporting that exact name, no less. "YES"

Sales talk, sales talk, sales talk...: Sales talk was actually spread out through the whole conference, and not just spewed out in a big chunk at the beginning like last year. A nice change, in my eyes. "YES"

Pikmin 3: Sadly, the long-awaited Pikmin 3 never did show up. Here's hoping that it appears in some form at some time in the remainder of E3... "NO"

Wii MotionPlus showcase: Wii Sports: Resort was surprisingly the only game they showed off with the MotionPlus, but I was no less impressed with its abilities because of it. "YES"

A new Zelda Wii: Like my Pikmin 3 prediction, this, too, didn't turn out right. I think after all we got, though, I'll forgive them for this one. "NO"

Some third party game will be shown off: Correct, except it was not just one game, but many! The Conduit, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, Dead Space: Extraction, C.O.P. The Recruit*, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Final Fantasy: Crystal Bearers, and a game based on a book I've never heard of and a fashion-based game. Besides the last two, it all sounds good to me! "YES"

Not bad. Four out of six! Now then, moving on to the "50/50 chance" part of the list:

A new "expanded audience" title: Surprisingly, no. Well, not from Nintendo, at least. That fashion game and the one based on the book are pretty "expanded audience". Good to see Nintendo pushing third-party efforts, though, despite what I may think of them personally. "NO"

A new Star Fox or F-Zero: That's a big no on both sides, sadly. One of these days, though, it just has to happen... One of these days... "NO"

Yipes, a big no to both of them... Quite sad about the last one not coming true. Finally, then we move onto the "not gonna happen" category.

The revealing of the Wii 2: This basically should have gone without saying. It's far too soon as of now to pull out the next one. "NO"

A new peripheral: Like I said, they're not gonna bring out a new peri-...what. What is that thing? The Wii Vitality Sensor? It's like those heart rate monitors they slip on your finger at a hospital! Since when was medical equipment part of gaming? Sorry, Nintendo, I'm not into reliving my hospital visits while I game. "YES" (Sadly)

That last one really threw me off. I was looking at it and almost expecting Iwata to go "Just kidding, here's a new Zelda". I was so sure there'd never be another peripheral, but there it was...

I suppose my predictions didn't turn out too badly today. Would've loved to see something about a new Zelda, or even just see Miyamoto take the stage for a minute. Oh well, there's always the rest of E3. And if it doesn't happen then, there's always the Fall conference!

More E3-related articles coming up soon.

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*A new GTA-style game from Ubisoft taking place on the other side of the law. Finally!

Nintendo's E3 2009 press conference: Predictions

The time has finally arrived; Time for some predictions! I honestly found it hard to wait so long.


It's that time once again... Time for rampant speculation and oodles of predictions! Yes sir, it's round three of my annual list of Nintendo E3 predictions, and here are this year's group, starting with the most-likely. Read on, and hope that some of the better ones wind up becoming reality!

Mario Wii 2 and Wii Fit Plus: On the weekend, the Japanese newspaper Nikkei let slip word of a new Mario game for Wii, and an enhanced version of Wii Fit they called "Wii Fit Plus", both due to hit this year. These games are going to come out, and they're going to come out soon. Thus, they'll also have to be announced soon. Waiting until Nintendo's Fall conference will be too late, so I'm betting they'll pull back the curtains on both of these tomorrow.

Sales talk, sales talk, sales talk...: Nintendo's currently this generation's #1 company, so of course they're going to brag about this after being last place the previous two generations. This may be the third E3 since overtaking the competition, but I wouldn't put it past them to shove Reggie on stage with a teleprompter full of numbers.

Pikmin 3: After Shigeru Miyamoto said last year that Pikmin 3 is in production, I'm all but certain we'll be seeing it in some form tomorrow. Whether it be a teaser trailer or even just a logo once more confirming its existance, Pikmin 3 will almost certainly be showing up tomorrow, or at least behind doors during the rest of E3 (Hey, it worked for Brawl!).

Wii MotionPlus showcase: Red Steel 2 and Wii Sports: Resort are going to be huge titles, and undoubtedly will be the two biggest MotionPlus-enabled games. It would be foolish for Nintendo not to show them off tomorrow, especially considering the imminence of the peripheral's release. Also, don't be surprised to see a few other games join in on the presentation. I'm sure EA will have something to contribute in their tennis game, and perhaps even more on top of that!

A new Zelda Wii: When Nintendo decided to port Twilight Princess to Wii, they were already planning the next Zelda. This was in 2006. Now we're in 2009, and the memories of Link's last console adventure are beginning to fade, and fans are clamoring for more. Miyamoto even said last year that the Zelda team was hard at work on the next Wii title. If we don't see it tomorrow, we'll almost definitely be seeing it at the Fall conference.

Some third party game will be shown off: Nintendo's been doing their best to help push third-party titles lately, so seeing them show off a game from one of the many developers working on the Wii is pretty much a sure-thing. What the game will be is a mystery, but Red Steel 2, The Conduit and Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage are all likely candidates. Maybe we'll even get to see Bethesda's secret Wii project? Only time will tell...

