Nintendo To Become Educational

I have long been a fan of video games and gaming consoles, and I strongly believe in the potential of these as tools to promote learning. While there are a LOT of people who will disagree with this idea, one of the most influential and most creative minds in the world of video games has made it his mission to incorporate Nintendo handheld consoles into the classroom.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the man behind Mario (the most recognizable video game to date – arguably, perhaps) says that he is devoting himself to this massive project. CBS reports:

Speaking through a translator, Miyamoto said that Nintendo’s DS console was already being used in Japanese museums, galleries, and aquariums, and that his company was beginning to roll out the Nintendo DS system “in junior high and elementary schools in Japan starting in the new school year.”

He framed the project as part of his company’s effort to broaden the audience for gaming consoles.

I think that it is but fitting that Japan, once again, take the lead in this kind of revolution. After all, they have always been at the head of the pack when it comes to new video games and gaming hardware. Why shouldn’t they be the first one to inject the use of video games in education? We cannot deny that technology has become so much more attractive to the young people of this day. With more modern tools, the whole learning experience can become much more effective. I look forward to the day that other countries will adopt this way of thinking.

Wii Sports Resorts Make It Big In Japan

Japan is well known for their protectionist policy. From their language to their products, the nation always prioritizes their own over any foreign ideas and things. When it comes to video games, it is not much different. That is perhaps one reason that the Nintendo Wii has had unprecedented success since its original release.

No one can say, however, that the Wii is not worthy of its success. Anyone who has tried playing on this gaming console will certainly agree that the Wii is something else. The original game that came with the Wii was Wii Sports, which was meant to showcase what the revolutionary console could do.

Now, they have released a follow up to the game dubbed Wii Sports Resorts. It has only been out for a week in Japan and yet reports are already coming in – the new game is another smashing success! From June 22 to June 28, statistics show that the about 360,000 copies of the game were sold. This quickly propelled Wii Sports Resorts to the top of the charts.

The new game compilation has 12 different sports and comes bundled with the MotionPlus attachment. In fact, spokespersons for Nintendo have said before that the games are designed to make the most out of the new attachment.

As of now, the game is only available in Japan but for sure, foreign versions will be released soon. I think the US will be having its version by the 26th of this month.

Xbox360 Best Seller In Japan

This is NOT good news for PlayStation fanboys in Japan and the rest of the world. According to sales figures, the Xbox 360 is has outsold the PlayStation 3 and the Wii. This is according to Media Create, an analytics company.

According to Games Industry, the latest results in terms of hardware and software are:

The Square Enix title for the Xbox 360 displaced last week’s top seller, Mario & Luigi RPG 3 for the DS, pushing it into second place.

PlayStation Portable title Idolmaster Sp took three consecutive places with its iterations Perfect Sun, Missing Moon and Wandering Star at third, fourth and fifth place respectively.

Shining Force Feather on the DS also debuted during the week, taking sixth place, followed by Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP the Best) at number seven and, another debut title, Sacred Blaze on the PSP at eight.

Meanwhile, Street Fighter IV for the PS3 slipped from second place to ninth, and Demon’s Souls, also for the PS3, came in tenth.

The region saw the Nintendo DS platform dominates sales at 51,814 units, breaking down into 41,839 DSi sales and 9,975 DS Lite sales, while Sony’s PSP followed behind at 29,552 units.

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 led the home console sales with 25,334 units, beating out the Wii at 16,973 units and PS3 at 16,149 units, as well as the PlayStation 2 which lagged behind at 5029 units.

This is quite surprising, given the fact that the PlayStation and Wii consoles are both Japanese-made. There could be a variety of reasons why this has happened but that is quite beside the point right now. If Sony wants to make a comeback, they have to do something – and quick.

PSP to be offered in Red

The new slim PSP could be one of the hottest gifts this coming Christmas. The new svelte look for the Sony PSP really suits it well and makes it a sleeker looking gadget. The new colors (blue, silver and pink aside from black and white) are also making it a more visually desirable product.

But now you can also add red to the color offerings for the PSP. The new color — officially called Deep Red — will become available this December 13. With new peripherals and uses being given to the PSP (cameras, GPS, TV tuners) the PSP may just have a few more years added to its lifespan.

Xbox 360 outsells PS3 in Japan

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 may be a success in the US, but go to Japan and the American made console lags behind both the Nintendo (the current blockbuster console) and Sony (whose PlayStation 3 is getting respectable number lately). Microsoft’ third place showing in Japan shows that the fiercely loyal Japanese are not that easily impressed by something that is American. In fact, even some of the games that are developed by American developers are not usually very popular among the Japanese.

It came as a surprise though this week when the Xbox 360 actually outsold both the PS3 and the PS2. According to the Media Create top 50 Sales Chart, the Xbox 360 sold 17,673 units in one week, effectively pushing total sales to 500,000. This is a figure that the original Xbox never managed to achieve.

The PS3′s sales numbers are actually very near the 360′s at 17,434. In fact, it may be likely that the PS3 beat the 360 in sales because Media Create only makes an estimation based on a sampling of stores. Thus, the 360′s triumph may be more of a moral one.

The true test for Microsoft is if it can continue the numbers for the following weeks. It will also be a gauge whether the Japanese has finally embraced a foreign console.

Quirky video games in Japan

When it comes to quirky games nothing can beat the Japanese. They have practically invented the genre and the market for games that are so out of this world in concept and gameplay that you wouldn’t even think that it is playable, much less marketable. And yet, the Japanese have proven time and time again that their formula actually succeeds in capturing the imaginations (and the wallets) of gamers.

Of course, most of these quirky games would really cater more or less exclusively to the Japanese domestic market itself. Take for example the popularity of “dating” simulators. These dating games are one of the biggest game genres in Japan but it has yet to really penetrate the market abroad. But thent there are games that are soo out there in concept and gameplay mechnics but still manages to get a worldwide audience.

Katamari Damacy is a puzzle/adventure game. You play the role of an alien who needs to replace “lost” stars in the sky and the only way you can do that is by accumulating all types of things on earth by rolling a “sticky” ball until you reach a desired diameter. It’s a really crazy concept but it became a really huge game when it was released and even spawned a sequel.

I think we should try to imitate the Japanese people’s ability to become open about new changes and ideas.