If you Buy 5000 Wii points at retail and a Wii classic controller will be included in the pack. So far Japan is the only region where the pack has been confirmed.

source

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This is the fact sheet of the upcoming Nintendo Wii game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Fact Sheet FACT SHEET

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Marvel™: Ultimate Alliance™ is an all-new action/RPG where players create their Marvel dream team from the largest roster of Super Heroes™ ever in an epic quest that will determine the fate of Earth and the Marvel universe. For decades, Earth’s Super Heroes have opposed evil in their own cities, and on their own terms. But now, Dr. Doom and a newly reformed Masters of Evil – the greatest collection of Super Villains ever assembled – have plans for world domination, and the heroes must band together to defeat them. Playing as some of the most revered Marvel characters, gamers will embark on a dangerous journey across exotic terrain and well-known comic book locations like Atlantis, the Shield Heli-Carrier and the Skrull home world in an attempt to defy the world’s most notorious Super Villains. Created by Raven Software, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance lets players control the most powerful Super Hero alliance the world has ever known.

KEY FEATURES:

Create…Marvel…Dream…Team!!! – Experience the full scale of the Marvel universe with a combined cast of over 140 popular comic book characters. Players create, customize and control their ultimate four-person strike team, selecting from over 20 playable Super Heroes, including Spider-Man, Wolverine, The Thing, Captain America, Elektra and Thor – and battle notorious Super Villains including Dr. Doom, Galactus and countless others.

Deep, Rich, Customizable – Marvel: Ultimate Alliance offers gamers total team customization. Players can form their favorite Marvel dream team, create their own team name, team icon, team vehicle and establish a team reputation as they play through an original storyline hand crafted by renowned game developer Raven Software and Marvel’s own C.B. Cebulski. Additionally, players have more control over leveling up each team member to their liking, or upgrading all team members together to keep their heroes balanced.

Combat, Combat, and More Combat – With new and dynamic combat capabilities, Super Heroes can now fight while airborne, on the ground, and even submerged underwater as they traverse through 17 exotic locales and play out some of the most legendary comic book battles from the Marvel universe. Players will have access to a host of fighting tactics and accessories, including melee combat moves such as grappling, blocking and quick combos, new chargeable Super Hero powers, more environmental objects that can be used as weapons, and unique one and two-handed weapons.

The Fates – Marvel: Ultimate Alliance features a unique storyline where players not only determine the fate of Earth, but also control the fate of the Marvel universe. The missions players accept, the objectives completed, and how players interact with other characters throughout the game will have a direct impact on how the story plays out.

…Indivisible, with Liberty, and Multiplayer for All – In addition to the epic single-player storyline, players can also battle the world’s most evil Super Villains alongside friends in both on and offline cooperative story modes. This robust multiplayer component also features a Competitive Mode – where the game keeps track of various in-game stats so players can see how well they stack up against one another – affecting the amount of experience points and how equipment is distributed.

Next-gen Specific Features – Marvel: Ultimate Alliance features a handful of important console-specific features for the next-gen platforms, including two exclusive playable Super Heroes. Additional console-specific features detailed below:

For Wii:

Advanced Gesture Based Combat System – One of the most important implementations on the Wii is the ‘Advanced Gesture-based Combat System which pushes the capabilities of the Wii-mote and Nunchuk controllers. This system allows players to do moves that are almost impossible to do on other platforms. Players can even chain gestures together to create very powerful attack combos.

Motion-Sensing Controls – With the Wii-mote, players can swipe upwards for upper cut punches and kicks, swipe down for stun attacks, sweep left or right for trip attacks, jab forward for heavy attacks and shake for quick, light attacks. Further, attack powers are custom for each character and are mapped to the Wii-mote gestures, and the Nunchuk can be used for picking up objects, throwing, blocking, dodging/rolling as well as movement via the analog stick.

Audio/Video – Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for the Wii will support 480p Progressive Scan, full 16×9 widescreen format and Dolby surround sound.

For PS3:

Maximum HD Support – Graphics for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance on the PS3 will support full 1080p Progressive Scan mode via HDMI, offering the highest quality HD visuals available to date.

Tilt Controller Support – Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for the PS3 will take advantage of the system’s motion sensing controller support for even further interactive fun.

Publisher: Activision, Inc.

