Hot Wheels: World's Best Driver - Video Review by the Wiiviewer

Hot Wheels: World's Best Driver was recently released on the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii U, making it one of the few third-party multiplatform titles on the system. Unfortunately, there is no reason to be excited by it. Popular YouTube user the Wiiviewer has spent some time playing through the game and his video review is extremely negative. As he puts it, there's no reason to even rent this one. Judging from the footage, he is undoubtedly right. Video after the break.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed receives temporary discount on Wii U eShop

A few days ago, a new patch was made available for Sega's hit racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed which fixed numerous issues and made some improvements. And now, the company has announced that the Wii U eShop version of the game will be available to purchase at a discounted rate through March 31st, this Sunday. The game is usually priced at $39.99, but the digital version can be yours for just $29.99 until the weekend is over. The offer is valid in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

A few other Sega games are also available at a discounted rate on the PlayStation Network. You can check them out via the source link below.

Source: blogs.sega.com

Digital Foundry says Need for Speed: Most Wanted U is definitive console version

Better graphics and some unique features.

The staff of Digital Foundry have finished their in-depth analysis of the multiplatform game Need for Speed: Most Wanted. According to their article, the Wii U has the definitive version thanks to higher quality textures and lighting, along with some extra features made possible by the GamePad. Here's the conclusion of their article:

All in all, having taken a decade-long break from Nintendo since the release of Burnout 2 on GameCube, Criterion Games has used the Wii U to conjure up the definitive console version of Need for Speed: Most Wanted. It's not an overwhelming advance that matches the visual fidelity of the PC version in all regards, but additions and tweaks are numerous and well-considered. At no expense to the frame-rate, textures stand at the midway point in the quality spectrum, between the more blurry assets we're seeing on PS3 and 360 and the highest possible settings on PC. It's a worthwhile upgrade that extends to reflection draw too, with all other visual facets being identical, and the frame-rate coming away smoother regardless.

Tweaks to night-time lighting are welcome too, bringing a more natural darkness to the environments, while at the same time enhancing the look of directional lights. It's a bold change when compared to the more vibrant lighting of the previous releases, and crucially one which doesn't interfere with the core racing experience. There are shortcomings to the Wii U package that must be noted though; starting with the uncertain release schedule of future DLC, and the cut down to six players for online play. The lack of analogue triggers on both the GamePad and Classic Controller Pro may also be a factor for some, where re-mapping acceleration to the right analogue stick is a necessary workaround for those who prefer to modulate their speed.

In summary, this ranks as the version to get if those points can be overlooked. The conversion is a sound one, and GamePad features are well-implemented and useful - if not all absolutely essential. Many are luxuries, such as the ability to hop into any car immediately, which ultimately make exploring Fairview a much easier experience. Meanwhile, the inclusion of off-screen play brings this version to life in a way no other release can at this time. When considering the mixed quality of ports that have hit the Wii U so far, this ranks among the stronger and most committed efforts to cater for its strengths - a tradition we hope will long continue.

The article contains plenty more details about developer Criterion's technical accomplishments. You can read the feature in its entirety via the source link below.

Source: Eurogamer.net

Project CARS dev says Wii U GamePad "screams new innovations for gameplay"

Slightly Mad Studios Creative Director Andy Tudor recently spoke to NowGamer about their game Project CARS, and revealed some new information about the Wii U version. He says that the GamePad "just screams new innovations for gameplay" and discussed how the development team plans on using the high-tech controller to deliver an experience only possible on Nintendo's console. He also touched on Miiverse briefly as well.

“The gamepad just screams new innovations for gameplay and is a perfect match when thinking about using the gyroscope as a handheld wheel like in Mario Kart Wii and showing data on the screen such as a map, telemetry, speedo, or rear view mirror.

“When you couple that with Miiverse functionality and community it’s a no-brainer.”

“Honestly, each has their own advantages: the PC will always benefit from the most bleeding edge processors and graphics cards but the Wii U has brand-new ways of interacting via the Gamepad, and the PS3/Xbox 360 versions continue to push those machines to their very limits whilst hooking in to already-popular systems like PSN and Xbox Live.”

“So no one single platform wins I’m afraid!”

Source: NowGamer


Related Post: Wii U version of Project CARS will run in 720p at 30fps

Wii U version of Project CARS will run at 30 fps in 720p

Project CARS is a gorgeous game, and the PC version in particular looks great. Andy Tudor of developer Slightly Mad Studios recently spoke with NowGamer about the upcoming racer, telling the publication that the Wii U version of the game will run at 30fps in 720p, and will "look and feel amazing."

We always prefer to aim for 30fps generally in order to keep gameplay-specific features like having more cars on track or better weather effects etc.

So that’s standard across all consoles, and we’re more likely to utilize the native 720p support of the Wii U for launch especially since our physics and rendering systems demand a lot of processing power in order to deliver a truly next-gen experience.

