Okay, never mind just saw the length is about 12-15 hours in your review.

A very interesting read - you guys did a great job on this feature! That said, it takes me a while to get through games. I'm still playing Skward Sword, believe it or not, and I think my other priority will likely be XC (though it's almost intimidating, it seems so big!). Out of curiousity, anyone know the general length of Pandora's Tower?

I'm unclear - is Project Zero 2 Wii Edition essentially the same as Fatal Frame 2, or is it a different game entirely? Thanks for clarifying, someone!

Sweet! The price is reasonable, too.

@The_Fox I agree about the concern of a 2nd controller being $100. On top of a likely $299-350 price range for the the console and one controller, that could end up being prohibitive for a lot of people.

I wonder how many people are like me - I got tired of waiting for next gen-graphics and 3rd party games, so I bought a 160 gb PS3 for $250 (less really since I made some money from selling old games).

So far, I'm really happy with my PS3. I'm keeping my Wii too, but I did downsize the Wii games I own.

Now...it's going to be a tough sell for me to buy a Wii U, having just bought another console... maybe eventually. I wonder how many are in a similar situation to me...

@WolfRamHeart You said, "Well, considering that Capcom said recently that survival horror games don't sell anymore and that they plan to make Resident Evil 6 more of an action game so that they can get Call of Duty level of sales, I am not particularly interested in this game anyway."

I totally concur. This is my concern as well. I have o% interest in COD and if this is just a clone with a bit of scary veneer, it won't be enough in my opinion. I will wait for reviews before deciding if I want it for my PS3 (newly acquired!). It'll be a tough sell for me based on what I have seen and heard so far.

This looks...like it might be really fun and then get boring quickly. That's my concern with these kinds of games - the novelty wears off quickly. If it's 500 points, it might be worth a try. Not more than that unless the game is deeper than it appears to be.

@Alienfish You could certainly say that, but keep in mind that many Wii owners are not typical gamers, and may not take the plunge to buy a Wii U. Gaming consoles are expensive, and not everyone can keep buying more and more. I think the game has a shot of doing well on Wii. I could be proven wrong, but I don't think it is really such a bad move to release it on Wii.

@NintyFan I agree that the story, music and presentation are all important. I hope that the plot of the second game isn't lame, considering the emphasis being placed on co-op play.

Just found out: the game will feature: improved camera (no manual control, so let's hope it's improved!), full voice acting by every character, and permanence (meaning if you change the land with thinner or paint, it stays that way when you leave and come back, unlike the first game).

Here is a very cool video link w. Warren Spector talking about the game and quite a bit of game footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtA2lLTHLN8&feature=player_embedded

I like the idea of creating a unique soundtrack based on player choice. Hopefully it will be well-executed and not too shallow/gimmicky. I thought that the first game was a bit obtuse about "morality" at times, as it wasn't always clear that one choice was better or worse than another. Also, I hope the ending is potentially a LOT different based on your choices. I was a little disappointed with the "endings" in the first game.

I'm VERY happy to hear that! I still haven't made up my mind about Wii U, and it is nice to extend the life of the Wii a little longer. I really hope it is a good game, and doesn't suffer from sequelitis (or correct some issues from the first and have a crappy storyline or something like that). The first game sold well on the Wii and hopefully this will too!

Sweet!

@FonistoCruxis Good to know, thanks! If I pick only one, I was already leaning towards XBC, and the Japanese option w. subtitles gives it a definite edge.

@Kage_88 Acually, I heard that the first game sold rather well on the Wii. Not Mario or Zelda well, but quite well. But, I'm sure they're primed to make a lot more by releasing it multiplatform. I don't hold that against them - it makes sense from a business standpoint. My big concern is that the focus will go towards the next gen. consoles, with sloppy conversion for the Wii version. I really hope that doesn't happen. I haven't made up my mind yet about if I will buy a Wii U, so...I'm sitting on the fence about buying this on Wii or waiting for the inevitable Wii U version. I guess I'll wait for the reviews to decide.

@BulbarsaurusRex In my opinion, no. I don't care one little bit about having an American voice cast. In fact, I tend to prefer British dubs to American ones often. Even better in my opinion, is the option to watch in the original Japanese with subtitles. Anyone know if this is an option? I'm referring here to all 3 recent RPGs: TLS, Xenoblade, and Pandora's Tower. Are they all watchable in Japanese with subtitles? I hope so...

Well I'm one that really enjoyed the first game, despite some of it's flaws. Count me in!!!

I do hope that the whole "play style matters" bit is a little less shallow than in the first game, though I'm not really holding my breath. Also, I sincerely hope that there is less fetch-questing, and that the camera is better (obviously!). Also, I hope that the 2D levels make a reappearance and that there is an option to play them at any time once you beat the game!

Here's hoping they bring it to Wii U. I'd also settle for PC, but Wii U would be better.

@metafaniel

Sorry for the delay. Here's the URL for the 8-bit music discussion, in case you haven't found it yet: http://www.nintendolife.com/forums/retro/list_of_favorite_8_bit_video_game_music

Would love to have more and more suggestions!

