RACE! is a Neo Geo Pocket (NGP) and Neo Geo Pocket Color (NGPC) emulator for multiple platforms.

The GP32 Version has seen an updated release, download at link above. ...

But that doesn't mean that Wii games will simply look like GameCube titles using a unique control method. Nintendo already told us that the hardware being used at E3 was not finalized. Moreover, during the show GameDaily BIZ met with ATI, which is providing the "Hollywood" GPU for the Wii, and John Swinimer, Senior Public Relations Manager of Consumer Products, emphasized that the Wii architecture is capable of producing far better results than what we've witnessed thus far. "I think what you saw [on Wii] was just the tip of the iceberg of what the Hollywood chip can bring to the Nintendo Wii," he said.

We tried to pry some design specs out of ATI, but Swinimer would only offer the following: "I'm really not here to talk about the design specs... other than the fact that ATI worked closely with Nintendo. The team that worked on this chip also worked on the Flipper chip that was in GameCube, and they've been working with Nintendo for a very long time so there's a great chemistry with the two teams working together."

He continued, "I really don't think that it's about the [specs]; I think it's about the innovation that it brings to the table—the motion-sensing, the always-on capability, which is really cool too—the fact that the chip is powerful enough and responsive enough to be there at a moment's notice, and I think that's pretty cool for the average gamer."

Via Gamedaily ...

When Rockstar Games announced it was making a Table Tennis game for the Xbox 360, many were skeptical. Some considered it a cynical move by the publisher to put an E-rated fig leaf over the mound of money generated by its M--and briefly AO--rated Grand Theft Auto series. Still others wondered why gamers would pick up a game based on a pastime that's already played indoors.

Well, the naysayers got paddled this week. According to retail figures from Bestbuy.com, Table Tennis was the seventh-most-popular console game in the US. It was one of six Xbox 360 games in the top 10, including Tom Clancy's Advanced Warfighter (third), Madden NFL 06 (eighth), and Call of Duty 2 (ninth). The regular and collector's editions of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the 360 were fifth and sixth. And though raw figures were not provided, it is likely that if sales of the two Oblivions were combined, it would have been the week's top-selling console title.

The two current-gen console games in the top 10 were number-10 Kingdom Hearts II for the PlayStation 2 and the surprising second-place finisher, Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix for the GameCube, which went back into print after a brief hiatus. The top prize, though, was another title starring Nintendo's iconic Italian plumber. DS favorite Super Mario Bros. was once again the week's top title, proving the popularity of both the venerable franchise and the portable platform. Further cementing the DS's status was the number-three game, Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day.

Via Gamespot ...

Though many game pundits have called the face off between the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii the "next-generation console war," one of gaming's leading lights does not see the conflict in such terms.

"Nintendo is not working on a next-generation console," said Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in an interview with Japanese news service Nikkei Business' Tech On! spinoff. "'Next-generation' implies that the console is an extension of previous installments. We believe that extending our current line will not lead to larger markets, and could possibly even lead to smaller markets."

In the Tech On! interview, Iwata further distanced the Wii from other next-gen consoles with some familiar arguments. He said the increasing complexity of gameplay has put many novices off, and that the Wii was going after said novices with an interface that "would appeal to anyone."

As proof, Iwata cited the success of the DS as a reason for the Wii controller's existence. "When Nintendo opted for the dual screens for the DS, more people were shaking their heads," he said. "Yet the market turned out favorable to the DS. ... I feel that this had led to more people looking upon our new [Wii] controller favorably."

Still, the decision to go with the so-called "Wii-wand" form factor was a difficult one. "Some of our staff disagreed with changing it," said Iwata. "Yet after some hands-on time with the prototypes, we knew we had a working formula."

Iwata also told Tech On! that mass appeal was the main factor behind the decision to add a speaker to the Wii-wand. "We introduced it fairly recently," he said. "Households sporting 5.1 channel speakers will certainly be able to enjoy realistic sound, yet not all homes have such audio equipment."

Potential Wii-owners will likely be most interested in Iwata's comments on WiiConnect24, the Wii's online network. Unlike Xbox Live, which makes users download demos, WiiConnect24 will automatically deliver Wii and DS demos to any connected console--presumably at the user's discretion

"Let's say your Wii is connected to the Internet in a mode that allows activation on a 24-hour basis," explains Iwata. "This would allow Nintendo to send monthly promotional demos for the DS, during the night, to the Wii consoles in each household. Users would wake up each morning, find the LED lamp on their Wii flashing, and know that Nintendo has sent them something. They would then be able to download the promotional demo from their Wiis to their Nintendo DSes."