All you need to know is that when you get the game, it’ll look and feel amazing and you’ll want to show it off to your friends.
-Andy Tudor, Creative Director

Source: NowGamer


For more info on the game, including screenshots, you can check out the game's official website via the link below.

Project CARS - Official Site

Wii U version of F1 Race Stars includes all DLC on-disc

F1 Race Stars was released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC late last year, and there has been a decent amount of downloadable content released for the racing title. Nine accessory bundle packs were made available, as well as four additional tracks set in Europe, Canada, India, and China.

The box art for the Wii U version has now appeared online, and it appears the game will include all of the downloadable content on-disc, and has been given the subtitle Powered Up Edition. It does not appear that a release date has been provided yet. We'll provide more details as they come out.

F1 Race Stars is a Mario Kart-style racer featuring a number of famous F1 race car drivers, and received mixed reviews. Some critics gave it great scores while others gave it rather low appraisals. You can check out some reviews on the Metacritic pages for the game via the links below:

F1 Race Stars (Xbox 360) - Metacritic

F1 Race Stars (PlayStation 3) - Metacritic

F1 Race Stars (PC) - Metacritic

Trailer after the break.

Source: Twitter

F1 Race Stars confirmed for Wii U

Launch trailer after the break

Nintendo Europe has sent out a press release with a lot of info to sift through, and one of the things featured in the report is a list of games that are scheduled for release on the Wii U in early 2013. One of the titles is none other than F1 Race Stars, a game developed by Codemasters which has not been officially announced yet. Now that Nintendo has pretty much let the cat out of the bag, we'll probably hear a formal announcement from the developers themselves very soon.

F1 Race Stars is a Mario Kart-style racer featuring a number of famous F1 racers, and was released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 in mid-November. You can check out the launch trailer after the break.

Source: Nintendo Europe press release via GoNintendo

Wii U version of 007 Legends not coming to Australia, 3 other games delayed

Here's some bad news for gamers in Australia. NBA 2K13, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, and Marvel Avengers: The Battle for Earth have all been delayed and will not be available when the console launches in the region on Friday, November 30th. The new release dates are as follows:

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - December 13th
Marvel Avengers: The Battle for Earth - December 13th
NBA 2K13 - "early next year"

While those three titles have merely been delayed for the platform, the Wii U version of 007 Legends has been cancelled and won't even be released in Australia. I've been looking at the comments sections on various websites and most gamers seem completely indifferent to the news that 007's latest game won't be available in the region, which is undoubtedly due to the fact that it received overwhelmingly negative reviews. The game did so poorly that developer Eurocom recently announced they were laying off over 200 employees and are shifting their focus to mobile platforms. It's a shame, really, as the company had developed a number of successful Bond games over the years, including James Bond 007: Nightfire and the reimagined version of GoldenEye 007 for the Wii. For more on Eurocom, check out our previous article.

Source: Vooks


For more about 007 Legends, check out our previous posts on the game.

007 Legends

007 Legends on Amazon - Overview, screenshots, customer reviews (if any)

007 Legends - Video Review by IGN

007 Legends - Opening cinematic and trailers

Wii U version of 007 Legends not coming to Australia, 3 other games delayed

007 Legends will feature mission based on Goldfinger

007 Legends - Video Review by IGN

The game is based on 50 years of movie history. What happened?

This is very disappointing. I love James Bond. In fact, the N64 version of GoldenEye 007 is my favorite game of all time. When I heard 007 Legends was going to feature missions based on 5 of the films, I thought it sounded promising. When it was announced to be a Wii U launch window title, I became even more interested. The Xbox 360, PS3, and PC versions have just been released, and the reviews are slowly trickling out. Sadly, they are overwhelmingly negative, and unless the game undergoes a serious transformation on its way to Nintendo's console, it will not be worth the asking price. Being a huge Bond fan, I might consider picking it up for (very) cheap sometime down the road, but I think I'll have to pass for now.

IGN scored the game slightly lower than the other guys, but the consensus from professional critics and gamers alike is that it's a pretty poor effort. You can watch IGN's video review after the break.

007 Legends - Opening Credits and Trailers

One of the missions is based on Goldfinger.

Activision has released the opening credit cinematic for 007 Legends. The opening theme was written by David Arnold, and is essentially a remix of the theme from Goldfinger, one of the films on which the game is based. You can watch the video, along with all of the previous trailers, after the break.


If you're interested in this game, you should check out the detail page for 007 Legends on Amazon.

007 Legends - Trailers

Developer: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed framerate is fine now

Disney's Wreck-It Ralph will be a playable character.

Sumo Digital is bringing their upcoming racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed to Nintendo's new console, and it was widely reported that the Wii U demo had framerate and other graphical issues. According to Executive Producer Steve Lycett, those problems are a thing of the past. When a Sega forum user posted a statement claiming the PS3 version would be superior, Lycett replied:

"Wrong. If anything the WiiU version is now the closest to the target framerate, well discounting the PC version that is."

Lycett has also explained that the demo that's been making rounds is from a build created from code dating back to July, and the development team has been so focused on getting the Wii U version ready for launch that they haven't had time to create a new demo.