Developer: Raven Software (Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox, PS2)
Vicarious Visions (PS3, Wii, PSP)
Beenox Studios (PC)
Barking Lizards Technologies (GBA – NOTE: gameplay/content may vary)

Release Date: Fall 2006

SRP: $59.99 (Xbox 360, PS3)
$49.99 (Wii, PSP)
$39.99 (Xbox, PS2, PC)
$29.99 (GBA)

ESRB Rating: “T” (Teen – Mild Language, Violence) – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Xbox, PlayStation 2, PSP and PC
“E” (Everyone – Fantasy Violence) – GBA

More About: Nintendo Wii, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 

Codaname Revolution has gotten their hands on the November issue of Nintendo Power and has done a summary of whats in it:

• UPDATE 1: One of the first Wii game ads: Trauma Center: Second Opinion. It shows an appointment note and at the bottom it states “General Surgeon’s Warning: Trauma Center and Wii are an addictive combination that may result in prolonged fun for everyone. Early detection and preordering are key to achieving all the possible entertainment that these items can provide.” Another ad appears which has been seen before for Red Steel.

• UPDATE 2: [I almost had the “big one” when I saw Star Wars: New Alliance right on top of the Prepare for (Wii) Launch and realized it was for handhelds, oh well] Most of the Prepare for Launch feature is already known. Also info on Strikers and BWii, but nothing new. However a list of 33 launch window games are listed! They are the following:

1. The Ant Bully
2. Avatar: The Last Airbender
3. Barnyard
4. Blazing Angels
5. Call of Duty 3
6. Cars
7. Chicken Little: Ace in Action
8. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
9. Elebits
10. Excite Truck
11. Far Cry: Vengeance
12. The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
13. GT Pro Series
14. Happy Feet
15. Ice Age 2
16. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
17. Madden NFL 07
18. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
19. Metal Slug Anthology
20. Monster 4×4 World Circuit
21. Need for Speed: Carbon
22. Open Season
23. Rampage
24. Rapala Tournament Fishing
25. Rayman Raving Rabbids
26. Red Steel
27. Spongebob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
28. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
29. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent
30. Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam
31. Trauma Center: Second Opinion
32. Wii Sports
33. World Series of Poker

• UPDATE 3: We should see more Commodore Games from Epyx on the Virtual Console which are confirmed to be in the works.

• UPDATE 4: News we have already heard about but it’s interesting that Nintendo Power points it out such as Spore possibly making it to the Wii and Lucasarts & Radical working on next-gen Game.

• UPDATE 5: Here comes the Wii previews. First is Elebits with new screens, it’ll have over 15 stages and a multi-player mode. Monster 4×4, not much new except that it will look better than its predecessor and that is good to know! Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam, two new screens and the game will have areas like Chicago shopping mall, Edinburgh castle, Hong Kong waterfront and the game will have 100 events from 30sec-4min sprints/marathons. Far Cry: Vengeance, three new screens and the graphics are horrible, (N64-1.5 horrible) but it is obvious the game is in an early build. Avatar, three new screens and the game plays similar to X-men Legends. Rayman isn’t necessarily a Wario-ware like title as all the mini-games are part of the story. Barnyard will utlize the Wii-mote and you can do things like break boxes, shake jugs of milk to turn them into cream and in one screenshot it looks like a Golf mini-game feature as well.

• UPDATE 6: A four-page Madden NFL 07 feature. Most of it is known but the screenshots made me think of DS. Of course the graphics shown in video previews are a million times better than what is shown here. Game has as 2on2 Minigame where four athletes face off in a narrowed field and each team has four downs to make it to the end zone. Next mini-game is a Kicking Combine in which the player has to kick the ball and it has to land on what is displayed on the screen. Next is Y.A.C. Attack Minigame which rotates players into the quarterback position so you can pass and run. Defenders get points for stopping his own man and another. The game will look much better, it will have double the textures the GCN version had, more-realistic lighing/shadows and a higher polygon count. Grass is a great example which shows off a realistic treatment.

