Only seven games have received perfect scores from Famitsu since the Nippon magazine started in June 1986 (in chono order):

• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, N64)
• Soulcalibur (1999, Dreamcast)
• Vagrant Story (2000, PlayStation)
• The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003, GameCube)
• Nintendogs (2005, Nintendo DS)
• Final Fantasy XII (2006, PlayStation 2)
• NEW ENTRY: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008, Wii)

I both loved and hated the original Rygar. I played it on a friends’ NES a lot, and we usually ended up screaming at the TV because, as any gamer knows, cussing out a television actually affects gameplay and allows you to beat final bosses. It was also pretty enjoyable nevertheless.

And now there’s a “new” Rygar coming to Wii. I use quotes because it’s actually the 2002 Playstation 2 game with tacked on Wii controls. Or so I thought until today. 1up — yup, that 1up — has a preview up today that fleshes out a bit what Tecmo has planned for this remake. Yes, I said remake, as in the Wii Trauma Center kind of remake, because there are some fundamental changes to the game that are worth a mention. (more…)

With all of this Wii talk recently, we often forget that there are other Nintendo systems out there today that need a little love once in a while. No, sorry InvisibleMan, I’m not talking about the Nintendo DS and its plethora of Pokemon platitudes, I’m talking about the original NES!

Luckily, Fusion Ring has a list of the 20 things they learned from the NES up today. Here’s a quick sample before you jump on over there check them all out.

No one jumps around the NES!

Franticly waving the NES controller is the original Wii.

No matter what you do for her, the princess will always get back into trouble.

I can’t remember how many times I lost my progress in a great game (of whatever) because my younger sisters were jumping around my parents’ bedroom a tad bit too close to the ol’ NES. Damn those faulty connectors, damn them I say!

Tell me though, what did you learn from the NES?

I wrote an article for GamePro last week in which I documented the major Japanese contributions to video games since the birth of the medium. Here’s a relevant snippet for Infendo Nation:

1889 - Nintendo is formed in late September by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards which are used for several popular Japanese games. Over the years the company will transform into one of the most powerful and influential video game companies in the world. (full article here)

Before writing the article, I errantly thought that American and International game developers paled in comparison to the Japanese. Upon further research, however, I realized the extent to which everyone has contributed: Americans invented/commercialized gaming, Japan saved the industry and still leads in terms of risk-taking, and Europeans largely introduced mature content (Grand Theft Auto).

It was fun to take in, analyze, and appreciate all the major milestones achieved in gaming since its inception — something I’ve personally taken for granted up until now.

It’s good to be a gamer.

His red cap expresses more than words are able. The fact that “his” name is not necessary information, and that a mere description of his headwear floods the mind with fond memories - punctuated, of course, by a gleeful “Woo hoo!” - is proof enough.

Mario defines gaming.

Nary a single one of his adventures has been ill-received by critics over the years. His entertaining romps through the Mushroom Kingdom are celebrated events for gaming faithful, and production values and quality of the highest order are expected of each entry in the series.

But in 2002, Nintendo updated the classic Mario gameplay formula with a new look resulting in one of the most controversial games and clear opinion splitters in the company’s storied history.

(more…)

As with many of you, I fondly remember my first Nintendo experience. The year was 1986 and I was at a friends house playing the original Nintendo Entertainment System. This wasn’t the first console I played at home (the Atari 2600 owns that honor), but I instantly knew I was playing something very different. I also remember thinking the graphics were amazing compared to the stick figures I was used to on the Atari.

Though the details of the experience are a bit foggy due to my young age at the time, I was instantly hooked on Kung Fu and Super Mario Bros. Additional titles followed like Pro Wrestling, Metroid, RC Pro Am, Zelda, Tecmo Bowl and about 500 more.

Whether young or old, regardless when you started playing Nintendo consoles, I’m confident the experience was probably the same. Can you remember your first Nintendo experience? If so, comment away!

Originally published on September 26th, 2005.

Wired’s Chris Kohler likes Super Metroid. A lot. Strangely, him and I are sort of in the same boat. I’ve never played Super Metroid but absolutely love Metroid: Zero Mission. Behold the persuasion:

Virtual Console’s winning streak hits six weeks with the release of Super Metroid, aka One Of The Best Games Ever. I actually was late to the party on this one. I’d played Metroid and didn’t like it. Then I tried Metroid II and, uh, didn’t really like it. So I assumed that Super Metroid, when it came out, was just more of the same. It was only after playing Metroid Fusion in 2002… that I realized: “Wait a second, you mean there’s a game on the SNES just like this, but way awesomer?”

I’m buying this game today, but I’m screwed for time. This, BioShock, Metroid Prime 3 next week. And I want to get my mitts on Brain Age 2. Gamers are so screwed this fall…

Rumor has it that both Metroid and Super Metroid are on their way to the virtual console in the coming week. Scoop me Kotaku!

With Metroid Prime 3: Corruption just a few short weeks away from release on the Wii, it looks like Nintendo is set to ramp up with hype with a pair of Virtual Console releases. Images for both Metroid for the NES and Super Metroid for the SNES have appeared on the VC web server and spotted by an eagle-eyed NeoGAF poster.

This is cool, yet this is horrible. I would have rather played Super Metroid earlier this summer before Prime 3 hits the Wii. Thanks, Nintendo. Just thanks!

Now that’s what I call solid game design.

[Thanks, Tim]

Ever since the release of the DS in 2004, Nintendo has pretty much abandoned software support for the GBA. Not that it was a bad choice since Nintendo still went on to sell a total of 80.02 million GBAs within 6 years. It’s gone through a number of holidays, always a top seller for video games and just toys in general. The future of the GBA didn’t look bright when Miyamoto and company were asked about it at E3. (more…)

Fits nice. Target has a pretty good collection of geeky Nintendo-themed hats on the cheap. Maybe they’d like to buy some advertising (I apologize for the camera phone quality).

Gaming Today asks a beautifully simple question: what game turned you into a gamer? Though not the first game I ever played (that honor would go to some stick figure Atari 2600 game I can’t even remember), Kung Fu immediately followed by Pro Wrestling for the NES are what really did me in. Shortly after I got my hands on some Super Mario goodness, and it’s been down hill ever since.

What game turned you into a gamer?

According to average review scores on Metacritic (in parenthesis), here are the top 10 GameCube games to date:

1. Metroid Prime (97)
2. Resident Evil 4 (96)
3. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The (96)
4. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (96)
5. Legend of Zelda Collector’s Edition, The (95 )
6. Madden NFL 2004 (94)
7. Soul Calibur II (93)
8. Viewtiful Joe (93)
9. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (92)
10. SSX 3 (92)

See the complete list here.

As shot on some American playground. Gotta respect the NES brick controller, the most non-ergonomic there is. But it looks like someone forgot the all-important start and select buttons…

Color Lovers examine Nintendo colors through the ages. It’s a pretty cool little piece contrasting the differences from the NES to Wii. Excerpt: “While controllers have seemingly become just more complicated and the games just the same, what’s been interesting to watch is the evolution of graphics over gameplay, specifically with Nintendo, the longest running console manufacturer.”