Next we have two predictions that are equally as likely to come true as they are likely not to. This is basically the "50/50" part of the list. If the announcements in this category happens tomorrow, I won't be any more surprised than I would be if it didn't occur at all.

A new "expanded audience" title: Nintendo just loves their expanded audience; The virtually-untapped market of soccer moms, businessmen, and all other types of people that just don't have gaming as apart of their life. Wii Sports was the first to rope them in, and the "Wii" game label has continued to do so ever since. While I'm not exactly expecting a new installment in the "Wii" series (Besides Sports: Resort, but that's already announced), something may show up. I'd probably consider this more likely, but there's also the above "basically for-sure" announcements; I'm doubting Nintendo will cram so much into their conference. But hey, you never know...

A new Star Fox or F-Zero: Star Fox and F-Zero are pretty much the only two established Nintendo franchises to not have appeared on the Wii so far. It's going to happen sometime for sure. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life. Both of these titles are just begging to take advantage of the MotionPlus, and Nintendo would be crazy to deny them the opportunity.

And now for two announcements that I consider incredibly unlikely. If either of the following wind up being announced, I'm going to be incredibly surprised.

The revealing of the Wii 2: The Wii's selling like crazy in almost every major market, over 50 million are in homes worldwide, and developers are beginning to churn out some truly amazing things for the little white box. I somehow doubt that the Wii 2 will be pulled out of any coat pockets tomorrow. Heck, Nintendo's still yet to release the Wii MotionPlus. They're not about to cannibalize sales of it by announcing a new console with the functionality built-in. It ain't happening tomorrow, folks. As for a new DS... I think I'll let my less-than-two-months-old DSi answer that question for you.

A new peripheral: Every year since the Wii launched, Nintendo has released at least one new peripheral for the console. First it was the Zapper, then the Wii Wheel and Balance Board, and this year it will be the MotionPlus. And no more. There will not be a new Wii peripheral announced tomorrow, or ever. Wii MotionPlus is the end of the plastic-paved road here, and Nintendo themselves has been quoted saying this (I can't find the link myself, but it's out there). If you're thinking we'll be seeing a new chunk of plastic to stick a Wii remote in, think again.

Am I being optimistic with all those "most-likely" predictions? Or am I actually expecting too little of tomorrow? The only ones who can answer these questions are Nintendo themselves, and that answer is... Wait a little longer.

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PS: Just to clarify, I'm not expecting ALL of the first few to predictions to come true. Just stating the likelihood. I've learned better than to keep my hopes too high...

"By this time next year..." revisited!

On November 2nd, 2007, I wrote "By this time next year...", an article containing predictions about what would happen in the gaming industry between then and November 2nd, 2008. Let's take a look at how well my predictions fared...

"...Star Fox Wii will have been announced for an early 2009 release." = WRONG

Augh, not off to a good start, am I? Star Fox Wii hasn't even been hinted at yet, much less announced for early next year. On the bright side, though, we did get confirmation on the development of Pikmin 3...

"...Animal Crossing Wii will have launched in all major markets." = WRONG

Oh, and I was so close, too! Sadly, it was a little less than two weeks after the deadline that City Folk was released in any region, so that's another prediction that bites the dust.

"...a new design of the Nintendo DS will be announced." = Correct!

A-ha, finally, I strike back! And not only has the DSi been announced, it's even launched in Japan! If only the rest of the world didn't have to wait so long...

"...at least two more game systems will be added to the Virtual Console." = Correct!

Score another one for me! In the last year, both the Neo Geo and SEGA Master System were added to the North American Virtual Console catalog. Furthermore, the European store has seen the addition of the Commodore 64 to its ranks.

"...the obligatory third Pokemon game of the generation will be released." = Correct!

Pokémon Platinum was released in Japan in September 2008, adding one more game to the pile, and one more point to my score!

"...over 20 million Wii systems will have been sold worldwide." = Correct!

Oh, if only I knew how right I was! The Wii's almost doubled that number, reaching roughly 35 1/2 million units sold worldwide as of September 2008! For all we know, the Wii could have already reached 40 million by now. I'm sure Nintendo will be all too happy to alert us when the landmark is reached.

"...Duke Nukem Forever will remain unreleased." = Correct!

I believe I'll let Professor Obvious field this one:


Thank you, professor.

So then, that's five right, and two wrong. I'd say that's a pretty darned good ratio right there! Now then, time for a new round of predictions! Annual tradition? You betcha! So then, by this time next year...

...at least one more console will be added to the North American Virtual Console
...Star Fox Wii will have been announced for an early 2010 release (I'm not giving up on this!)
...the true successor to the DS line of handhelds will have been announced
...Nintendo still won't have released a true solution to the Wii storage problem
...Wii sales will surpass 60 million worldwide
...the combined sales of the Nintendo DS, DS Lite and DSi will overtake the Playstation 2's record sales of 140 million+
...Mother 3 will still be landlocked in Japan, without any sort of announcements made for a release outside of its homeland
...at least two more Pokémon games will have been released (Main series and/or spin-offs)

The least likely of all the above would probably have to be the DS sales outdoing the PS2, with everything else hovering around the 70% range for probability. Will my predictions turn out true? The only way to find out is to wait for December 3rd, 2009...