• UPDATE 7: Next is a three-page feature on Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz. A Banana Blitz poster is included in this issue! Few new screens. Game has eight themed worlds and additional worlds to be unlocked and each world consists of eight puzzle stages plus a boss. Bosses like a pirate-like ape and a sasquatch. The rest of the feature shows off mini-games we may have already seen, except perhaps Squash mini-game where you wield the Wii-mote like a tennis racket and the great part is it is not on rails! Meaning you can control the character with the analog stick while playing Squash.

• UPDATE 8: Next up is a three-page feature on Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Many new screens. Game has 17 locations and Dr. Doom seems to be the main baddy. Rhino, Scropion, Shocker, Thunderball, Bulldozer, Piledriver, Mysterio and Dragon Man are some of the villains in the game. Galactus is in the game. Stan Lee interview reveals that The Watcher is in the game. Ultimate Alliance is Stan’s favorite game and a sequel will eventually happen. Nick Fury and Silver Surfer are two unlockable characters. Marvel Ultimate Comic Book fans will recognize some of the storylines and battles in the game.

• UPDATE 9: The Stuff of Legends (Zelda) Part 2 (continued from October Issue): Top 5 Minigames - Money Making, Fishing, Scenic Photo Spots, Private Oasis Puzzle and Tingle Tower Games. Top 5 Items/Weapons - Hookshot, Ocarina of Time, Mirror Shield, Master Sword and Bombs. Top 5 Dungeons - Death Mountain, Dark Palace, Forest Temple, Stone Tower Temple and Forsaken Fotress. Nintendo Power Playback features Ducktales (released September 1989) for the NES (definitely one of the greats). Mini-previews of Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck and Ducktales 2. Capcom is confirmed to support the VC, hopefully Ducktales will make it.

• UPDATE 10: Nintendo Power interviews Hawthorne Heights who are heading for the Fusion Tour. Matt from the group says “We already held the controller..it makes me happy that it’s not $8,000 like the other systems are going to be.“ JT (who is looking foward to Zelda) says “We were pretty impressed. I didn’t know that that’s what it was going to be like. I just thought it would just be, you know, the next Nintendo system. But it looks like it’s going to be something totally different than anybody’s done before.”

• UPDATE 11: Next Month - Countdown to Launch - “The Wii-volution is about to begin, and Nintendo Power is on the front lines. We’ll have complete coverage of launch plans, titles, and reasons why Wii will change gaming as we know it.”

Opera releases details on its browser for the Nintendo Wii console

Oslo, Norway - September 26, 2006

Opera Software today announced details on its browser for Nintendo’s soon-to-be released game console, Wii. Opera’s full Web browser is available for download from the “Wii Shop Channel”. Nintendo has stated that they will offer Opera free of charge as a temporary promotion for all Wii users until June 2007.
Wii

From July 2007, users can purchase the Opera browser using Wii points. Wii points are credits users can buy that allow them to add new games or the Opera browser to their Wii consoles. The number of Wii points required to purchase Opera has not yet been announced.

With support for Flash and AJAX-based content such as Google maps, Wii users will benefit from a feature-rich Internet experience that is uniquely customized for the Wii. Opera for Wii boasts the same complete standards support as the Opera 9 Desktop browser, and includes the added functionality of “Zoom” and “Bookmarks”. The Wii remote control will also be an integral part of browsing, allowing users to intuitively control the Web with their Wii remotes.

Nintendo has previously announced that Wii will be available in the U.S. on November 19, 2006, Japan on December 2, 2006, and in Europe on December 8, 2006. The cost for the console is $249.99 or 25,000 Yen.

Opera Press Release

More About: Opera, Nintendo Wii, Opera browser, Flash, AJAX

Nintendo Wii Points Card , the monetary payment system for online downloads, is at Amazon.com now.

Nintendo Wii Virtual Console Will let you download a library of games for around $5 - $10.

More About: Nintendo Wii, Virtual Console, Nintendo Wii Points Card, Points Card for Wii

IGN got an interview with Redsteel Artistic director, Stephane Bachelet, about improving Red Steel’s visuals. Below are some interesting points and 10 new Redsteel Wii New Images

We had a clear idea of what we wanted to do. But the challenge was, how could we do it? The console was in development, so we worked on Nintendo GameCube kits and PC and made projections based on the technical specs we started receiving.

