With the annual Game Developer’s Conference (that’s GDC to you and me) in full swing, we thought it best to summarize all the big news, direct from our correspondent on the show floor other websites! Nintendo had their keynote today and a fair chunk — actually no, I’d go as far to say a veritable slew – of news has hit many a blogger right in the face (news moves fast y’know). We’ve benevolently compiled all the big Nintendo stories in one easy to devour post, so you can peruse the latest happenings…without being smacked in the fizzog.

[Due to the increasing laziness of the SG staff (read: Eoco), these stories are compiled in no particular order. Nope, none at all. Unless, of course, you can spot some kind of logic to the ordering, in order to WIN A FANTASTIC PRIZE!!!
...we're kidding. There's no prize. I feel bad now.]

You better get training for Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Oh, sometimes my own wit amazes even me. If you haven’t caught on to the extreme witticism featured in the above heading, let me start by explaining a bit about the latest Zelda title. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (working title), sends our green clad adventurer on another epic quest, this time by train. Yes, Link will be cordially welcomed onto a rail locomotive…THAT HAS A GUN ON THE ROOF! Not much else is known, other than that IT WILL BE OUT THIS YEAR!

Sorry about that, it appears my cAPSLOCK KEY IS BRoken.

Virtual Console Arcade lanched, 6 games annouced

Let me get this right: there’s Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Store, Virtual Console and now Virtual Console Arcade?

“Yes”.

Oh, well glad to clear that up.

Virtual Console Arcade is an expansion to the Wii’s Virtual Console that will cater specifically to old arcade games, not be found on any other console. There are 6 in total and 4 of them are out now, with 2 others announced. The games are as follows:

• Gaplus (600 Wii Points)
• Mappy (500 Wii Points)
• The Tower Of Druaga (500 Wii Points)
• Starforce (500 Wii Points)
• Space Harrier (TBA)
• Solvalou (TBA)

Final Fantasy coming to WiiWare and…Virtual Console (!!!)

In what will no doubt be the final fantasy, 2 new games in the popular series have been announced for WiiWare. The first is a sequel to My Life As A King called Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A Darklord. You play as the Darklord’s daughter, described by the press release as, “a malevolent little Miss”, which is just fantastic in every way. In the game, you scurry around placing cunning traps for unsuspecting foes, with an aim of protecting your tower. Pretty boring, huh? Is it still boring after you realize that, at the top of the tower, there is a dark crystal? I didn’t think so. The other WiiWare game is Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, a previous Japanese cellphone exclusive, that continues the story from Final Fantasy IV.

On the Virtual Console side of things, the original 1987 Final Fantasy will beckon you to spend your Wii Points, when it releases this year.

What do you get if you cross a sheep with a kangaroo? A wooly jumper! Ok, how about another one: what do you get if you cross rock with rock? Rock and Roll Climber of course!

Finally! Someone heard my pleas! Too long have I waited for the tuneful word of rock music to be mashed together with the cool reassuring stoniness of rock. Rock and Roll Climber allows you to scale rock faces in your living room! Using the Wii remote, nunchuck and balance board, you have full control over your arms and legs, allowing you to traverse the most inhospitable of environments with relative flailiness. “Where does the rock music come into to this?” you ask. Well, when you reach the top of the rock face, your avatar grabs a conveniently placed guitar and slams out a rockin’ riff! I. Cannot. Wait. For. This. Game. Oh wait, I typed that wrong: replace, ‘cannot’ with ‘can’.

SD Card menu available on your Wii right about….now!

The Wii’s storage problems appear to have been solved with a Wii system update! Now, you can launch channels (i.e. Virtual Console games) direct from an SD card. What’s more, SDHC cards are now compatible, meaning cards up to 32GB are compatible! But what are you reading this for anyway,go and download it already!

Nintendo has shipped 50 million Wiis

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Well, that’s about everything from Nintendo for this GDC…and it’s all good! Perhaps the mob will lower their burning torches now? Anyway, it’s about time I wrapped up this post, in the quickest way possible.

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Sources: Joystiq, Destructoid

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