More Mariokart Wii info

Greetings all gamers!
This time there will be no snapshots, but a good bit of information.
Here is the new/old items arsenal:
Green Shell--When thrown, it will go straight forward. When it does, it will either hit an enemy, or it will bounce off walls. It will only bounce off the walls for a certain amount of time, then it will dissipate.
Triple Green Shells--You will get 3 green shells that will circle around you. I would release them one by one to hit multiple enemies.
Red Shell--Will home in on the person in front of you and hit them. However, they have a brief warning so they can try to protect themselves
Triple Red Shells--Same as the Triple green shell, except these are red shells. Release them 2-3 seconds between launches to get maximum effect on the player in front of you
Spiny Shell--This shell seeks out the first placer, and will hit them with an explosion that could hurt other racers surrounding them. I know from personal experience in Double Dash!! and DS that it IS avoidable. Although, its REALLY hard
Mushroom--Once used, will speed you up for a short period of time. Can be used to clear Bloopers
Triple Mushrooms--You get three mushrooms. Use each of them once you've slowed down after the mushroom you just released
Golden Mushroom--Can be used multiple times. Press the items button to your heart's delight because it only stays around for a short while
Mega Mushroom NEW--From the New Super Mario Bros. game the Mega Mushroom will turn you and your kart huge. Run over all the people you want to!
Lightning--Once used, every person on the track will turn small after being hit by the lightning. (Imagine having a mega mushroom while everyone else is hit by lightning!)
Lightning Cloud NEW--A cloud will hover over your head speeding you up for a short amount of time before shrinking you. Bump into someone to give them the lightning cloud
Banana--Drop it behind you or hold it behind you. If an opponent hits it, they will slip and slow down completely
Triple Banana--You get three bananas. Release the first two, and hold the last one behind you for protection
Blooper--Once used, everyone in front of you will have their windshield inked up for a short amount of time. By the way, if you get one of these and pass into first place, the blooper will ink you!
Bob-omb--Throw this item or drop it behind you. After a short delay, or if it hits someone, it will make a big orange explosion that hurts as much as the Spiny Shell
Pow Block NEW--After a brief warning, every other car is jolted to a complete stop (the reason its called the pow block, is, I think, because you jump and hit the pow block without doing anything. Or, everyone else in-voluntarily hits the pow block before stopping).
Star--An item that will turn you invincible while playing cool music. Will also speed you up slightly and allow you to go over any terrain.
Fake Item Box--This looks somewhat like an item box, if someone runs into it they will be flipped and stopped. Best if placed near a very populated turn, or near a whole bunch of items
Boo--Will turn you invisible and allows you to go over any terrain without losing speed. A boo will steal an item from any of the opponents. Sometimes it will come back with no item.
Bullet Bill--Usually only gotten near the back of the race, a bullet bill will turn you into a bullet bill, and charge along the course at a frightening speed. If you hit someone, they will get hit hard. The bullet bill maneuvers on its own, but you have to be careful. When it goes away, you might fall off the edge of a race. So be ready!
Here is the character Line up. There are 12 regular characters and 6 hidden characters. A total of 18!
Baby Mario (Sadly, baby Luigi is not here from the start. An unlockable?)
Baby Peach
Bowser
Donkey Kong
Koopa Troopa (Why not just call him Koopa? Wait, he's returning?!!)
Luigi
Mario
Peach
Toad
Waluigi (does this guy HAVE to return?)
Wario
Yoshi
+ 6 secret
+ Unlockable Mii
Wait, isn't that more like 19 characters? Or more! If you and your buddies where miis, it would be like, MEGA list! I wonder if weight will have any effect on what karts the miis can use? That would be so cool!
Oh, by the way, the speaker on your remote will also make sound effects for hops and tricks.
Hope you like the new line-up of characters and items!
Your friend in gaming,
CPU12 The Nintendo Freak
Good Luck.

eStarland

Greetings all gamers!
I don't know if anyone other than me has trouble finding games, but I know an AWESOME place where you can find everything from XBOX 360 *cough, cough* to the Atari and NeoGeo systems! Literally, EVERYTHING! I am somewhat a Gamecube enthusiast, and I love the games. However, its hard to find them. At eStarland, they almost ALWAYS have it in stock. Another place where you could've gotten a lot of GCN games was with a Gamefly membership. However, now the Gamecube is completely dead, and their not selling their games anymore. So eStarland.com is the way to go! I've looked up a lot of stuff, and I find myself looking around for my GBA SP charger so I know I can play some of the original Game Boy games. eStarland is a great place. Not only does it have games, consoles, and info about both, it has awesome anime stuff! This means that you can buy figurines, apparel, and LOTS of other stuff! For any game enthusiast, this is an amazing site.
Your friend in gaming,
CPU12 The Nintendo Freak
Good Luck.
P.S. Please view the post right under this one. It's my best yet!!

MarioKart Wii!