The Wii kits actually arrived one month prior E3. The E3 demo had to be delivered so quick that we could not take time to implement the whole graphic chart we developed. So, the E3 version’s graphics was a work in progress, just to be show-able, but not finished. We wanted to take time to see people play for the first time with our game, help them to handle the Wii remote and finally, let the door open to all useful changes that would be necessary for the gameplay.

Do you feel limited vs. the power of the console?

The relative power of the console set a limit, in fact. That is why we started working on a stylish realistic rendering rather than on a pure photorealism treatment, with shaders and other heavy effects. The idea is to provide eye-catching scenes that are really cool and emphasize the action of the game, rather than places that highlight impressive effect, which you do not pay any attention to in the middle of the action anyway.

More About: Stephane Bachelet, Red Steel, Redsteel Wii, E3, Wii remote

Maxconsole published new nintendo wii specs that where sended to them by an anonymous Wii Developer

The Wii Hardware

• Nintendo Wii’s ‘Broadway’ CPU operates at 729MHZ with a maximum bandwith of 1.9gbyte/sec.
• Nintendo Wii’s ‘HollyWood’ GPU is clocked at 243MHZ, the internal memory of it includes 3mb of embedded graphics memory and 24megabytes of high speed main memory.
• 64megabytes of GDDR3 (MEM2) as the external main memory. Just like the internal memory, it can be accessed from the CPU and GPU with a maximum bandwidth of 4gbytes/sec and can also store programs in the MEM2.
• The GPU of the Wii is identical to the GC’s but it is on average 1.5X faster.

Wii’s Optical Disc Drive

• Opitcal Disc Drive (ODD) supports single and dual layer Wii disks, discs eject with software or button and the maximum read speed is the equivalent of DVDx6.
• Two main disc types supported the single sided 12cm single sided 4.7gb and the double sided 8.51 GB. Nintendo GC discs also supported. Some of the capacity of the discs are used by the system and games can not use full disc space.
• Inserting a disc will start the Wii console, even if it was already in an off state. Pressing the eject button will change the console to an on state to take out the disc also.

Wii General Overview

• An optional wired LAN adapter that connects to a USB port is in the pipeline for users who do not possess a wireless LAN set-up currently.
• Internal non-removable 512MB flash memory used to storage game save data and downloadable content thus eliminating the Need for a memory card.
• Both Wii discs and Gamecube discs can be played via an intelligent mode swap. When running in GC mode, the Wii’s CPU and GPU will lower to the respective speeds of the GC and some of the MEM2 functions as ARAM.
• Software development environment is an upgrade to the ‘Dolphin SDK’ used with the GC; the same libraries are used so developers can get up to scratch easily as well as the possibility of ports being easier.
• The following interfaces are included with the Wii; SD card slot, Wireless controller, two USB 2.0 ports, wireless LAN, 4x GC controller ports, 2x GC memory card slots and an AV multi output jack (only an analog jack).
• Supports Wii disks (one sided 12cm) and GC discs (one sided 8cm) and console auto switches depends on what disk is inserted
• More than just the Nunchaku is planned as an extension. GC peripherals such as DK bongos can be used in both Wii and GC modes.
• Three power status, on, off and unplugged. To prevent mistaken turn offs, the power button must be held for about a second.

The Wii Control System

• The Wii controller features; Direct Pointing Device, Three axis accelerometer, Wii power button (remotely turn console on/off), buttons, wireless connectivity, indicator LED’s, rumble, battery powered (two AA alkaline batteries) and ability to connect extension unit.
• The Wii controller supports three types of operations; by itself, with a nunchuk extension or with a classic controller. Classic controllers will ship to developers during August 2006.
• The SYNCHRO button on the Wii controller exchanges wireless ID numbers when pressed at the same time as SYNCRHO on the Wii console. Wireless communications are only possible with consoles which have been authenticated.
• The rumble motor can be turned on and off and the intensity can be changed.
• The Wii remote has a pointer for fine movements as well as a motion sensor +/- 3.4G suitable for larger body movements, the nunchuk attachment has a sensor of +/- 2G
• The sensor bar must be placed above or below a TV set, the pointer measures coordinates between the ends of the bar which are about 20cm apart.
• The Wii remote has four status, disconnected, communicating, establishing connection and pairing wait status.
• The pointer can measure co-ordinates within bounds of rectangle centered upon the sensor bar, thus it can also measure points beyond the screen. It also responds to strong light sources, windows, fluorescent lamps, fireplaces, mirrors etc.
• Due to players hands shaking while holding the controller, a ring buffer allows a precise direction to be created to hold and average accelerator samples.

