Sonic Unleashed Preview

Ever since Sega’s blue hedgehog thoughtlessly entered the three-dimensional world, the Sonic franchise began to sink deeper and deeper into a seemingly endless hole. Over the years Sega has made numerous attempts to bring back the glory to their prized mascot which at one time only Mario could rival. They failed time and time again, and while one of their latest attempts on the Wii (Sonic and the Secret Rings) was a good effort, it just did not capture the thrill and pleasure that the legendary franchise was once known for. The small spurt of reputation that came with Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games feebly pushed Sonic back onto the radar and is now giving the hedgehog another chance to leap back on to the podium of famous mascots.

Sonic Unleashed definitely has the chance to do just that. While Sonic’s latest adventure will be breaking new ground, it is also going to stick to it 2D side scrolling roots that worked so well for it in the past. A quote from the lead designer of the Sonic team, Yoshihisa Hashimoto, states that Sonic Unleashed will have no relation to Sonic the Hedgehog (360/PS3) or Sonic and the Secret Rings (Wii). Instead it will have more in common with the older Sonic adventure games.

Everything about Sonic Unleashed has been developed completely from scratch, from its new character models, to its “Hedgehog Engine.” Players will still be able to use Sonic’s iconic moves, such as the “spin attack” and the “homing attack” but you can expect to see a bunch of new elements in the game that will give it a breath of fresh air.

Sonic has a few new tricks up his sleeve, including the new Sonic boost, which will have you collecting rings to fill up an energy bar that allow you to dash throughout the course at a high speed, Sonic Drift, which will allow players to take short, sharp turns at curves while running through the course, and the Quick Step, which allows players to move left or right rapidly to avoid an oncoming obstacle. We can probably expect to see more actions revealed at a later date.

Though details on the storyline are slim, it is confirmed that Sonic will turn into a “were-hog” at night time. It is also confirmed that in the beginning of the game Sonic will be trapped by Dr. Eggmans evil plan and the power of the Chaos Crystal will be misused and something inside Sonic’s body changes. This most likely causes him to turn into Were-Sonic during the nighttime levels. Were-Sonic has been reported not to be evil, but more of a Hulk-like version of sonic. So far Sonic’s trusty sidekicks Tails and Amy have been confirmed to be in the game, but it is still unknown if other fan favorites such as Knuckles or Shadow will be making an appearance.

It’s fine to be a little skeptical on the fact that there will be a new Were-Sonic in the game. But from what we can tell so far, Were-Sonic looks to be a welcome addition to the game and the franchise. According to Hashimoto, Sonic during the day will maintain his quick and agile speed, but during the night he is a slightly slower, and surprisingly a more agile beast. While regular Sonic darts past and aviods obstacles, Were-Sonic will “manhandle” them out of the way and can “toss enemies around like nobody’s business.” The Official Nintendo Magazine has reported that instead of running, Sonic will use his tremendously long arms to swing across the level, sort of like an ape.

There is also some very good news for us Wii owners, as Sega has said that the Wii version will be a graphical showcase for the system. The Official Nintendo Magazines reports that the Wii version of Sonic Unleashed has “shiny next-gen visuals.” It is even reported that the Wii is the lead-platform version of the game, while the PS2 version will simply be a downgrade from the Wii. Of course the 360/PS3 version may be tuned up with a little extra polish and gloss, but My Wii News cannot currently confirm this.

Very little is know about the gameplay and nothing is known about the controls of the game except that the main controller for the Wii version will use the the Wii Remote and Nunchuk combo instead of holding the Wii Remote sideways like in Sonic and the Secret Rings. It is still not know if players will be able to use other controllers such as the Gamecube or Classic controllers, but it seems like Sega is trying to use the Wii Remote’s unique abilities to the fullest, so it appears to be unlikely.

The developers mention that their new side-scrolling camera angle works extremely well. While it keeps Sonic up to date with the 3D environments, it also allows for the game to keep that old Sonic essence that everybody knows and loves.

