Geek In Me

by Phil Larsen via dsfanboy.com

We’re oddly fascinated with the upcoming, uh, panda simulation game, National Geographic Panda. Well, it’s called Panda-San Nikki in Japan, but in North America it’s important to tag an environmentally-conscious magazine to the title. That way, gamers can save endangered wildlife while riding the bus to knitting college. Everybody wins!

Adhering to the recent Nintendo trend of browser-based demos, Namco has set up a virtual DS on their official website so you can actually play the game (no see-saws … yet). Sure, gameplay consists of making one single swipe to roll that big cutie over, but it’s addictive. Turn the sound up and enjoy the happy.

via gonintendo.com

People all over the world know that many Americans suffer from obesity issues, some more than others. Quite a few folks are even too heavy to play Wii Fit, as the weight limit for the game is 330 pounds (150 kg). Since we don’t have any medical experience, we’re not sure if Wii Fit would even be the best way for people in that weight class to ease into an exercise regimen (maybe it is, maybe it isn’t). But either way, Nintendo doesn’t seem to care.

For people who bought the game only to find that they’re too fat for it, Jill Callahan of NoA recently said, “If this is a product that can not currently be used in your home, you may wish to investigate a possible return of the product to the retailer where you purchased it. Or perhaps you would like to give it as a gift to someone you know who would enjoy it. I hope you find these suggestions helpful.” Yikes, can you imagine the humiliation of returning Wii Fit because you’re too fat? And the only other alternative Nintendo has to offer is giving someone a $90 gift? Gee, we’re sure that helpful advice is really appreciated.

We’re not blaming Nintendo for their inability to have the Balance Board support over 330 lbs., and labeling the box to say so makes it the consumer’s own fault for buying it. But Callahan’s response? That’s just cold, especially in light of the philosophy behind Wii Fit. Instead, why not tell these gamers to use Wii Fit’s weight limit as motivation to reach the game’s supported weight level? Anything’s better than the “tough luck, we don’t care” line.

European Nintendo fans eager to attend the biggest gaming show in all of Europe, take note. Nintendo has decided not to attend this year’s show. Considering they had a great show last year, we honestly can’t understand why Nintendo would back out. Their new focus will be to participate in “smaller, local events and national promotional tours.”

Any of our European readers saddened by this news? Were you planning on attending the show in Germany this year?

via nintendo-revolution.blogspot.com

by Griffin McElroy via joystiq.com

Video games can occasionally be the source of some pretty disheartening self-realizations — like the time Rock Band revealed that you’ve been lied to your entire life about your angelic singing voice, or when Vampire Rain made you realize that you have incredibly poor taste in video games. However, something tells us these revelations are a bit less heartbreaking than those about to be unleashed by Nintendo’s latest best-seller, Wii Fit — especially when the heart in question is the fragile, butter-soaked heart of an overweight child.

Or an average-weighted child, for that matter. You see, Wii Fit measures the user’s Body Mass Index (BMI), a weight/height ratio commonly calculated by physicians, though the use of BMI measurements in children is criticized by many dietitians for its frequent inaccuracy. Nintendo recently issued an apology following an incident involving the hurtful labeling of a “solidly built” 10-year-old girl. So, it’s like an electronic, $90 version of our fifth-grade gym teacher? We’re sold!

by Darren Murph via engadget.com

Nah, the idea of using a freshly-mushroomed NES controller as your coffee table isn’t new, but we’ve got to give props where props are due on this one. Kyle Downes has just completed a painstaking project that resulted in his very own NES controller table, complete with a removable glass top to protect the unit itself. Best of all, it’s way more than just a living room centerpiece. Open it up and you’ll find loads of storage room for items any Big N fanboy shouldn’t be without. Remove the glass covering and you’ll realize that it’s a fully-functional Nintendo Entertainment System control pad.

posted by Eric Caoili via dsfanboy.com

As a somewhat respectable grown-up who makes a somewhat living on the Nintendo DS subculture, I have to stop myself from trying to see what someone’s playing whenever I spot a handheld gamer in the wild. I restrain myself for two reasons:
1. I like to keep up this illusion of me being a somewhat respectable grown-up
2. I don’t want anyone mistaking me for a pedophile just because I was stealing glances at some kid’s Piplup
Children, though, have no such reservations with running up to a stranger to see what he’s playing …