Via Gamespot ...

An E3 trailer from Namco Bandai confirmed the MotoGP series would be tearing up tracks on the PSP, but it revealed next to nothing about the game's set of features. However, a product page on the company's Japanese Namco Channel Web site has revealed a few more details.

The MotoGP series' first foray into portable gaming will feature an international cast of 32 riders and their machines from the 2005 MotoGP season. The site stresses the game's attention to detail, stating it will contain "even substitute riders who were in just one race." Of course, racers need a place to ride, so eight real MotoGP circuits were selected based on their popularity among fans: Jerez, Estoril, Mugello, Catalunya, Donington, Sachsenring, Brno, and Valencia.

Several modes of play are also planned for the title. Gamers can cut their teeth on the game's standard arcade mode, or live out the life of their favorite racer in season mode. Rounding out the package are a multiplayer mode for up to eight players over wireless LAN, time trial races, and an unlockable 1-on-1 mode in which the player faces off against a single rider who is determined by the circuit and difficulty level. A variety of other features will be packed into the game, including an "extreme" difficulty level that can be unlocked by the truly dedicated, unlockable photos and movies, and the option for players to tweak details like their helmet type and riding form.

Via Gamespot ...

Halo 3, the most anticipated game for Xbox 360, could have been shown in a playable, multiplayer form at last month's E3 games show, according to developer Bungie. The only glimpse of next-gen Halo available at the show was the first ever trailer, despite the game being solid enough for gamers to go hands-on.

"Some people don't know that we had the option to let people play multiplayer [Halo 3]," Marty O'Donnell, the composer of Halo 3's musical score, told website Xbox Evolved.

With Halo 3 not due for release until next year, it looks like we'll have to wait quite some time before getting an idea of how Master Chief's new adventure is shaping up.

via gamesradar ...

Cheaper, smaller games will enable developers to focus on gameplay, says Nintendo boss

The Virtual Console functions of the Wii platform will enable small games to find a large audience, according to Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata, who says that the download system is an alternative to the "single-minded" approach of the industry at present.

Speaking to the Tech-On section of Japanese newspaper Nikkei Business Publications, Iwata addressed the merits of the Virtual Console as a platform for creating new content, not just for emulating old games - the use with which most prospective purchases will be most familiar.

He implied that games which launch on the Virtual Console could cost as little as 500 Yen (around 3.50 Euro), a tenth of the expected retail price of new games on the system in Japan.

"When creating a packaged game to be priced at 5,000 yen, developers tend to feel the need to create a rich game," he explained. "Yet it is possible to create a reasonably entertaining game in 2 months with a team of three. Offering such games for 500 yen over a network could lead to a reasonable number of people purchasing it. By offering an environment that allows this, we hope to encourage more developers to pursue basic yet enjoyable gameplay."

However, Iwata was quick to point out that Nintendo will continue to develop "epic" titles as well - and that even in the firm's new vision of the future, there is plenty of room for titles such as Zelda, Fire Emblem or Earthbound.

"Content-rich games have their own merit, and I have no intention of discrediting them," he continued. "Such games are important in their own right, and will continue to be in demand. Still - think about it - eating French cuisine or a full dinner each day would quickly lead to boredom, wouldn't it? You'll want a simple bowl of rice and soup every now and then."

"Our intention with the Wii is to propose an alternate approach to gaming business," he concluded, "as the gaming industry is currently far too single-minded."

Iwata admitted to Nikkei Business Publications that Nintendo had fallen from its former position as "champion" of the console market to being a "challenger" - and that "challengers have a hard time getting the market to listen to them."

However, he believes that the success of the Nintendo DS has helped to build momentum and support for the firm's innovations in control mechanisms, which he believes will help to "propel the Wii forward" when it appears later this year.

via Gamesindustry ...

Are you into Zelda then we have some great screenshots for you,

Screenshots Via Comments ...

Want to see some more screenshots of the upcoming Mario game for the Wii, then check out the screenshots via Comments.

10 lovely screens ...