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Press conference thoughts, opinions and prediction accuracy

So, Nintendo's press conference has come and gone. The DSi is revealed, we get a few new games, and everyone generally comes out happier than when they went in. Do I agree with these happy folks, or am I angry and disappointed? Hey, you know what to do: Read on and find out!

First off, the conference began with the announcement of the DSi. Taking several cues from the design of the DS Lite, the DSi adds larger screens, music playback, SD card support, a built-in web browser, and, most notably, two digital cameras. Looking at that, you really couldn't ask for more, right? Well, there's a catch: The music-playing features and digital camera functions are fairly low-end as far as we know. In a recent interview, Reggie Fils-Aime pretty much admitted that the music playback is nothing too special (Not to mention the fact it only supports AAC format, no MP3s). As for the cameras, there's a lot of conflicting information running about. Some say the cameras have 3 megapixel resolutions, while others say it's only 0.3 megapixel. I've seen more outlets referring to it as 0.3, so that's what I'll consider it to be for now. Anyways, as you can probably tell, 0.3 is pretty low-quality. Again, Nintendo admits this. Why bother put these in when they're so insufficient?

Well, these applications aren't meant to replace digital cameras or MP3 players. These features are here to give the DS a little more in the way of entertainment, and little more. Also, consider how the camera could come be implemented in actual gameplay. Here's a paragraph I wrote on Monday concerning cameras in the new DS:

"Imagine taking pictures of real-life objects and having them affect your game. You could put pictures you've taken into picture frames in Animal Crossing, edit them in a new Mario Paint, or even send them to a friend over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Of course, this camera could also be used in a similar manner to the PS2's Eye Toy, tracking motion and interpreting your movements, then translating them into the game as input. Certainly a tantalizing concept."

A tantalizing concept indeed. See, these cameras don't have to be used in the traditional sense of merely taking pictures. They can also be used to evolve and enhance gameplay experiences. Take off the horse blinders and look into the abstract use for these new additions. Putting your own songs into the next Elite Beat Agents, or even using your own face to represent yourself in an online game. These new features aren't part of some multimedia device: They're part of a gaming console, and Nintendo definitely won't forget this.

I love the black DSi. How 'bout you?

Also added to the DSi is a brand new DSi Store, similar to its console brother's Wii Shop Channel. We'll be able to download brand new software onto our handhelds for no more than $8 each, with the possibilities for applications ranging from the mundane (Calculators, day planners) to the amazing (Complete games or a handheld Virtual Console). Even better, we can store all this and (Hopefully) use it directly from the SD card slot located in the side, making the DSi the most flexible Nintendo handheld yet.

Of course, no console is without its downsides. The DSi, in interest of preventing piracy, lowering costs and making a small handheld even smaller, has lost all Game Boy Advance support. Not only that, DS peripherals such as the Rumble Pak, slide controller, Guitar Hero grip and Tony Hawk motion sensor will now become entirely obsolete. Personally, I'm not too miffed. I hardly play GBA games any more, and if I do, I can just whip out my DS Lite. As for the peripherals, the only one I own is the Rumble Pak, and it gets so little use out of me it may as well not be there (Although it did make Metroid Prime Pinball AWESOME).

Another low point, as I stated earlier, is the complete lack of MP3 support in the music player. I understand there's a heavier licensing fee on MP3 than there is on AAC, but come on, Nintendo; Walk into any electronics store. What do you see: MP3 players, or AAC players? People don't listen to AACs all that much, unless they have an iPod, in which case music playback means nothing to them.

Finally, the DSi has a slightly lower battery life than the DS Lite, with only 3-4 hours at full screen-brightness, opposed to the DS Lite's 5-8. Then again, these battery readings depend on what the DSi is being used for: If you're taking pictures constantly, the flash is sure to drain your battery like mad. If playing a game, though, I'm sure the battery life is more comparable. Also, who's to say the DSi's maximum brightness isn't brighter than the DS Lite's? It's sure a possibility.

Other than those three downsides, the DSi is pretty damn-near perfect. When I first heard this new DS was to have all these features, I was excited, but skeptical. I'm happy to say that now, though, I'm incredibly pleased with what I see. If only us North Americans didn't have to wait so long!

All these features and more, right at your fingertips!

Of course, what good's a hardware revisions if we don't get any new games? Like a pro, Nintendo revealed a slew of new games yesterday for the DS, some of my favourites being Mario & Luigi 3, a new WarioWare, and a new Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. Three heavy hitters sure to be joining my game collection next year!

