JOE’s Gaming Round Up

JOE's Gaming Round Up features the release of SEGA's Virtua Tennis 4, EA Sport's rumoured subscription service and the Wii 2's imminent unveiling.

JOE

JOE’s Gaming Round Up features the release of SEGA’s Virtua Tennis 4, EA Sport’s rumoured subscription service and the Wii 2’s imminent unveiling.

By Emmet Purcell

Welcome to another week of JOE’s videogame round-up. As always, we’re looking to provide you with up-to-the-minute news, download reviews, weekly charts and forthcoming release dates on a weekly basis.

So if there’s anything you think we’re leaving out, or would like us to shine a spotlight on, feel free to leave a comment below.

News

New Nintendo console to be unveiled at E3 in June

Sales-wise, the Wii’s best days are well behind

Are you ready to get a glimpse of Nintendo’s much-anticipated follow-up to the Wii? Well you won’t have to wait too long, June 7-9 to be precise, as Nintendo have confirmed that the ‘Wii 2’ or whatever it ends up being named will be playable at this year’s E3 exhibition in Los Angeles.

The console, codenamed ‘Project Café’, was first leaked by US video game monthly Game Informer a couple of weeks ago, causing a flurry of similar leaks, with some positing that the console has HD graphics to rival the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, a BluRay drive and most eye-catching of all, a 6.2” screen on its controller.

We won’t know any full details or early titles until the video game industry’s biggest trade event, E3, next month. It all sounds like a really big gamble – Nintendo appear to be shifting from their ‘simplicity over technology’ stance that won the company such recent success, while the prospect of a early-released, soon-to-be-superceded-technologically console provokes sad memories of SEGA’s short-lived Dreamcast.

‘Leaked memo’ suggests future EA Sports annual subscription

FIFA 12 could be available exclusively a week before launch

If you’ve recently picked up a second-hand copy of a recent EA Sports title, you’ll be forgiven for rubbing your eyes in disbelief as you tried to go online.

As the first proponent of what was first dubbed ‘Project Ten Dollar’, EA have the led the way in ensuring that players ‘unlock’ their online content with a packed-in code, or if they have purchased second-hand, buying said code for around €10. It’s a tough move but has to be done in the face of a booming second-hand industry that neglects to reward developers.

A ‘leaked memo’, however, appears to suggest EA Sport’s next foray into online extras – an annual EA Sports subscription, which points towards two yearly models, $14.99 or $29.99. So how bang will you get for your buck?

First off, the alleged memo suggests that players will receive ‘sizable discounts’ on any EA Sports content, premium web-based features and exclusive content (reserved for the $29.99 model first). Most intriguingly, however, is that full downloadable versions of upcoming games will be available, either 7 or 3 days prior to launch, depending on your subscription. Play FIFA 12 a week before it hits the shelves? Dammit EA, you’ve got us by the balls now…

Download of the Week

Outland (800 MS Pts from Xbox Live Arcade, €10.00 from PSN)

Developed by Finnish outfit Housemarque, Outland cheekily describes itself as a mix of “Ikaruga, N+, Tron, Super Metroid and a bunch of other things that you like” in its PR blurb and we must admit that we’re suitably impressed the reveal trailer, embedded above. With an excellent price, this could be a great download for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 owners – if the latter’s PSN service ever comes back online, that is.

Friday Releases 29/04/11

Will Virtua Tennis 4 serve up a smash?

After the monstrous Friday of releases that stormed onto shelves last week (Portal 2, Mortal Kombat and the latest SOCOM to name but a few), things are a lot quieter this week. Just why do video game publishers wait until the busiest possible times to release their AAA products?

This week’s biggest title is Virtua Tennis 4, which arrives a little earlier than most tennis titles, which are typically reserved to coincide with either the Wimbledon tourament or the French Open. With Kinect support available, this should be a big year for developers SEGA AM3, as they have utilised motion controls on all three of their major platforms – Xbox 360 Kinect, Playstation Move and the humble Wii.

Elsewhere, badgered fathers will have to open their wallets for their kids as Marvel’s latest film tie-in, Thor: The Video Game, reaches stores. Surprising as it may sound, Thor is a SEGA game too, though don’t expect the same review scores that Virtua Tennis will recieve.

Out this Friday:

Xbox 360

NIN2-JUMP (XBLA)

Outland (XBLA)

Thor: The Video Game

Trouble Witches Neo! (XBLA)

Virtua Tennis 4

Playstation 3

Outland (PSN)

Thor: The Video Game

Virtua Tennis 4

Wii