Wii Broadway CPU

Broadway is Wii’s CPU. Broadway functionality and specifications are as follows.

• Operating speed: 729 MHz
• Bus to main memory: 243 MHz, 64 bits (maximum bandwidth: 1.9 gigabytes/sec)
• 32-kilobyte 8-way set-associative L1 instruction cache
• 32-kilobyte 8-way set-associative L1 data cache (can set up 16-kilobyte data scratch pad)
• Superscalar microprocessor with six execution units (floating-point unit, branching unit, system register unit, load/store unit, two integer units)
• DMA unit (15-entry DMA request queue) used by 16-kilobyte data scratch pad
• Write-gather buffer for writing graphics command lists to the graphics chip
• Onboard 256-kilobyte 2-way set-associative L2 integrated cache
• Two, 32-bit integer units (IU)
• One floating point unit (FPU) (supports single precision (32-bit) and double precision (64-bit))
• The FPU supports paired single floating point (FP/PS)
• The FPU supports paired single multiply add (ps_madd). Most FP/PS instructions can be issued in each cycle and completed in three cycles.
• Fixed-point to floating-point conversion can be performed at the same time as FPU register load and store, with no loss in performance.
• The branch unit supports static branch prediction and dynamic branch prediction.
• When an instruction is stalled on data, the next instruction can be issued and executed.
• All instructions maintain program logic and will complete in the correct program order.
• Supports three L2 cache fetch modes: 32-Byte, 64-Byte, and 128-Byte.

Supports these bus pipeline depth levels: level 2, level 3, and level 4.
Reference Information: Broadway is upward compatible with Nintendo GameCube’s CPU (Gekko).

Wii Hollywood GPU

Hollywood is a system LSI composed of a GPU and internal main memory (MEM1). Hollywood is clocked at 243 MHz. Its internal memory consists of 3 megabytes of embedded graphics memory and 24 megabytes of high speed main memory.

Hollywood includes the following.

• Graphics processing unit (with 3 megabytes of eDRAM)
• Audio DSP
• I/O Bridge
• 24 megabytes of internal main memory
• Internal main memory operates at 486 MHz.
• Maximum bandwidth between Hollywood and internal main memory: 3.9 gigabytes per second
• Possible to locate a program here

Reference Information: Hollywood is similar to Nintendo GameCube’s Flipper and Splash components.

Wii External Main Memory (MEM2)

Wii uses 64 megabytes of GDDR3 (MEM2) as external main memory. Like internal main memory, MEM2 can be accessed directly from Broadway and the GPU at high speed and has a peak bandwidth of 4 gigabytes/sec. Programs can also be placed in MEM2.

More About: nintendo wii specs, Wii Developer, Wii Hardware, Wii’s Optical Disc, Wii Control System, Wii Broadway CPU, Wii Hollywood GPU, Wii External Main Memory

A Joystiq Informant explains that his outlet received a detailed release schedule from Activision, one that listed Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam with an October release, followed by Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Call of Duty 3 in November.

Both documents were forwarded to Joystiq and they were able to ascertain that the last person to modify the second document is part of Activision’s international media relations team.

Activision already know the launch date?” Considering that they’re working on a highly publicized Wii launch title, we’re going to go with “yes.”

More About: release schedule, Activision, Activision, Wii launch

Nintendo has underlined that it will ready six million Wii hardware units for the console’s launch period, confirming off the record briefings to retailers during the latter part of last week.

“The company plans to ship six million systems to retailers around the world between its launch in the fourth quarter of 2006 and the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2007,” said Nintendo in a statement to shareholders. The company also confirmed the pricepoints mooted of late.

“Following its overwhelming debut at E3 2006, Nintendo today announced the current fiscal year unit shipment forecast for its new home game system, Wii. Nintendo also confirmed that the price of the Wii system, which incorporates unique freehand control, will not exceed $250 in America, or 25,000 yen in Japan.”

Super Mario Galaxy basic operation

source: Super Mario Galaxy blog

More About: Super Mario Galaxy, Wii remote, Wiimote, Nintendo Wii