And how could Nintendo forget about the Wii? An even more astounding line-up was announced for the little white and blue box, with some favourites being Endless Ocean 2, Punch-Out!, Trace Memory/Another Code 2 and Sin & Punishment 2. I could hardly ask for more, especially considering the long-awaited Punch-Out! sequel is part of this barrage of excellence! Finally, Little Mac is back, baby!

Speaking of bringing back titles from the past, Nintendo will also be re-releasing several Gamecube titles on the Wii. So far, known titles are Pikmin, Chibi-Robo, Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Sadly, for no apparent reason, Jungle Beat doesn't seem to have bongo support as far as I can tell. What's the big idea, Nintendo? Are my bongos to simply fade into obscurity? Oh well. At least these re-releases may convince Nintendo to go back to the bongos and Chibi-Robo. Chibi-Robo Wii? Sign me up!

Also announced was the Wii Speak Channel, a brand-new application for the Wii free with every Wii Speak (Each unit comes with a code that can be entered for the channel download). Now we can use our Wii consoles like conference-calling phones, chatting with up to four rooms full of people across the world. After all, the Wii Speak is out in the open for all to speak into, making the virtual family reunion a reality! Wait, virtual family reunion... Hey, that's not a bad idea! No stealing it! It's MIIIINE.

You're probably tired of seeing all these new channels and WiiWare games announced, huh? After all, we still have the whole Wii Fridge problem to deal with. Well, have no fear, as Nintendo has come to save the day with... An upgrade that doesn't really solve anything. Starting next Spring (Why so far away?), we'll be able to download software directly from the Wii Shop Channel onto an SD card. That's great, right? Wrong. While we can download straight to the SD card, we still can't play straight from it. That's right: Instead of solving the problem, Nintendo gave us something that's no help at all. Gee, thanks.

If only the Wii Fridge were so spacious...

As for the American conference, it was all basically the same stuff in English, but with one difference: The announcement that Club Nintendo is coming to North America! The Nintendo rewards program made famous for its exclusive giveaways will finally launch here by the end of 2008, meaning we'll be able to use those darn registration codes in our games for something! Finally, we'll be able to get something for nothing like everyone else. Of course, if the European program is any indication, we shouldn't get too excited. We might just get little puzzles for insane amounts of registrations and discontinued Game Boy Advance games. Well, it's still better than nothing, I guess.

And now we come to the final section of the article: My prediction accuracy. Let's make a checklist, and cross out any that I got wrong:

-The conference will start with sales talk
-New DS will be shown
-Franchise revival possibilities: PilotWings, Punch-Out or Kid Icarus
-Wii storage solution (Not solved, just avoided)
-New Wii Channel (The Wii Speak Channel)
-A sequel to a current franchise (Endless Ocean 2, Trace Memory/Another Code 2)
-American conference will basically be the same, but in English (Club Nintendo in North America announcement)

5 out of 7! Hey, I didn't do bad at all! Also, when I said "Kid Icarus, Punch Out!, and Pilotwings" on Wednesday, I meant "Kid Icarus, Punch Out!, or Pilotwings". Just clearing that up.

So, all in all, I think it was a pretty good show! We got a new DS, a bunch of new games, and assurance that Nintendo does indeed still care about us hardcore fans. A success all around!

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Press conference predictions

Well, the press conference starts in a little more than two hours. It's almost here, folks! We know a few things are pretty much sure to happen, but what about the specifics? We know that there's likely to be a franchise revival, but what could it be? Here's my thoughts on all this and more.

First off, as everyone can expect, Nintendo will likely blather on for a bit about sales or whatever. Hey, it's only natural. They are a business, after all. After this, though, I expect the real interesting stuff to begin (Listed in no particular order).

I'm nearly positive we'll see that new DS in some form, even if it's as minor as Nintendo saying that the rumoured functions are true. They may not show off glamour shots of it, but I'm fairly sure they'll mention it in some way.

As for the franchise revival we're all expecting, I'm leaning towards three series: Kid Icarus, Punch Out!, and Pilotwings. First of all, I'm saying Kid Icarus because rumours have been going nuts about it ever since the Wii was first released. Second, I'm naming Punch Out! because of the fact that the controls are downright perfect for a revival, and Wii Sports: Boxing proved this. Nintendo would be foolish to not recognize the potential in a Punch Out! Wii. Finally, Pilotwings is getting a mention because of the Wii Sports: Airplane demo shown waaaay back in 2006. This game looked chock-full of potential, and I have a fairly good feeling Nintendo's been working on this in the shadows, on and off, ever since then. Also, it's just about as casual-friendly as you can get. What's stopping them from cashing in?

Another thing I'm seeing happening is some sort of solution to the infamous Wii Fridge issue. Hard drive, announcing SD card direct-play, or even that crazy holographic storage are likely to show up tonight. Let's just hope it happens, because I'm sick of cleaning out the fridge on a weekly basis.

Next up, I'm expecting Nintendo to announce some new Wii Channel. What could it be? Heck if I know. A music-playing channel? Some sort of new software to interact with the next DS? Or maybe they'll finally address all the requests for folders in which to sort channels into?