Sorry for the long delay!
That's right! MarioKart Wii is just around the corner, so I figured I should give you the latest info on it that I know of.
The new Mariokart is extremely sleek, and it has much more features then its EVER had before. Every part of the small Wii is being put to some use or another, and it all comes out in a wonderful display of amazing gameplay, graphics, EVERYTHING! Extra track detail, character animations and nice new lighting effects make it better looking then ever. But then you have to add the Wii Wheel! Wireless motion control adds great new fun from anywhere in the room! I've also heard that all the menus that you have to maneuver around are infused with that white wii-ness. In this game we go back to singles, making Double Dash!! a collectors item that you NEED to keep! Although having two people is no longer an option, the guys at Nintendo added something new. Every character now has a kart, and a bike. Also an unlockable kart. The bike, is a motorcycle/dirt bike that is slightly slower than the karts, but more maneuverable. Races now include a whopping 12 people!! (Compared to the previous 8) Think about it. 12 people on 150cc chucking items. PURE MAYHEM! Almost ALL the classic items have returned in an arsenal everyone can use. Although I don't think every character has their own special item this time. (Bullet Bill replaces Chain Chomp from Double Dash!!)
NEW CONTROL SCHEME

The Wii wheel is the main part of the game. Even if this feels awkward at first, just take some time and get used to it. Do NOT, repeat, do NOT use the GCN or Classic Controller. It would make the game less fun. The game was designed with this wheel in mind, so it makes it feel a little bit more natural when you actually get out on the track. Yeah, you might be a little bit more used to it, but if you keep at the wheel, you'll get just as good in no time! Keep in mind its natural to oversteer. So be careful, the turning range is about from 10:00 to 2:00. If you go beyond that you might be falling off the course a little big more than wanted.
Yeah, this thing is mostly just a piece of plastic that holds the remote, but it gives you a vantage point, and it also has a nifty little button set up for hitting the b button. It basically has a block over the B Button so you can hit it easily.
NEW CONTROLS
In addition to the wheel, there are a few new control changes and specialties I must point out. First off, it's REALLY easy to accidentally start drifting in the wrong direction. Make sure the wheel (or analog stik) is pointed in the right direction before drifting. Speaking of drifting, there is a new auto drift feature, which will automatically drift around most turns. However, this takes away Mini-turbos that can be earned while drifting. Mini-turbos are also different. Instead of there being two stages of the boost that are charged up by turning right and left in the middle of a drift, just drifting will charge it up. (Sharper turns make it charge faster though) You can also make a mini-boost by starting your engine right as you hit the ground after being picked up after a fall, and by performing tricks.
Another cool thing is that when a Red Shell or Spiny Shell is coming at you, your remote makes the sound effect, not the screen. So now it will be easier to know which of you or your friends actually has the shell behind them.
TRICKS
Tricks are done by pulling up on the wheel right as you go off of a jump that litter tracks (including returning classics) that once done, reward you an automatic mini-turbo boost when you land. This is key to getting best times. There are Small Jumps:



















These are jumps done off of small ramps and bumps found on the track. Or in this case, mushrooms! Can everyone see the pictures okay?



























There are also Half Pipe Jumps. These may seem a little out of the way to get to, but they are REALLY wort the the boost you receive. This is also an example of how they have added trick ramps to older races!






Another type of jump are the Big Jumps:


































Jumps like this are extremely rare and incredibly thrilling. This is just a ramp from Delfino Square DS that you can use for tricks. Look for those too. Another way for a mini-turbo is popping a wheelie while you're on a bike:








This is where the bikes shine.





On straight-aways, bikes can just pop, pop, pop wheelies. Now, in Mariokart DS, there was a technique used by all the greatest racers with the Dry Bones Dry Bomber that would allow you to just keep on drifting while on straight-aways. This is how the best times where scored. Now, even if we have the drifting option, I'm not sure if we will be able to do that again. Speaking of the drifting stats for each karts, there is no more items stats (thank the Lord) that I wasn't sure what it did in the first place. All it really did was give you extra or less mushrooms in Time Trials. Comment if you know another thing that it did. There is another jump that is the medium jump that is found about in medium concentration. I couldn't find screenshots for it though.
GAME MODES










We have Grand Prix for one to two players, battle and vs. for 2-4 players, and Nintendo WFC for racing other players online, and challenging everyone elses ghosts. Missions from DS are not returning, but this picture leads me elsewhere. It reminds me a LOT of some of the missions. Are they returning, or not?
In Grand Prix there are the normal speed classes, 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. However, only in 100cc and 150cc are bikes allowed. Are they better to the people that created the game?
RACES LINUP
Here is a lineup for all the races!
MUSHROOM CUP










Luigi Circuit is once again the starter circuit that has a lot of boosters around the final turn for a rush like none other!











Moo Moo Meadows has a lot of winding and drifting along the course. I wonder if it could be a throwback to Moo Moo Farms from the N64?











Mushroom Gorge is a bouncing track that allows you to pull off jumps off of the mushrooms, but be sure you won't fall into the chasm below!











Toad's Factory has you drive over conveyor belts and other stuff including moving platforms, making this one of the trickiest new courses!

FLOWER CUP











Mario Circuit is short, with lots of straightaways (go bikes!) and a chain chomp. Watch out!