For anyone viewing this that is interested: I started a topic in the NL forum under retro for favorite 8-bit music. Please respond to it! I really want to know what people recommend and are listening to!!

Yes, the moon level music is AMAZING

I would like to take this moment to also request a list of favorite chiptunes from the 8-bit era (as well as retro modern 8-bit music). Could a feature story be done on this with opinions from NL staff? Maybe a top 50 or something? I'm constantly looking for good music from games that I haven't necessariily played.

Wow, this is fascinating!! I am a super chip enthusiast so I LOVE that you did a story on this. And you're absolutely right - any excuse to listen to Ducktales music!

I'm very happy to hear that! Sounds like Two Tribes has some wonderful ideas about how to maximize the WiiU's potential in a meaningful way (e.g. the level editor idea). I hope that many other quality developers also follow suit.

@mariofanatic128 Thanks again!!!

@mariofanatic128 Wow, thanks for all the insights! It's definitely very helpful. I didn't realize that XBC is quite THAT big!!! I do really like exploration elements, but also think it could take me YEARS to finish XBC since it is so big, lol Sounds like you definitely get your money's worth, though. I'll ponder this a little while longer...

@mariofanatic128 Hey, thanks for your thoughts! I will consider this one - definitely helpful that you can save anywhere. Sounds like it could be a bit of a slow-burner, but many seem to be raving about it so I am considering it. How do the graphics and framerate hold up?

Looks great! I actually think the graphics look fantastic, considering the Wii's rather limited horsepower. In some ways, I might prefer this game to XBC, but honestly I couldn't say for sure because I haven't played either one. NL, could you guys consider doing a comparison feature on these two RPGs (LS and XBC)? Just a thought. Hopefully it will eventually come to NA.

I'm on the fence about this, partly because it is hard for me to devote hours at a time to gaming these days; bite size gaming and occasional chunks of 1-2 hours is much easier than long periods. Question: Is it easy to save your game? That would make a difference for me in deciding whether to buy the game or not. Also, does the game get exciting right away? How hard is it to play for people that are slightly more casual RPG players?

Thanks for writing back, Gstewart! I wish you luck on this and all future endeavors.

How about some DC love? LA, shmelay.

GREAT FEATURE, guys! Truly entertaining. I don't even own a handheld, but I got a lot of chuckles from this article. The craziest has got to be the Booster Boy.

Excited! This just looks so totally zany

@80 Wow, that's freaky! Probably the photographer.

Somebody on this thread (can't remember who, sorry), suggested:
Wii Connect

I like that idea, but only if Nintendo gets a little more serious about hosting better, more robust online options.

@bahooney. Yes, that is my concern as well.

Thanks for sharing info about the game, Gstewart! It certainly looks quirky and intriguing - will there be a demo by any chance?

Never mind, just looked for myself. Ranging $16.99-$19.99. I assume that is not counting shipping though.

This is cool! I might consider the advanced Zelda or Mario piano books...how expensive are they in the U.S.?

Ak, this just seems so shoddy. It's almost insulting. Better no WiiWare RPG at all, than one so apparently glitchy, difficult to control, and boring. sigh...

I wish I could say I was surprised...but I ain't

INVIGORATING!!!

I'm in the "why is this so surprising?" camp. Seriously, it's not that big a deal, as others have mentioned. Nothing wrong with casual dance games - nothing wrong with exercising. Is SS great? Sure! Anyway, it still has time to do well. As far as I've heard, it's sold pretty well on the whole.

On second thought, the graphics look pretty dated. This review does seem a little harsh compared to some others I read though. Maybe more of a 5 or 6? (or not, since I haven't actually played it)

Too bad. The visuals do actually look kinda nice. But as we know, good graphics do not a good game make.

@20 That's interesting. Truly a misconception on Nintendo's part. I'm MUCH more likely to buy a game if I have a demo to try out first. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

I'm glad that they're finally doing this, but it may be too little too late. As for myself, I've already downloaded almost all of these. Except Pokemon Rumble, which I guess I'll try.

It wouldn't hurt if Nintendo had a sale on WiiWare one of these days. When you consider how dirt cheap quality games are on Steam during their many sales....

Come on people, show the love for Alex Neuse and Gajiin. Their very small team put out 6 QUALITY 8-bit games on the Wii. That's quite a lot, thank you very much. Nothing wrong with going HD for a new installment, in my opinion.

I'm disappointed. That is all.

I wouldn't even wipe my dog's butt with this garbage. It make a guy wanna buy an XBox... you hear that Nintendo???

Well that's a bummer, but hardly surprising... At least I still have Bit Trip Complete and Skyward Sword to keep me busy

So, mostly I'm really excited. Looks very creative and fun. But...there's a small part of me that wonders if this game would start to get annoying after a while - it's soooo quirkily Japanese, some of the music could maybe get a little irritating,,,? I'm not sure, I've never played Rhythm Heaven on DS, Maybe it'd only be potentially annoying for spectators. Anyone have thoughts on this?