Nintendo posts

Play Contra, Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and more in Google Chrome

by Lee Mathews Sep 17th 2009

Yes, Google, you can proudly herald this one as a major victory for your browser in my books. If other Javascript benchmarks haven't been anything you could get excited about, maybe this one will do it. Ben Firshman's Javascript NES emulator runs best in Google Chrome.

Just head on over to his site (which will likely start bogging down today as this little baby inevitably moves from Reddit to Digg), pick a game, and get ready for some early 90s video gaming excitement.

One downside: you'll have to be cool with a similarly early 90s style screen (think original Gameboy). You'll only get a viewable area of about 256x240. If size isn't a major concern for you, here's a list of the games you can play:

Contra
Donkey Kong
Dr. Mario
Golf
Legend of Zelda
Lemmings
Mario Bros.
Pac Man
Super Mario Bros.
Tennis
Tetris
Tetris 2
Zelda II
Super Mario Bros. 3 (partially working)

JSNES works in other browsers, of course, but not quite as well. Firefox frame rates are generally reported to be about 1/10th or less those from Chrome. Safari (and most other Webkit browsers) should be up to the task.

[via Reddit]

Tags: emulator, games, google chrome, google-chrome, GoogleChrome, javascript, nintendo

Filed under: Browsers

After two years, Nintendo sets its web browser free

by Brad Linder Sep 1st 2009

The Nintendo Wii has had an optional web browser almost as long as the gaming console has existed. But for some baffling reason, you had to pay $5 (or rather, 500 Wii Points) to use the browser, which was built by the fine folks at Opera. In order to use a web browser. You had to pay.

Anyway, it looks like those dark days are behind us. Nintendo has set the web browser free, so anyone can download it without using up any Wii points. You'll need to have space either on your Wii or an SD card to install the browser. And of course, your game console will have to be hooked up to an internet connection.

If you already shelled out the 500 Wii Points for the browser, your $5 wasn't spent in vain. Electric Pig reports that Nintendo will roll out a virtual coupon that lets users who paid for the browser download a Virtual Console title worth up to 500 points starting in October.

[via Gizmodo]

Tags: gaming-consoles, nintendo, nintendo-wii, opera, opera-browser

Filed under: Fun, Games, Windows, Freeware, Windows x64

iDeaS Nintendo DS emulator updated, works well

by Lee Mathews Jan 8th 2009

My four year old son (not me, of course) can't get enough of the monochrome greatness that is our collection of old Gameboy cartridges. The Gameboy, however, has taken a dirt nap and he's had to learn to play them in VirtualBoy on my laptop.

What about newer games? What if your DS happened to get crushed under a truck tire and you were left with a pile of games you couldn't play?

The iDeaS emulator's latest version would be one solution. With the release of v1.0.2.8 frame rates have improved greatly and several bugs have been fixed that make the emu extremely usable.

Of the half dozen roms I tested (all of which I own, of course), I didn't note any major issues. There were a few cutscenes that didn't render fully and some momentary choppiness, but nothing that made the games unplayable.

iDeaS worked nicely on both my systems, one running Vista Home Premium and the other with Ultimate x64.

It's a free download for Windows and should, of course, be used to play only roms of games that you own - not ones that you download from, say, Pirate Bay.

Tags: emulation, games, gaming, nintendo

Filed under: Fun, Games, Mozilla, Browsers

FireNES Adds Tons-O-Nintendo Fun to Firefox - Time Waster

by Lee Mathews Aug 18th 2008

If you didn't notice from reading my last massive time waster, I love classic gaming. I'm also a Firefox user, and always on the hunt for good addons like the rest of you. Thank god for FireNES, an awesome addon for Firefox that gives you ready access to a massive repository of NES games.

After you install it, customize your toolbar and add the FireNES button to give yourself one-click access to the sidebar. The full ROMs list is massive, The toplist contains the 100-or-so most played titles, and you can add any game to your list of favorites with a simple right click.

Best of all, you don't have to hunt down ROMs on horibly cluttered, scam-laden websites. Awesome.

The only possible downside to all this: habla usted español? The developer's page is Spanish only - not a big deal, the install link is easy to find and you can always run it through your favorite translation app.