Source: sonicstadium.org


For those of you missed it, Sega staff were on hand at Nintendo's press event to discuss the game. You can see the video overview as well as the E3 trailer after the break.

Codemasters may port Grid 2 and other games to Wii U

Amazing graphics.

An in interview with Joystiq, Iain Smith, Associate Producer of the upcoming racer GRID 2, says that a Wii U version of the game hasn't been ruled out. He and the rest of developer Codemasters are watching Nintendo's new console will make decisions at a later date.

Smith: “There’s every opportunity at some point down the line” [for the racer to come to Wii U.]

“It’s not being ruled out certainly, and certainly [that applies] across all Codemasters titles. Some platforms are more appropriate for certain types of games, but we just have to make decisions as and when they’re appropriate. We can’t say too much more at the moment.”

Source: Joystiq

You can see the Grid 2 California Coast gameplay trailer after the break. Make sure you watch it in HD.

007 Legends will feature mission based on Goldfinger

Straight from the movie.

Activision has been slowly leaking more and more info about their new Bond game, 007 Legends. They have now revealed that there will be a mission based on the classic film Goldfinger, and they have released a new trailer which showcases said mission. Here is the official press announcement:

    In 007 Legends, the Goldfinger mission finds the best undercover agent early in his career investigating Auric Goldfinger – a gold magnate thought to be behind a recent spike in gold prices – only to discover a larger plot to irradiate the entire Fort Knox gold reserve.

    In order to thwart the plot, Bond takes action to infiltrate Goldfinger’s headquarters with help from a questionable acquaintance – Pussy Galore. Upon arrival at Fort Knox, 007 is tasked with defusing a nuclear bomb before it detonates, and the only thing standing between Bond and the bomb is Goldfinger’s henchman – Oddjob – and his notoriously deadly hat. Will Bond be able to defeat Oddjob? Will Goldfinger’s evil plans succeed?

The other films the game will pay tribute to are Moonraker, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Licence to Kill, Die Another Day, and the upcoming Skyfall, which will begin playing in theaters in October. You can see all of the 007 Legends trailers after the break.

Source: 007 Legends Official Website

Gameplay video of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

The GamePad will show an overhead view each course, along with player rankings.

The staff of GamesRadar attended Nintendo's big press event in New York, and they got some hands-on time with the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. In this video, Sonic flies around the track in his car, which transforms into a high-speed watercraft when it comes into contact with water. We also catch a glimpse of some of the items that will be featured in the game. Pretty cool. Video after the break.

007 Legends coming to Wii U

Awesome news for Bond fans.

Activision has confirmed that their upcoming James Bond game, 007 Legends, will be coming to the Wii U. The title features missions based on 6 movies from the long running franchise including a finale taken straight from the upcoming 007 flick Skyfall. The release coincides with the release of the newest film as well as the 50th anniversary of the film franchise. You can see all three trailers after the break.

Nintendo renews trademark for Wave Race

Could this game be coming to the Wii U Virtual Console, or could there be other plans?

Nintendo of America has renewed their trademark for the name Wave Race. While there could be plans for a new entry in the popular series, the big N might also be considering a re-release of previous games. The original was a top-down racer for the Game Boy and was simply called Wave Race. The second was Wave Race 64 for the N64 (considered by many to be the best), and the third and final entry was Wave Race: Blue Storm, which was a launch title for the GameCube. So far, the only one which has been re-released is the N64 game, with the other two no where to be found. Since the Wii U is not backwards compatible with the GameCube, Nintendo is planning to re-release GameCube games for download, so the odds of seeing Blue Storm on the Virtual Console in the near future is a very real possibility.

Of course, Nintendo could have renewed the trademark simply to prevent other parties from laying claim to the name, but that would be a real shame given the cult following the series has. We'll just have to wait and see.

Source: Trademarkia

No F1 2012 for Wii U

Maybe next year.

Codemasters, developers of the F1 racing series, have confirmed that they will not be making a Wii U version of the game. Instead, they will be focusing on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in order to deliver the best possible versions for those platforms. In an interview with videogamer.com, creative director Steve Hood had this to say:

"The internal Birmingham team is doing the 360/PS3 versions and that stretches us, to be honest. Year-after-year we've got that tight deadline of trying to get the game out, and so we can't take on another one internally if we want to keep maintaining the quality of push for [F1] to be ever-improving."

Hood also said they could outsource development of a Wii U version in the future, so there's still hope for next year. If you're a hardcore racing fan, there's still Project CARS, which does feature F1 racers. Judging from the most recent trailer, I'd say it's a darn good alternative. Check out the trailer via the following link:

Latest trailer for Project CARS


Source: VideoGamer

Box art for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

Click for full-size.

Sega has revealed the box art for the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Pretty sweet cover if you ask me. The game allows players to race by sea, air, and land. It's pretty much Sega's version of Mario Kart 7, but much faster and in HD. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it looks like Mario Kart 7 on steroids. You can check out the trailer after the break.