So far, Sonic Unleashed appears to be a breath of fresh air to the Sonic franchise which has been struggling over the past decade. Hardcore Sonic fans will definitely want to keep an eye out for this one, because we all know that we want the old Sonic back. I have high hopes for this game and it looks like it will show people that Sonic can be awesome in 3D too. Give us your thoughts by leaving us a comment below, check out the debut trailer, the ONM screens, and keep checking back to MyWiiNews.com for more Wii and Sonic info

Japan gets a “new” GC Controller for the Wii.

It seems like Japan always gets everything first, and while this may not always be the case, it sure is this time.

Today, Nintendo of Japan re-released a new, pearly white, GameCube controller. The Japanese text to the right states that the cable for the controller will be 3 meters long, which is a tiny bit longer than earlier iterations. With the GameCube already dead, it is clear to us that the newly launched controller isn’t trying to resurrect the GameCube, but giving Wii owners a chance to buy this controller to use with their Wii (Brawl anyone?). We all know how uncomfortable that Classic controller is, so this is good news for those of you who sold or threw away your old GameCube controllers.

While it is only out in Japan right now, we can only hope that the controller will make it to other countries sometime soon. But if you cannot wait, you can fly over to Japan and pick one up yourself for a retail price of 2000 yen (about 20 U.S. dollars).

Developer of Bioshock 2 is looking for Wii Vets

Last year, a masterpiece was produced from deep inside the 2K Marin studios. With tedious work and long hours of development, Bioshock emerged from the deep and came to be known as one of the best games of last year. Wii and PS3 owners could only watch from a distance as Bioshock made it’s way as an exclusive on Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

Later, without much surprise, 2K Marin announced Bioshock 2 without mentioning which consoles it would make its debut on. This naturally lead to a lot of speculation, with 360 owners praying that the sequel would stay exclusive to their home console, while PS3 owners hoped that it would come to their console. Wii owners, however, just sat back and watched, knowing that there was no way that Bioshock 2 would be coming to Wii.

Now PS3 and Wii owners have a bit of hope, as 2K Marin seem to be reaching out to other consoles. On the 2K Marin Job page they have stated that they are looking for a programmer that has experience with the other “next-gen” consoles, emphasizing that experience with the Wii was “highly desired. This is undoubtedly good news for Wii owners everywhere, as 2K will hopefully have something up their sleeves for the future. And if we do get Bioshock 2 (which is doubtful), then hooray for us Wii owners!

We’ll keep you updated on this latest event, so check back to MyWiiNews.com for the latest info.

Wiikly Wii Releases -3/23- 3/29

Welcome to the this week’s edition of the Wiikly Wii Releases! Here we will let you know about all the great Wii titles coming out this week and give you some information to help you pick the game that’s right for you. When applicable, we’ll choose one game to be the “MyWiiNews Pick of the Week,” a game that stands out among all the others as the title that takes the crown for that week. Without further ado, let’s look at what’s coming out this week.

Obscure: The Aftermath

Ignition Entertainment- March 25

What’s better then walking through shadowy hallways, while in a creepy school, with your best friend, basically knowing that your about to die? Hmm, let’s see… Nothing!

While you may not have a school nearby that is filled with crazy monsters, demented teachers, and zombified students, you can still pick up Obscure: The Aftermath, and have the next best thing!

Obscure: The Aftermath is a sequel to the game that never made it to the U.S. last time around. So chances are you never played the first game, and while the game does start off from where you ended in the first game, the story isn’t very dependent of the first game; so you will still know what is going on.

If you have a little bit of money lying around, and survival horror is your thing, you should seriously consider picking up Obscure: The Aftermath for your Wii.

King of Clubs

Oxygen Games- March 28

The Wii has seen its share of puzzle games during its relatively short lifespan, and King of Clubs is another one of those wacky puzzle games. Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, a lot of people love puzzle games, and if you are one of those people, King of Clubs is definitely a game that you’ll want to check out this week.