How about another game announcement or two? Not necessarily a "revival", but a sequel to a currently-ongoing franchise. New Star Fox, anyone? Personally, I could go for another dose of Luigi's Mansion. A new Pokémon Snap would really hit the spot, too!

Of course, I'm not expecting all of this to happen. However, I'm fairly sure at least half will go down tonight. The only way to know for sure, though, is to wait!

As for tomorrow's conference in California, I'm seeing what is basically a rehash of tonight's conference, all in English, with any announced release dates being adjusted for North America. No more. It wouldn't make sense to have it any other way, though, would it?

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What else could Nintendo have in store for the Wii?

It's after 1 AM, and I'm only just now starting to write. Not my best scheduling ever.



At any given time, Nintendo has literally dozens of games in development. As of this writing, we know of only twelve or so. What else could they be working on? Here are a few of my guesses.

First off, I'm almost positive Nintendo has a new Star Fox in the works. Both Shigeru Miyamoto and series creator Takaya Imamura have spoken about a Star Fox Wii in the past hypothetically. Really, it's a no-brainer that this game will happen. Just look at that control scheme! The Wii remote is a natural fit for flying the Arwing, and I'm somewhat surprised to have not seen anything yet. Perhaps it will use the Wii MotionPlus? That would explain the drought of news so far.

Next, I'm thinking that a new Excite Truck is on the way. There's too much potential in this game to just not have a sequel. It had a few problems, yes, like a limited, two-player-only multiplayer and no online at all, but the potential was amazing. I'm sure Nintendo is thinking the same thing, and a sequel is almost certainly at least in the planning stages. This, too, could take advantage of Wii MotionPlus, allowing for more precise and accurate steering, as well as some new tricks. Man, now I'm really pumped for this... Make it happen, Nintendo!

With the recent news regarding Kuju developing another Wii game, thoughts of Battalion Wars 3 immediately surfaced. I love the Battalion Wars series (Published by Nintendo), and the second title proved just how well the franchise fits with the Wii control scheme. A third game developed by Kuju looks like a good bet, and the MotionPlus could definitely become a part of it. I can just imagine the amazingly-precise aerial combat controls... It's official: This needs to happen.

I'm thinking that another WarioWare game may also be in development. Just imagine, Wario's insanity mixed with the Balance Board... Totally nuts. Pack the Balance Board in with the game, and you've got a winner. Standing on one foot, leaning to avoid projectiles, and even stepping off the board at the right time are all possible uses for the Balance Board, and I can see them fitting in very well with the WarioWare formula. I'd honestly be more surprised if Nintendo isn't working on this.

Another Metroid also seems pretty likely. Corruption proved just how amazing a first-person shooter could be on the Wii, and I doubt Nintendo would just use that formula once and then leave it to die. Sure, Retro may not be behind it this time around, but the potential is too great to go ignored. The controls in Corruption were just so darn amazing, I want to experience them all over again, and then some. I just know some more amazing uses for the controller could be thought up. Nintendo surely won't let this opportunity pass them by.



So there you have it, five possibilities for upcoming Wii games. I'm nearly positive at least three of these will appear on the Wii sometime in it's lifespan. The only question now is when.

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The Duck Has Spoken.

E3 2008 predictions

So, it's that time of the year again: E3 time! That also means it's time for my significantly less important annual E3 predictions post. Sorted by probability, here are my guesses.

Almost certainly going to happen

Do I even have to say it? Everyone else has been screaming this for weeks now... Animal Crossing Wii is pretty much a sure-thing for this E3. It just has to be there! So many signs are pointing to it that if it didn't happen, I'm almost positive the world would implode from shock. Animal Crossing Wii will be there in some shape or form.

It's pretty much a no-brainer that we'll see some sort of demonstration of the Wii MotionPlus during tomorrow's conference. I can already see Miyamoto standing on stage, flailing around the new device like a madman to demonstrate its capabilities. What game he'll be playing, though, is beyond me. Perhaps a new title we've yet to see? We can only hope!

Somewhat likely

It just seems like showing some more info on Disaster: Day of Crisis is the thing to do right now. We haven't seen a single screenshot all year, and not a clip of footage since E3 2006. It's about time we get a little more eye-candy. Concept art, screenshots, or a small video are likely going so surface at this E3. Not quite a sure thing, but definitely likely.

Also, I believe that there's a good chance we'll see an old franchise make a comeback this week. I'm personally leaning towards the trio of Pikmin, Starfox and Punch-Out specifically. Of course, I doubt we'd see all of them, but I'm somewhat confident one of them will show up. Again, not a sure thing like Animal Crossing, but a distinct possibility.

How about a new Zelda? Not necessarily the true Zelda Wii or anything, but perhaps a new DS game? Or maybe even a WiiWare release of some sort? I'd like to see a revised version of Tetra's Trackers hit the Wii's download service for sure. Will we see a new Zelda? I've got a good feeling about it. Whatever system or service it comes out for, though, don't expect more than a trailer. Just my two cents on the subject.

