The Digital Home

The Wii is coming to...Sports Authority?

(Credit: Nintendo)

You might be used to buying your video game consoles only at an electronics store, but all that will soon change. National sports retailer Sports Authority announced Tuesday that it will start selling the Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit Plus in its stores.

Aside from being able to pick up a Wii and Wii Fit Plus, consumers will also find Sports Authority stores that boast a Wii "interactive fitness experience." The section of the store will have "knowledgeable fitness trainers allowing customers to try Wii and Wii Fit Plus before they buy."

While it's certainly interesting to see a Wii being used by a fitness instructor in a sports store, Sports Authority said it believes that it will help set it apart in the marketplace. According to the company, users will now be able to "satisfy their fitness- and sports-gaming needs under one roof."

But just how much of a benefit Wii Fit actually affords its users is up for debate. Sports Authority might claim that it helps users "achieve better health," but a recent study (PDF) from the American Council on Exercise found that the game offers a "very, very mild workout."

That could throw a wrench in Sports Authority's plans as it attempts to make the case that the Wii and the Wii Fit Plus make sense next to other products designed specifically to improve the health of its users. As appealing as it might be to some, Nintendo's game might not be able to stand up against fitness-focused products.

Regardless, Sports Authority has thrown its support behind Nintendo's console. The Wii and the Wii Fit Plus will be available in 102 stores starting on Thursday. It will be rolled out to remaining company stores by spring 2010.

The video game industry is having trouble reversing its poor showing over the past few months.

Industrywide revenue in August slipped 16 percent year over year, market researcher NPD Group reported Thursday. And total year-to-date sales were down 14 percent.

PS3 Slim....the next console leader?

(Credit: Sony)

Neither software nor hardware could stop the industry's slide. Hardware sales came in at $297.6 million for the month--down 25 percent compared with August 2008. Video game sales brought in $470.32 million--a 15 percent hit, year over year.

Hardware
Nintendo once again dominated both the handheld and console markets in August. The industry's leader sold 277,400 Wii units in August. Consumers purchased 552,900 Nintendo DS units.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 barely held onto second place in console sales, pushing 215,400 units into homes.

Buoyed by the cheaper PlayStation 3, Sony's console trailed the Xbox 360 with 210,000 units sold. Its PlayStation Portable handheld was another popular item with 140,300 units sold. Ironically, Sony's PlayStation 2 continues to sell well. According to NPD, Sony sold 105,900 PS2 units--not bad for a product that isn't even considered "current gen."

Software
Unlike many previous months, Nintendo Wii games didn't dominate the top-10 list of best-selling titles. The company's console had only three of its titles make the list. Even so, that's the most games for any single console in August.

And this time around, a Wii game didn't take the top spot. Instead, Madden NFL 10 for the Xbox 360 reigned supreme with 928,000 units sold. Nintendo's Wii Sports Resort captured the second spot with 754,000 units sold. Madden NFL 10 for the PS3 captured third place, selling 665,000 units.

It's all gone--thanks to Nintendo.

(Credit: Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)

The DS DoubleSys iPhone app, a Nintendo DS lookalike (and simulator) that we've been following since it was first made available on Apple's App Store, was removed from the store upon request from Nintendo, Nintendo said in an e-mail.

In response to a request for comment, Nintendo spokesman Charlie Scibetta wrote that his company felt it needed to protect its intellectual property.

"Nintendo respects the intellectual property rights of other companies, and in turn expects others to respect ours as well," Scibetta wrote in an e-mail. "Nintendo did seek the removal of this application as we vigorously protect against infringement of our intellectual property rights."

But it didn't end there. Also taken down was the video the app's developer, ZM2 Dev, had posted to YouTube about how the DS DoubleSys app works. In the video's place, a YouTube notice is displayed that reads: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Nintendo of America."

ZM2 Dev did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

There's currently no word on whether or not ZM2 Dev will release a similar, non-infringing app in the near future.

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DS DoubleSys, a Nintendo DS lookalike application, has disappeared from the iTunes App Store.

When I followed the app's unique iTunes URL Tuesday, iTunes returned a message saying it is "not currently available in the U.S. store." When I tried searching for the app, no listing was displayed in the results. Last week, a search for "DS Double" returned the app's listing in those same results.

The DS DoubleSys' iTunes link message.

(Credit: Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET)

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the DS DoubleSys app was removed from the App Store. It seemed to me that it was just a little too similar to the Nintendo DS. And since it mimics the Nintendo DS' operation, its menu, and even some of its sounds, I can only bet that Nintendo wasn't happy with it.

At this point, there's no word if ZM2 Dev, the app's developer, is even aware that the app has been removed from the App Store. The company's Web site still lists it as available in Apple's marketplace. In fact, it's bragging about its sales. ZM2 Dev said its app was the eighth most popular paid music game in the U.S. App Store. It was the 72nd most popular app in the store's Arcade listing.

DS DoubleSys is no longer on either of those lists.

The disappearance of the app follows a long line of apps that have been rejected or booted from Apple's App Store. Apple initially allowed DS DoubleSys into its App Store. Although it's possible that Apple thought better of it and decided on its own to remove the app, it's more likely that Nintendo played a part.

At this point, it's still a mystery: neither ZM2 Dev nor Nintendo immediately responded to requests for comment.

Update at 1:53 p.m. PDT: The YouTube video ZM2 Dev used to promote the DS DoubleSys app has been removed from the video site. When users try to play the video, it displays a message that provides more evidence that Nintendo might have been behind the applications removal from the App Store: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Nintendo of America." (Thanks, mista77.)