Coconut Mall has moving escalators, and multiple paths. Try not to get lost!











DK Summit is a challenging Ski Slope like course with a long series of halfpipes for major tricking. Oh, make sure you jump over the deep snowbanks!












Wario Gold Mine is a raging rollercoaster ride. Like Wario Collaseum, there aren't many guide rails to keep you on track. If you want more information, tune back in later.
Your friend in gaming,
CPU12 The Nintendo Freak
Good Luck.

Upcoming Updates!!

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (Sonic RPG DS)
Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword (Ninja game DS)
Ninja Reflex (Raw Gaming Skill Test WII)
And Nintendo Power 2007 Game Nominations!!

Sorry

I am SO sorry for the delay. I have been in a state of mourning since the Smash Bros. Brawl delay... Ok, no. I have actually had Strep Throat, and I have had a wart bust open on the bottom of my foot. Therefore keeping me out of action on the web, and in school. Mostly. Anyway, you guys are probably wondering by now what the answer to the question stated on the upper right hand side of this blog screen. Well, the answer is Other. I would say, "Save up your money and get both!"
They are both slick pieces of equipment. But let me tell you this, if you like graphics and action gameplay, get the PSP, if you like good storyline, puzzles, and a new way to play, get the DS.

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! IT CAN'T BE!!!! SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL, HAS BEEN DELAYED... AGAIN!!!!!!!! NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! Someone help me! THEY ALREADY DELAYED IT ONCE!! Now its coming out on March 9th! No, March 10th. March 9th is probably the shipping date!! NNNNOOOOO!! Now I don't necessarily know what to do. I want a new video game to play really bad, but I only have enough money for one at the moment.... NNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!! WHY DID THEY HAVE TO DELAY IT AGAIN!!!??? NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

PSP vs. DS Lite!!

As you the readers know, I have recently obtained a PSP. I have now composed a contest between the two, taking a feature that is on both and comparing it to each other. This should get interesting!!
1. Battery Life: The PSP battery lasts for up to 5 hours and 45 minutes. While the DS Lite, while on the most battery sucking mode, can last for up to 8 hours! Winner DS Lite!
2. Buttons: As most of you know, it was complained about that the buttons on the DS Lite and regular DS were too close together. Well, the PSP does not have this problem. The PSP also has easier to reach sound, start, and select options. The PSP also has an anolog stick!! However, the DS Lite has something the PSP does not. The touch screen takes the place of buttons in most of the games. This is quite different. But there is no winner in this match. TIE!!
3. Screens: The DS Lite is very unique when it comes to the screens. It has one LCD screen on its top half, and another one that is also touch sensitive on the bottom. This looks like the DS wins-
WAIT!! The PSP though has a very high definition wide screen (not to mention huge) LCD screen. It can also hook up to any HD Tv. TIE!!
4. Games (physical): The DS Cartridge versus the PSP UMD. Well, the DS cartridge is much, much smaller. That much is certain. However, the PSP does deliver more high def games. This would be a tie, if it weren't for the fact that the PSP UMD can NOT hold memory. Winner: The DS LITE!!... Actually, this is a tie. You see, if you lose a DS game, you have to buy another one and start all over. With the PSP, you lose the game, not the memory. The PSP has a memory stick that holds the memory. All you have to do is buy another of the same game. You DON'T have to play the game all over again. Tie.
5. Gaming Experience: The PSP delivers a high def action experience. The DS delivers an in game, interactive experience. This is more bias than facts. The PSP is more of a hard-core gaming device, but is still open somewhat to casual gamers. The DS Lite however, is more of a casual gamer system, but is still somewhat open to hard-core gamers. Everyone will have a different winner for this contest.
6. Sound: Well, the device made by the Tv, camera etc, company would win this. It is to be expected. They are Sony after all! The sound on the PSP is much more able than the DS Lite, and the sound is not to mention louder! Which most people do like. It's sound system is also harder to bust. (Yes, the sound does break in systems. But only after a very long time)
7. Portability: This is also another bias contest. The PSP is slim, but somewhat long. The DS Lite is short, but somewhat thick. I guess it just depends on what kind of pants your wearing, or how much room is left in your traveling gaming bag.
8. Backward Capability: PSP, LOSER!! The PSP has no system before it. However the DS Lite can play the GBA games. DS Lite is the winner of this contest!!
9. Graphics: Once again, Sony PSP wins. It's really to be expected. Sony makes TVs for crying out loud!! The PSP (sadly) WIPES OUT the DS Lite in graphics. Although, if Sony couldn't make better graphics, I would be a little disappointed. Cause that would mean that Sony didn't try very hard!!
10. Battery Charge: I do not have the official charge times. However, they both seem to take about half the time to charge as it does to wear the battery out. So this would be a tie.
Final Outcome: DS Lite has 2 points, the PSP has, 2 points!! These are obviously two very evenly matched systems. If you were to ask me which one would be better to get, does anyone know what I would say? Hey! I'll just put up a poll. Let's see if you guys get it right (although one person really visits this site). Your friend in gaming,
CPU12 The Nintendo Freak
Good Luck.