50/50 chance of happening

I wish I could say that there's a good chance of seeing Pokémon Platinum this week, but really, I'm not at all sure. It definitely could happen, but I have a feeling that they'd release info in Japan rather than in The United States. The Pokémon games have a tendency to detailed more in their home country than anywhere else. Still, Nintendo has never been a predictable company, so who knows. Still, I have a slight feeling we'll see something.

Somewhat unlikely

When people started saying a few months back that they expected a DS redesign come this E3, I thought they were all nuts. Really, the DS Lite is doing just fine! Do we need another model yet? I don't think so. But, for some reason, I just can't shake the feeling that it'll happen. Nintendo does love their money, and sales are starting to slow down in Japan... But still, I'm not entirely sure a new model will be shown off this E3. Maybe at the next major event, but I don't think we'll see it tomorrow.

Ain't gonna happen

If you think we'll see the "Wii 2" tomorrow, think again. It's way to early for this sort of thing, and yet, people still think it's right around the corner. Well, it isn't. Wii MotionPlus pretty much confirms it. No new Wii any time soon, folks.

I suppose that's all I have to predict this year. Really, we're going into this E3 very much in the dark. All we have to go on for predictions are industry mumblings, which have been fairly quiet as of late. Oh well. As long as a lot of cool stuff happens tomorrow, I'll be happy.

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The Duck Has Spoken.

Tomorrow's Nintendo press conference: Predictions, hopes and doubts

I've been waiting to use this image again for a loooong time.



It's not uncommon for Nintendo fans to go months without information on games from their favourite developer. So when we hear the words "press conference", we usually go all sorts of insane. My first reaction to this sort of thing is to start thinking up what might happen at the event, and this press conference is no different. At the same time, my imagination goes wild with extremely unlikely hopes for announcements. I also consider some downright almost-certainly-not-going-to-happen announcements and reveals. So what will most likely happen? What do I dearly wish will happen? And what is most likely not going to occur at all? My predictions, hopes and doubts follow.

Predictions

These are the things I'm almost sure will happen. I doubt all of them will show up at this conference, but I have a good feeling at least one of them will.

Assets for Animal Crossing Wii will be shown

This game has been in a bizarre state of confirmation for quite some time. Nintendo is making it, and they're well aware that we know this. On several occasions, they pretty much outright confirmed it's existance. But still, there's no screenshots, video, official announcements or anything. Come tomorrow, though, I think this will change.

I'm willing to bet that we'll see at least some concept art or screenshots. Perhaps a trailer, and maybe some separate in-game footage. But I'm nearly certain we'll see at least something. And when it happens, I'll be sure to squeal with fanboyish delight.

Some news on Disaster: Day of Crisis

Of all the currently-announced Nintendo projects, Disaster: Day of Crisis is probably the one I'm most looking forward to. Even though we've seen little more than a five-second trailer and a few screenshots, I'm just so incredibly hyped for this title. And don't ask why, but I have this incredibly strong feeling that we'll be seeing some more on this game. Whether it's a new trailer, some screenshots or a name change, I'm almost positive this game will make some sort of an appearance.

The third fourth-generation Pokémon will be revealed

It's been almost a year since Pokémon Diamond and Pearl debuted in North America. I think it's about time we see the third game of the generation announced, don't you? After all, every conventional Pokémon generation (Not counting Firered and Leafgreen, which are remakes) has had three games: Two games released at the same time, with a third released later on. The third game always has some sort of special aspect to it, such as a tweaked storyline or additional areas.

It's been so long since Diamond and Pearl came out, and I've been thinking we'll see the third game soon for quite some time. To me, tomorrow seems like the perfect time and place.

Wii Channel news

This is an incredibly vague prediction, so it really can mean pretty much anything. Whether the news is a new channel, an upcoming update to an existing channel or the long-awaited release date Everybody's Nintendo Channel. I'm really hoping it's the latter, because we've really been waiting for ages and ages to get some info.

Hopes

These are all things I hope very much will happen, but seem improbable for one reason or another. Whether or not any of the following happens is beyond me, but I'd sure be happy if some of it did!

An F-Zero, Star Fox or Pikmin sequel to be announced

Come on, how awesome would this be? A new F-Zero on the Wii, with online play and Excite Truck-style steering! Or a new Star Fox game exactly like the one I yakked about back in June! And what about that new Pikmin everyone keeps begging for, with Shigeru Miyamoto-approved motion controls!

However, this remains merely a hope because of how relatively low-profile this press conference is going to be. It's not like E3 or the Tokyo Game Show, so we really shouldn't expect anything too huge. But still...

A solution to the Wii's puny 512 MB memory

Nobody can deny this: The Wii's default memory capacity sucks. SD Cards stream too slowly to be viable solutions, and the Wii-fridgerator idea is way too clunky and time-consuming. We need a hard drive, and we need it yesterday. With all these Virtual Console downloads, gamesaves and the impending WiiWare launch, space on our Wii's memory is going to become even more scarce. I really hope Nintendo's working out a solution to this.

