Publisher Atlus has sent over a selection of all-new screenshots from upcoming Wii and PS2 title Dokapon Kingdom. A board-game RPG hybrid developed by Sting, the game is slated for a North American release on October 14.

Dokapon Kingdom Screenshots

There isn’t a whole lot to say about Nintendo’s E3 conference this year. It mainly focused on the casual market and aside from a quick mention of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, nothing else with the “core” gamer in mind was announced (no, we’re not counting Animal Crossing, Reggie).

Speaking to Forbes, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata says the company is sorry for this, noting that the “big titles” require a longer development period and as such, simply weren’t ready for prime time.

We are sorry about [the E3] media briefings, specifically for those who were expecting to see Nintendo show something about ‘Super Mario’ or ‘Legend of Zelda.’

However, the fact of the matter is the so-called ‘big titles’ need a long, long development period. … We really didn’t think this year’s E3 media briefing was the time to do so.

That’s certainly good to hear. It’s hard to get excited without laying eyes on the actual titles, though, but we’ll take your word for it. Let the waiting commence!

A Wii Bit Short On Supplies [Forbes]

In case you had any inkling of doubt, SEGA’s upcoming Wii exclusive title Sonic and the Black Knight is indeed real. Yes, the title that features a sword wielding blue hedgehog. Initially revealed during the weekend on the front page of Nintendo Power, the game is the second entry into what SEGA calls the “Storybook Series,” which began with Sonic and the Secret Rings.

Japanese-based studio Sonic Team is handling development duties on the title.

This innovative game takes Sonic into a medieval world and arms him with a sword to aid in his effort to save the day. Sonic and the Black Knight will provide Sonic fans with an irresistible cast of characters and teach them all what it takes to be a true hero and the ultimate knight. With a series of missions taking place in stunning Arthurian-inspired locations, Sonic and the Black Knight promises to offer a fast-paced adventure that gamers of all ages will enjoy.

Sonic and the Black Knight is scheduled for a Spring 2009 release. No screenshots yet, but we’ll certainly be seeing more of the game soon.

Capcom today announced that its recently unveiled Wii port of Dead Rising will be released in North America this Winter.

Awesomely entitled Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop, the port will utilize the same engine featured in Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition. Promising a new level of interaction, players will be able to use the motion sensing capabilities of the Wii Remote to aim, as well swing and throw weapons. Additionally, those who expressed frustration with the original game’s method of saving will be pleased to know that Capcom has completely retooled the save system, allowing for “more seamless gameplay.”

Full release is after the break. Screenshots can be found in our previous post. more »

This week’s Wii Shop Channel update kicks off with Pirates: The Key of Dreams (1000 Wii Points) for WiiWare. Developed by independent studio Oxygen Games, it is described as a “frantic nautical shoot-’em-up,” featuring 35 levels and support for up to four players on the high seas.

Joining Pirates are two Sega Genesis shooters never released in the states, Super Fantasy Zone and Gley Lancer. Both titles carry the import premium of 900 Wii Points. more »

This is… surprising, to say the least. A new Sonic game is exclusively hitting Wii. The latest issue of Nintendo Power has the first look at Sonic and the Black Knight, with the magazine’s front page cover depicting Sonic brandishing a sword in his right hand. Yes, a sword. Additionally, there is a caption below that reads, “The Blur Blur swings cold steel in his big new Wii-exclusive adventure.”

We don’t have deets on the title yet, but the cover art pictured above has certainly piqued our interest, that’s for sure. Expect an official announcement from SEGA in the near future.

Sonic and the Black Knight (Wii) revealed in new Nintendo Power [NeoGAF]

Capcom has released the first screenshots from the recently announced Wii port of survival horror title Dead Rising. Despite the obvious reduction in resolution, this port is looking quite comparable to the Xbox 360 original, graphically. Check out the rest of the screens after the break.

Dead Rising Wii Screenshots

The NPD Group has released its hardware and software sales figures for the month of June. As Nintendo just announced, the Wii pushed 666,700 units, surpassing the Xbox 360 with a total sell-through of approximately 10.9 million units in North America. Unsurprisingly, the Nintendo DS took top honors this month with 783,000 units sold.

Moving on, Sony’s PlayStation 3 saw a nice bump in sales for the month of June, shifting 405,500 units, which can be attributed to the launch of a Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots hardware bundle. In comparison, the Xbox 360 pushed a total of 219,800 units during the same timeframe. Clearly, MGS4 had quite an impact on hardware sales, unlike Grand Theft Auto 4.

“Platform-exclusive content usually fuels hardware system purchases, and PS3 sales certainly reflect the impact of Metal Gear Solid 4,” said industry analyst Anita Frazier. She added, “PS3 unit sales were the highest of any month outside of that recorded during previous November/December holiday timeframes.”

Hit the jump for the full software and hardware sales breakdown.

more »

This is not surprising at all, but it’s now official. The Wii has surpassed Microsoft’s Xbox 360 as the best-selling home video game console in North America, according to data from sales tracking firm NPD. Nintendo says it sold over 660,000 Wii units for the month of June alone, pushing nearly 10.9 million units in the U.S. following the console’s initial debut in November of 2006, a full year after the Xbox 360 was launched.

“Wii was created with the goal of expanding the gaming universe through its intuitive motion-sensing controller,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “As we have demonstrated this week during the E3 Media & Business Summit, Wii continues to pioneer new ways for people to interact with their video games and with one another.”

Expect the complete listing of June NPD figures, covering both hardware and software, to hit later today or tomorrow.

SouthPeak Games today announced that its frantic puzzle title Roogoo, which was released on Xbox Live Arcade last May, will hit the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms later this Winter.

Promising “all-new levels and game modes,” the Wii and DS versions of Roogoo will take advantage of each system’s strengths, utilizing the motion-sensitive Wii Remote and DS stylus. In the game, players rotate meteors through a series of rotating disks.

According to SouthPeak, owners of both versions will have access to exclusive gameplay modes that use the DS as a controller for the Wii game. Neat!

No screenshots were provided, but SouthPeak did send over a few pieces of concept art, which can be viewed after the jump.

Roogoo Concept Art