The Rumor Mill Keeps on Churning

I imagine that the inside of Miyamoto's mind is a lot like the first level in Psychonauts.

So the latest batch of rumors at IGN puts the Wii 2 coming out possibly THIS YEAR around $400. While the price is discouraging, it would be easier to accept if Nintendo had not already launched hardware this year already. I'm very publicly hoping for a November 2012 launch, but 2011 would coincide with the Nintendo-established 5-year console cycle. It also seems like it would trample all over holiday 3DS software sales. Wouldn't it make sense to give the DS successor a holiday season all to itself to firmly plant it's foot in the portable market?

And give the Wii and Skyward Sword one last gasp for fuck's sake. It's unfair what happened to the Cube (although totally justifiable). A new Pikmin that actually makes it onto the Wii would be nice as well. We've been waiting almost 5 years for it. There's still Dragon Quest X, Pandora's Tower, The Last Story and Xenoblade that I'm still hoping to play before I buy a new console. Ok, maybe not Dragon Quest.

From a business perspective, it does not make much sense. Although, Microsoft will testify to the importance of getting your new hardware out first.

And Megaman Legends 3! Holy shit, I figured that this one was on the verge of going the way of Inafune. But it seems like this one will give gamers an instant download when the eshop goes live in a few weeks. Cannot wait.

Rumors Galore

The past 72 hours have left me in a frenzy. My frothing demand for confirmation of the whirlwind of rumors around Nintendo's next console increases. All of the (rumored) features around the Wii 2 seem too awesome to be true. The hype train for Project Cafe is rolling and Nintendo's silence only adds fans the flames of anticipation. E3 Cannot come soon enough.

I decided not to pick up The Conduit 2 for personal reasons. The lack of software on the Nintendo front is pretty glaring in April and May, but there's an opportunity here for some catchup on the WiiWare front. Expect a lot of new and rumor talk on the April Nintenshow and some WiiWare blindspots covered in May.

Hopefully I can get Carlos to post some PS3 reviews to fill the gaps.

I finished capturing all 153 Pokemon in the new 'dex and immediately began transferring some freshly hatched monsters from the original 250 'dex. Within the next few days, I'll have over 400 monsters and then take a break for a few weeks before moving on to the Diamond/Pearl Pokemon. Ruby/Sapphire will have to wait for a while.

Needing a Distraction

As I sat and watch my beloved Red Sox get their asses continually kicked in Opening Week, I browsed through the theatrical release list for April 2011. It is a cold desolate place.

Happily, Ryan and I should have some fodder for the Nickel Film podcast in the Florida Film Festival, which starts next week. We have not decided which movies we will see, but I'm sure we'll come up with a few that will be worth our and your time.

We'll probably close out the month with an all-anime podcast that Ryan and James are ready for. I'm not versed in any particular anime, so I'll brush up on some and probably just play host rather than host/contributor this time around. I'm actually looking forward to how that one works out. If all goes well, I may try to talk those two into doing a monthly anime show of their own.

Apparently it is now Winter in Pokemon Black and White, which strikes me as odd. Maybe Nintendo mixed up the cartridge shipments and reverse the Northern and Southern Hemisphere crates. Then again, our versions are in English...

I have not gone back to my White version since the seasons turned over. I'm preparing a large transfer of the original 250 that will fill up a big chunk of the Pokedex. Following that transfer, I'll work on the Diamond/Pearl 'dex. I'll hold off on the Ruby/Sapphire for a few months to see if they announce a 3DS remake that will be compatible with Black/White. This seemingly insurmountable task will carry me through April, but in May I'll be looking for new content.

Don't count on a Conduit 2 review. I still may change my mind, but I'm leaning toward holding off due to some unforeseen medical expenses.

Suckerpunch

I'm not quite sure what the big fuss is about over Suckerpunch. Some critics lament the movie's emphasis on style over substance as the death of cinema.

Cinema must be some sort of zombie art form, because every couple of years someone proclaims its death but it keeps on chugging. Suckerpunch neither removes the hear nor destroys the brain.

Movies like Suckerpunch are the spice of life. Without the fluff, the substance of films like The King's Speech and The Social Network is under appreciated. Water quenches best when one is thirsty.

I'm not going to say that movies like Transformers or Green Lantern or Smurfs add to the appreciation of better films. These cash in on the nostalgia of sheep afraid of the unfamiliar. Suckerpunch provides original content and therefore is a step up from the usual summer garbage.

I'll take Suckerpunch over Pirates 4 any day.

Style over substance can be a welcome distraction from the weightier films. Relax. Have fun. Cinema is fine.