But, no matter how hard I hope, it just doesn't seem like something Nintendo would do. Hard drives are expensive, and they just don't fit with the sort of approach Nintendo is taking. So as much as I'd like for it to happen, I doubt we'll see this tomorrow, if at all.

Doubts

These are announcements that I neither expect or really anticipate all that much. If they don't happen, meh, okay. If they do, ok, cool. I really don't care much either way. Not that it matters, since these are almost surely not going to happen.

New Wii colours

While it would be kind of cool to see a red or black Wii, I really don't see it happening. First of all, the Wii is already selling like mad. Sales don't need a kick in the butt just yet. Second, Nintendo's already having trouble keeping up with demand. New colours would just divide their resources even more. I don't think we'll be seeing new Wii colours for quite some time yet.

A new DS remodel

Whatever they do to make the next DS remodel different, it probably won't be happening for a while. To start, DS Lite's are still selling fairly well in almost every one of the world's markets. Also, what exactly could they change about the DS Lite to warrant another model? It's already incredibly small, it has a great battery life, and the screens are crystal clear. Any possible improvements are incredibly minor. I think we'll be seeing an entirely new generation of handhelds first, and that's far too big for a relatively minor event such as this.

So then, my predictions have been made, my hopes are stated, and my doubts are placed. Time to sit back and watch how things go down.

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The Duck Has Spoken.

My Vision of the Next DS

Lately there's been a lot of talk about the next DS. And they're not talking about another redesign like the DS Lite. They're talking about another platform altogether. Just as the Nintendo 64 became the Gamecube and the Game Boy Color became the Game Boy Advance, people are starting to talk a lot about the handheld commonly dubbed "DS 2".

Since it seems to be the current "it" thing to talk about, I guess I'd better toss in my two cents. Here's what I think the next DS will be like.

No GBA support

The ol' Game Boy Advance really is getting on in years. I don't think it's had a decent game released for it since Drill Dozer back in early 2006. So why bother adding something to a console that won't likely be used? The Game Boy Advance had a good, seven year run. But nothing can last forever.

And besides, ditching support for the old can make more room for the new, as well as lower production time and costs. And without the need for the big old cartridge slot, it will be possible to make the new DS even smaller! Imagine an entire, closed DS 2 no thicker than the bottom section of a DS Lite. The technology is there! Just look at the Game Boy Micro and the iPhone!

An SD card slot

Speaking of the whole "out with the old, in with the new" mentality, I see the next DS having a built-in SD card slot. And what would that be for? I'm seeing music, movies, pictures and more! Imagine using an SD card to input your own custom music into a Need For Speed game, or having your own pictures appear as posters in an in-game store. Sounds pretty neat, huh?

And of course, there'd be a separate mode just for listening to music, watching movies and checking out pictures. So if you don't have a specially made game, you'd still be able to see your files. It'd almost be cruel to not include this!

Larger, wider screens

It seems that everywhere you look nowadays, be it televisions, computer monitors or frequent fast food-eaters' waistlines, everything's going wide. So why can't the DS follow suit? Just imagine two huge, 4.3" wide screens, sitting one above the other. It's be like two PSPs stuck together! A DS with a resolution of 16:9... Now that's a handheld worth camping out for!

The raw horsepower of a handheld Gamecube

The Gamecube was one powerful system. Resident Evil 4, anyone? Take that, and imagine playing it on a handheld console. Crazy? Yes. Possible? It seems so! After all, look at the PSP. It came out in 2005, two months short of three years ago. The PSP was practically a PS2 in the palm of your hand, so really, a pocket-sized Gamecube may not be too far away.

And further helping this guess is an old rumour that was floating around. IGN said the following back in August 2006:

IBM may be working on a revised Broadway chip with a lower clock speed for a future Nintendo hand-held -- presumably one that plays GameCube discs.

Yeah, so what? A rumour's a rumour, right? In this case, perhaps not. Shortly after the article containing this quote was posted, it was pulled from the website, and later reposted, WITHOUT the above quote. Would they go through all that if it were merely a rumour? I don't think so...

A DS with Gamecube-level graphics is almost confirmed to be on the way. With the increase of technology's limits, a decrease of cost, and the above suspicious activity, I'm nearly positive of this super-charged handheld's existence.

Put it all together and the end result is...

A handheld DS, with an SD card slot, two three inch wide LCD 16:9 screens, and the goldmine of graphical power that is the Gamecube. Add to it a sleek design, a great gaming library and some Nintendo magic, and voila! You've got one hell of a handheld system.

Is this in any way near what the DS 2 will be like? Will it be so powerful and have so many bells and whistles? Or does Nintendo have something even more grand up their sleeve? Only time will tell, and until then, we can do nothing but dream...

The Duck Has Spoken.

Could Final Fantasy become Nintendo exclusive?

Trying to start a little earlier tonight... If I'm lucky, maybe I can squeeze in some Battlefield afterwards!