Apple might have let one slip by. An app that looks awfully similar to the Nintendo DS is now available in its App Store.

Does that look like a Nintendo DS to you?

(Credit: ZM2 Dev)

Dubbed DS Double Sys, the iPhone app from ZM2 Dev "can turn your device into a 'Handheld Game Console.'" When users boot up the app, the DS's familiar design is featured on the screen, including its dual displays. App owners can change the color of the DS to match their real-life version, zoom in on individual screens, and even play games. ZM2 Dev said that gamers receiving higher scores on its Pixel Mania title will be able to unlock more DS colors and a "secret game."

According to the app's App Store listing, more games, case colors, and microphone functionality will be made available at some point in the future.

After fielding several complaints over its app-approval policy, it seems rather ironic that Apple would allow an app that looks (and works) exactly like a Nintendo DS into its App Store. That said, it could have something to do with the way the app works.

Early last month, Apple rejected a Commodore 64 emulator called C64 that was trying to gain entry into its App Store. The app, which allowed owners to use Commodore BASIC, also allowed users to play authentic Commodore 64 titles. In a rejection notice sent to the app's developers, Apple cited section 3.2.2 of its iPhone Developer's Agreement, which states that "an application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means."

DS Double Sys is not, theoretically, an emulator. The game is a simulation of a Nintendo DS. That might have helped the app gain admission into the App Store.

Regardless, it should be interesting to see how long it stays in the store. Nintendo can't be happy about an app that costs $4.99 depicting its hardware. And if more games are made available, it might cause even more trouble for the app's developers.

Look for more news on this once Nintendo catches wind of it.

Via Gizmodo (Link)

Artist's rendering of the PSP Go!

(Credit: 1up.com)

A report from 1Up.com says the new version of the PSP will be hitting store shelves later this year. It will be announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June.

1Up.com also says the new PSP will be called the PSP Go! It's slated for a September release in Japan, followed by a U.S. launch in October or November. The publication said that the Go! will sport slide-out controls. Those who were hoping for dual analog sticks will be upset to hear that the new PSP will presumably still feature a single analog nub. 1Up believes that the Go! will come in two versions: one with 8GB of internal memory and another with 16GB of memory.

Shockingly, 1Up sources told the publication that Sony will be dumping the UMD drive for digital downloads. Players looking to add titles to their handheld will be able to do so by buying games from an online store.

Sony has not confirmed 1Up's report. And it's likely that the company won't be saying much as we get closer to E3. But if the 1Up report is true, is it enough to force Nintendo from its top spot in the hand-held gaming space?

The 20th anniversary of the Game Boy's release (in Japan, anyway) was Tuesday. Today, a whole generation of kids will grow up with nary a clue about what the Game Boy is and how it affected our lives. But the rest of us look back fondly at the handheld, so I thought it appropriate to remember our old friend.

The Game Boy was created by Gunpei Yokoi, a Nintendo employee who had moved up in the ranks from being a janitor to working on product development. It was originally a simple device with a monochrome screen, four buttons (A, B, Start, Select), and a four-way directional pad. But over the years, Nintendo transformed that simple handheld into a full-featured gaming platform, complete with a color screen and outstanding titles.

Ah, the good old days with the Game Boy.

(Credit: Nintendo)

Over 118.69 million units were sold (including Game Boy Color versions) around the world. And millions more were sold in future iterations. That simple mobile device transformed the industry. It became one of the world's most celebrated video game platforms.

But instead of getting into the full history of the Game Boy (you can find that on Wikipedia, after all), I think it's important that we explore exactly how it achieved that success.

Is the Nintendo DSi worth your money?

(Credit: Nintendo)

The Nintendo DSi arrived at my house last week. After playing a variety of games on the handheld, here are my thoughts:

Hands-on

Gaming
Based on the games I played--a dozen DS titles--I don't see any difference between it and the previous DS Lite. The games and the experience are the same. The DSi's screens are larger and the sound is better, slightly improving the gameplay experience, but other than that, I'm hard-pressed to see much difference.

DS games on the DSi shouldn't be much different, but Nintendo says compelling DSi-specific software is on the way. The company claims those titles will fully capture the functionality of the new handheld. I haven't played any of those titles, so I can't make a judgment on whether they will. Right now, the DSi, from a gaming perspective, is a new, hobbled, more expensive, DS Lite.

The greatest game in a decade?

(Credit: Nintendo)

I have little doubt that at least some Nintendo fans have read that headline and are preparing to unleash comments in support of the Zelda franchise. But before that happens, hear me out.

I'll be the first to admit that I am, quite simply, one of the biggest Zelda fans around. I own the Ocarina of Time soundtrack (the songs are on my iPod), have played every Zelda game since the beginning, and firmly believe that it's the greatest work from Shigeru Miyamoto (yes, I believe it's a better franchise than Mario).

And perhaps that's why I have such strong feelings about the Zelda franchise and where it's headed as of late. See, I've been wanting to write this column for quite some time, but I decided that before I would, I should go back and play every Zelda game to its completion to ensure that my contention--that the franchise has lost its way--is strong.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, I believe it is.

I don't expect every Nintendo fan to agree, and I'm sure some Zelda fans are already upset with what I'm saying. But I'm hoping that you will see this for what it really is: a Zelda lover's hope for the future.