King of Clubs is really hard to explain, but its some kind of sport combined with minigolf that is just completely crazy. Supposedly this game is never the same game twice, it allows you to play with a ball that looks like an eyeball, leaves a purple trail and moo’s like a cow when you hit it according to ign.

This game certainly looks interesting and if you’re a puzzle lover, definitely go check it out!

Opoona

Koei- March 25

Its about time that the Wii gets a good RPG!

This game will be perfect for any RPG lover who is looking for something new, something with a bit more pizzazz! Our very own Cole “llchymis” Jones, who is an RPG lover himself, will be reviewing this colorful game so be sure to check it out!

But about the game, Opoona is following the story of a boy who is a descendant of brave warriors, known as the Cosmo Guards. During a trip to a planet called Landroll, Opoona becomes separated from his family. His brother and sister are missing, while his parents are hospitalized with serious injuries. He must search for his siblings which is how Opoona’s adventure begins as he struggles to establish a life for himself on this new planet with no parents and siblings to give him a hand.

With an interesting story, charming graphics, and neat controls Opoona is shaping up to be a great RPG on the Wii which is why it is this weeks, “PICK OF THE WEEK!”

Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars, Wii preview!

“After a comet had passed the earth, all the planet’s researchers concluded its strange green dust had no effect on the world. None noticed that tiny plants and fungi were acting strangely. Mushrooms, cacti, kudzu and other formerly-normal plants had awoken to full consciousness. Tribes quickly formed among the various mushroom species: the primitive Boletes, the aggressive Amanitas, and the inventive Morels. With nations formed, war inevitably followed…”

Mushroom Men is a third person action-platformer that is being developed by Red Fly Studios, who is also developing Ghostbusters the Game. Mushroom Men drops you into the shoes of a three-inch high mushroom as you explore the massive world, fight rival poisonous mushrooms, and scavenge human artifacts to create weapons and shelter. While humans are going on with their everyday lives, they don’t even notice the organic warfare occurring right under their feet.

The character you will be controlling is a scout mushroom, who are much smaller then the sage and heavy mushrooms. While not much is known about the story behind the main character, it is known that he carries around a little toy that acts like a grappling tool, which you may use to reach high places and possibly grab far away objects. The main character can also use his hat-like head to float throughout the air, helping you to reach far away ledges and keeping you from falling to your death.

You will be fighting different tribes of poisonous mushrooms including (but not limited to) the Boletes, Amanitas, and Morels. The three groups each have characteristics of their own, as the Boletes are much more primitive, the Amanitas are forceful and aggressive, and the Morels are inventive. You can expect to see the Boletes using sticks and twigs as weapons while the resourceful Morels are creating new deadly weapons from artifacts left around by the humans. Other animals and plants have also gained intelligent minds and you’ll have to deal with them too, so expect a few rats, spiders, and plants to give you trouble during the game.

Mushroom Men’s graphics are some of the best on the Wii. While many developers are being lazy, Red Fly is certainly not, as can be clearlyt seen in the recent trailers and videos showcasing nice particle effects, lighting and shadowing. Hopefully there will also be a good frame rate to boot, and we’ll certainly have a very nice graphical experience on the Wii.

The game’s controls are still a secret, but the development team stated that there are currently around eight different setups in testing. While they said they aren’t planning on incorporating any unnecessarily crazy gesture-based controls in Mushroom Men, you’ll likely have the option to move the Wii Remote when you want to swing your weapon.

There is also a DS Version of the game planned to be released alongside the Wii version, but with some major differences. The DS version is a side scroller that is set in a completely 3D environment similar to the Wii version’s, but won’t have any direct connection to the Wii version’s storyline aside from that. Thankfully this means that you won’t have play one to enjoy the other, but the developers did want to give players who played both games more of a rewarding narrative.

So far, Mushroom Men is looking to be a great game, and is one our most anticipated games of 2008. I know we are all dying to play this game, so check out these trailers below to pass the time.