People have wondered for quite some time if the incredibly famous Final Fantasy series would ever completely return to Nintendo consoles. Having started on the NES back in 1987, Final Fantasy undoubtedly has some serious history with Nintendo. The first six main games were released exclusively on the NES and SNES. Due to Square's dislike of the Nintendo 64 design, however, Final Fantasy made the move to the Playstation brand, and has primarily stayed there since. But things do change over time...

There's much discussion among fans that Final Fantasy will move back to Nintendo exclusivity. Almost all of this is said entirely out of hope, as no real confirmation has yet been given by Square-Enix. But there are plenty of signs pointing in that direction. In all seriousness, Final Fantasy just might become a Nintendo exclusive yet again.

First of all, let's take a look at developmental expenses. Developing games for the Wii is a whole lot cheaper than making a game for the PS3 or XBox 360. It has been said that a developer could make five Wii games for the price of one PS3 game! Sure, Square-Enix is a huge, rich company, but the rich don't get rich by spending more than what's necessary!

Next, let's take a look at what kind of demographics play each console. The truly die-hard RPG fans still turn to the PS3 for their fix, which is somewhat of a draw. But then there's the fact of how comparatively small that audience is. With only 5.5 million PS3s sold compared to 13.5 million Wii consoles flying off shelves, developing too many titles for the PS3 could become quite a gamble.

But with the XBox 360, the sales numbers are too close to that of the Wii to make much of a difference. With less than a one million gap between the two, developing a Final Fantasy for either console would be a good decision.

Before jumping to any conclusions, however, there's one big thing that needs to be pointed out: The majority (Not all) of XBox 360 fans are more interested in Halo and Bioshock than Final Fantasy. Sure, there's an RPG audience as well, but it likely makes up a fairly small percentage of the total 360 owners.

When it comes to the Wii, it's a little harder to determine what the audience for an RPG would be like. Titles such as Carnival Games and Rayman Raving Rabbids fly off the shelves, while games like Fire Emblem sit there gathering dust. While the Wii audience is the biggest (If just by a little), the RPG crowd it a little harder to discern. Perhaps Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers is out to test the waters. If all goes well there, then who knows?

If Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers sells well, Final

Fantasy XIV on the Wii could be a distinct possibility.

On a related note, look at how many Final Fantasy games have been hitting Nintendo's dual screen handheld. Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy Tactics: Advance 2, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Ring of Fates and more are all bound for the DS.

With those above titles in mind, let's take a look at all the announced Final Fantasy games for the competition's systems.

So far, only two Final Fantasy games have been announced for the PS3: Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII (The latter being a sister title to the former). As for the PSP, there are only a handful of Final Fantasies, all three of which are updated ports of older titles (A remake of the first two Final Fantasies and the original Tactics). There was also a Final Fantasy VII spin-off, but it only saw a release within Japan. A North American launch is unlikely.

To date, the XBox 360 has only one Final Fantasy to it's name, and that's Final Fantasy XI. There's also Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess, but that's merely an expansion for the main title.

If things don't work out on the Wii, there's always the DS! The little handheld that could has sold nearly 55 million units worldwide, and if past releases are any indication, the RPG market is definitely there. Final Fantasy III, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time have all sold massive amounts around the world.

But could a massive franchise such as Final Fantasy work on the DS? Off-shoots, spin-offs and sequels are one thing, but an entire main-series Final Fantasy is an entirely different thing altogether. A series suddenly transforming from a console mega-game to a handheld exclusive would be quite the jump!

However, such a thing does not seem to be an impossibility! After all, Dragon Quest IX is coming out exclusively for the DS next year! Not a spin-off or anything, a true, honest-to-goodness, entirely brand-new Dragon Quest. The scope of a Dragon Quest game is easily compared to that of a Final Fantasy title, so the probability is there.

In the end, having looked at the situation from pretty much every angle, I'm seeing a very strong likelihood of Final Fantasy returning to Nintendo exclusively. Just imagine, folks: Back in 1987, it all started with Nintendo. Maybe here, 20 years later, it will finally come full circle. I wouldn't be at all surprised.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-article: By this time next year...

Here's a mini-article for ya! Should be followed up by a full-length article if all goes as planned. If not, you'll be seeing that article on Monday instead.



I like predicting things. It's fun, and it helps get people excited for the future. So here are a few I've thought up.

By this time next year...

...Star Fox Wii will have been announced for an early 2009 release.
...Animal Crossing Wii will have launched in all major markets.
...a new design of the Nintendo DS will be announced.
...at least two more game systems will be added to the Virtual Console.
...the obligatory third Pokemon game of the generation will be released.
...over 20 million Wii systems will have been sold worldwide.
...Duke Nukem Forever will remain unreleased.

That last one is really obvious! As for the others, I'm seeing a probability of 70%+ for all of them.

Remember this article come November 2008, folks! Who knows, I may have to change my name to PsychicDuck!

The Duck Has Spoken.