Yesterday’s weekly update on Nintendo Wii’s Virtual Console saw the release of Super Mario Bros. This is considered by some to be the most important game of all time, and odds are you already own a copy of it. Maybe 2 copies. Probably 5. You might as well get it again so you can play with that sweet VC controller, and maybe work on your speed running.

Just to add a little value to your 500 Wii Point purchase, try going to the Negative world. This hidden glitch was covered up in many of the remakes and re-releases of the game, but is intact on the Wii since its the original NES code faithfully emulated. You’ve probably seen this trick before, in world 1-2 you break the bricks above the pipe at the end of the underwold (as seen at left) and then carefully jump backwards to the right without breaking the brick, so you slide off to the right and enter a warp pipe that takes you to a weird underwater world.

A top story on digg right now announces “How to Get to the Illusive Negative World in SMB!” but the link to the World -2, -3, and -4 is completely fake. Amazing that 21 years after the release of Super Mario Bros, players can still be falling for bogus tips like slackjawed schoolyard simpletons.

A free trial of the Wii Internet Channel is now available for download from the Wii Wares section of the Wii Shop Channel.

It is surprisingly easy to use. So much so that I easily posted this news update with it.

And don’t worry! Powet and it’s YouTube videos work fine with it.

Thanks to forum member spooie, we have this blurb in the most recent issue of Nintendo Power:

“Based on the upcoming Michael Bay flick, Transformers will let you play as either the heroic Autobots or evil Decepticons. Each ‘bot will come equipped with unique weapons, moves, and transformations. Activision is planning a Wii version and two DS versions of the game.”

Hmm, game based on a license published by Activision? This sounds like a job for Raven Software.

Our coverage of BotCon 2006 has Powet’s very own Zac Shipley registering for more information at the Activision table (5:45). Activision made a point of showing up to the convention, despite not being able to release any information about their upcoming Transformers games. As Zac says in the video, all they could confirm at that time was there would be an Xbox 360 version. Hmm, I wonder why the Nintendo article failed to mention that…

Atari did a great job with the Armada-inspired PS2 Transformers game. If Activision makes a game that’s even half as good, it should be quite enjoyable.

So why two DS games…? Why haven’t we heard anything about a PS3 version? Come join the discussion at the forums and share your theories!

Wii Remote Wrist Strap Replacement Request Form

Note: you will need to submit your Wii’s serial number in order to be eligible.

An admission of guilt? A small gesture to appease the few who think it’d be fun to let go of the controller and “see what happens”? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had a problem with a flying Wiimote. Heck, most of the time I don’t even use the strap. But seeing some of my friends play and after totally pwning a drinking glass during Wii bowling, maybe there’s more to this than I’m admitting. In other words, I already ordered a couple.

Check out a comparison of the new straps to the older ones after the break:

[Read the rest of this entry…]

One of Nintendo’s music composers, Kazumi Totaka, likes to hide a certain signature tune in the deepest, darkest crannies of his games. For details on the established facts, check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our coverage on the subject.

Today, we bring you a brand-new viewer-submitted discovery from within Luigi’s Mansion, a game previously previously held as my white whale.

Also: a nod to Wii Sports. Let’s all go dissect it.

As innovative as the concept may seem the Wii remote is actually very similar in functionality to the Nintendo Power Glove from years past. Watch me compare the specifics of both technologies so that you can decide for yourself whether or not the Wii is just a Gamecube with a Power Glove attached to it.

* Disclaimer: Nintendo did not release the Power Glove. It was in fact released by Pax.

After being buried in 12 inches of snow last week in a hotel that refused to pay someone to plow, hopping in snowdrifts isn’t high on my list of priorities right now.

None the less, Nintendo has pushed a fun flash based platformer on to the web to help push their holiday game line up. In Mission In Snowdriftland you play this little snowman who has to run and jump and… well if you ever played a Nintendo side scroller, this won’t be hard. At the end of the first level I was rewarded with a Yoshi’s Island DS Ringtone, so I think it was worth my time playing.

Mission In Snowdriftland is basically a clever web distraction that puts a banner up for a Nintendo game and then rewards you with extras like wallpapers, MP3s, and computer icons. Its not bad really, though keyboarding platformers may be hard for those of us who don’t make a habit of emulating ROMs regularly.

Here’s a look at Nintendo’s “Wii Shop Channel” and “Virtual Console” for the Wii.