This trailer contains about a minute and a half of in-game footage from Dementium 2.

Before I start on this review, I want to make something clear: I don’t normally use my Wii. After all, once the novelty of the machine wore off, the only reason it ever gets turned on is so my wife can use Wii Fit. The main reason is that I haven’t found any games that can hold my interest.

So you can imagine that I was a bit incredulous when I got a copy of Muramasa: The Demon Blade to review. Sure, I knew the game had won all sorts of ‘Best of E3′ awards, but I was still not sure about it. I sat down and started playing, and I found myself really enjoying the game.

Muramasa is a classic, side-scrolling action RPG. This first thing that hits you when you start the game is the look and feel. If you played Odin Sphere on the PS2, you’ll recognize the style, and you’ll be impressed. The graphics aren’t 1080p, or high-def, but they are endearing and attractive. The graphics are more like living art than what you’d expect from a video game.

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Nintendo has a habit of making games that aren’t always games. Electroplankton was one of these experiments – more light and music simulator the title gives players control of a sparkly little wireform creature with a happy face in it that you move around creating an interactive musical experience. Originally released for the Nintendo DS handheld as 10 unique electroplankton, the title is getting a re-release of a sort thanks to Nintendo’s new DSi download service.

Beginning this week (July 8th) in Japan the software giant will be releasing 4 of the available creatures/levels at a bargain price of 200 Nintendo DSi points. The plan reportedly is to expand the offering to include all 10 creatures, which even at 2000 points is a bit of a bargain since the game, now out of print in the US, Europe and Japan is going for a fairly high price on eBay. No word on if the downloads are guaranteed for the US DSiWare store yet.

One complaint I always had during the limited time I spent playing the game before the next shiny bauble or explosion caught my jaded eye was that I could not save the music I created while “playing” with my plankton. I’ve been unable to confirm if this feature is included in the new download capable handheld.

If you thought you could sit back and give your noggin a break just because its summer, Drill Sergeant Mindstrong has new orders for you. You and your pals are to report directly to the Wii Shop to download Drill Sergeant Mindstrong. You learn to flex your mental muscle under the tutelage of the Drill Sergeant himself who has included a few words of encouragement for you in the press release:

LINE UP FILTHY SLOWPOKES. Brain boot camp starts now! The Drill Sergeant will begin by assigning you difficult tasks that only the most intelligent troops can solve. Impress him by consecutively completing tasks and you can earn a combo bonus. However, boot camp is not always so rosy. For every incorrect answer, you will be docked points. Even some of the brightest muffinhead cadets can end the game with negative points.

After each round, Drill Sergeant will complete a task evaluation and assign each player a brain power rank. This rank is determined by how often you anger Drill Sergeant by giving the wrong answers, and the few times you actually get an answer right and gain points. Stay a lowly sugar plum private for the rest of your career, or use your brain power to rise up the ranks to Field Marshall.

But who am I kidding? There is no way a snot face, lamebrain, bed-wetting boot like yourself is smart enough to get past what Drill Sergeant Mindstrong has in store.

Drill Sergeant Mindstrong is available today on WiiWare for 800 points.

Nintendo is rolling out its E3 2009 line at noon today. Yes videogames have come up in the world of entertainment, dominating movie and music. Nintendo promises a new leap forward in game control and several new Mario adventures to go with. The Nintendo team is adding more hard core game s to it’s line-up including some developed in house. Keep up with all latest here.
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Just in case you didn’t already know it, the Wii is not so much a game console as it is a license to print money. We got some obvious proof of this today, when Nintendo posted the results of their 2008-09 fiscal year ending March 31, 2009.

According to their reports, Nintendo recorded over 1.8 trillion yen, or $18.1 billion in sales. That’s an increase from last year of ten percent. Moreover, they set a record profit mark, reporting 279 billion yen, or $2.82 billion, an increase of almost nine percent over last year.

In their fiscal statement, Nintendo offered up this, “The videogame industry, which was less impacted by the economic downturn than most industries, remained relatively stable in spite of the large consumer spending decline.”

It doesn’t hurt when you’ve got a console with continual demand and the hottest handheld on the planet. I’d also agree that the economic downturn hasn’t affected the games industry as much as others, but when venerable studios are closing their doors due to lack of funding, it’s still having an effect. It’s not wise for anyone, even a powerhouse like Nintendo, to make light of that.

Is it just me, or are you sick and tired of all these so-called “active” video games? I mean, is exercise really a vital part of of our virtual libraries? I don’t think it is.

First, it was the Wii itself. Packaged with Wii Sports, it was supposed to get gamers ‘off the couch’ and into their games. To be fair, it succeeded for the first couple of weeks. After that, most of the Wii owners I know went back to playing their other consoles, and allowed the Wii to gather dust. Personally, I’ve found that mine makes a fine doorstop.

The next ‘fitness’ release was Wii Fit. Basically a balance board with batteries, Wii Fit allowed players to follow along with an on-screen trainer to get in shape. Unfortunately, it also informed you of exactly how overweight you were when you started, and chided you for not exercising enough. As if I don’t have a wife to do that for me!

Now EA has EA Sports Active coming out May 19. Active was designed with an actual personal trainer to help you lose more weight! Yeah, that’s right. The only reason I haven’t been using my consoles as exercise platforms was the lack of a real personal trainer.

But neither of these are the worst. At least I can avoid these types of games. Today I learned about a much worse offender, one that will likely be purchased by well-meaning spouses and parents everywhere.

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Remember the thrill of getting that long-coveted video game system for your birthday when you were younger? A 16 year old in Lake Wales, Florida experienced that thrill this year, at least for a few minutes.

His mother, Jodi Wylke, decided she wanted to play a little joke on her son. She knew he wanted a Nintendo DS, so she bought him one, but held it back until after he had opened another present, a copy of Guitar Hero for the DS. After she let him get good and bewildered, she handed over the DS, new in the box. At least, that’s what she thought.

When the boy opened the box, he found a handful of rocks wrapped in a Chinese newspaper instead of the handheld he was expecting. No, this wasn’t an extension of the prank, the box was exactly as his mother had purchased it from the local Wal-Mart.

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As if Nintendo doesn’t have enough of our money after the recent launch of the DSi, they’re bringing another DS to American shores. In a press release this morning, they announced a new green DS.

Apparently, Nintendo is aiming this DS model squarely at your mom. According to their press release, “The new bundle will be available on May 3, which just happens to be a week before Mother’s Day (hint, hint).” In keeping with this idea, the new green DS will be bundled with a carrying case and a copy of Personal Trainer: Cooking.

You can check out the full press release, as well as photos of the packaging and questionably attractive carrying case, after the break.

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Looks like Nintendo executives are rolling around in more money than ever if the NPD numbers for the month of November are any indication. Apparently the Wii sold over two million units in the U.S. which is twice as many as the same month for last year and if you add in the 1.57 million units sales of the Nintendo DS for November, you have some very happy people over at Nintendo.

Hardware and accessories brought in $2.91 billion for the month with console and handhelds claiming $1.21 billion of that figure.

Here are the top selling consoles and handhelds for the month of November:

1. Wii – 2.04 million
2. DS – 1.57 million
3. Xbox 360 – 836,000
4. PSP – 421,000
5. PlayStation 3 – 378,000
6. PlayStation 2 – 206,000