Tags: addon, emulator, emulators, extension, firefox, games, gaming, nintendo, roms

Filed under: Fun, Utilities, Windows, Macintosh

Make your own Mario masterpiece with Mario Paint Composer

by Drew Olanoff Jul 2nd 2008

Mario Paint Composer lets you do what you know you've wanted to do all of your life...compose music in the key of Super Mario. You'll remember this from the Super NES days, but everything is way more fun on the computer.

This baby is free and it's available for Windows AND Mac and it comes from unFun games. Yay.

Don't have any music writing chops? No problem, neither do we. It makes fun noises and has cool Mario icons. 'Nuff said.

The default song when you load up Mario Paint Composer is a jazzy version of your favorite video game theme song ever. But it's up to you to write the next masterpiece.

And not just any masterpiece, you get to use pigs and cats and hearts.

Best part is that when the app is loaded, everywhere you click on your computer, the sounds follow. I like hearing a nice Yoshi sound when I click on an email or on iChat.

unFun built an interface for you to lo in and download all the songs you want, for your personal listening and partytime enjoyment, but it took forever to log into the system, so we wouldn't hang our hats on that feature.

[via chris pirillo]

Tags: apple, mario composer, MarioComposer, music, nintendo, super mario brothers, SuperMarioBrothers, windows

Filed under: Games, Linux

Run Linux and homebrew apps on the Nintendo Wii

by Brad Linder Feb 26th 2008

Running Linux on video game consoles is old hat. Not only can you cram various Linux distros onto an original Xbox or a Sony PS3, but they can even play Doom. You know, and other video games too.

But the Nintendo Wii has been a bit tougher to crack than hacker-friendly hardware like the PS3, which even has a Sony-approved Linux distro. But now the Wii hacking community has figured out how to run homebrew applications on Nintendo's latest console, and that includes a rather unpolished "proof of concept" version of Linux that can run on the Wii.

Now, keep in mind, the hacking process is not simple. You need an SD card, SD card adapter for the Wii, a copy of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the ability to follow complex instructions, infinite patience, and the willingness to completely muck up your video game console if things go wrong. But hey, if you're lucky when it's all done you'll be able to boot up your Wii and stare at a command prompt while wondering how to get back to the video game menu.

[via Slashdot]

Tags: linux, nintendo, wii

Filed under: Games

Wii would like to hack

by Ian Dumych Dec 29th 2007

Hacking game consoles to run homebrew code is all the rage these days, but until recently, Wii owners were only able to join the fun with software that ran in Gamecube mode, which was a serious limitation.

No longer! At the 24th Annual Chaos Communication Congress, a homebrew developer presented a hacked Wii running native code in Wii mode. By analyzing memory dumps from a modified Wii, they managed to decode the Wii's encryption keys. Programs run in this fashion have full access to the Wii's hardware, which means the sky is now the limit for homebrew Wii developers.

For those unfamiliar with the term, homebrew applications are programs that hobbyists make for specialized computer platforms, like game consoles and phones. They range from games to utilities to full operating systems, and allow the device to be used much in the same way as a proper desktop computer.

Reverse engineering of this type is ~~probably~~ ~~kinda~~ ~~almost certainly~~ very illegal, but we can't help but applaud these efforts. In an age when more and more hardware manufactures restrict what the user can do with their console, it's hard not to cheer for the underdog. It's not known when this crack will become publicly available, but we will be sure to keep you up to date.

[Via wiinintendo.net]

Tags: Homebrew, Modding, Nintendo, Wii

Filed under: Fun, Games, Internet, Social Software

Gaming on Facebook: way more fun than solitaire

by Lisa Hoover Aug 6th 2007

Since we're all about the social networking around here, lots of us are signed up with Facebook. No longer content to just write on each other's walls or ask a Question of the Day, a few of us have started playing online games at Facebook with the other people in our networks. Some of us like cerebral games like Scrabulous, a version of the popular Scrabble board game, while others like to kick our friends' butts in Pirates vs. Ninjas.

Tech[dot]Blog has a great round-up of 20 different gaming applications you can add to your profile on Facebook. There are classic Nintendo NES games, trivia and word games, and even some virtual reality apps that let you create an aquarium of fish or adopt penguins, giraffes, turtles, and so on (what, no koalas?) Boy, have we come a long way since the days of single-player solitaire, or what?

Tags: facebook, games, multiplayer, Nintendo

Filed under: Games, Windows Mobile

Tips on playing old PC games on your PDA

by Brad Linder May 3rd 2007

We're going to let you in on a little secret. That article we wrote the other day about playing Magnetic Scrolls games on your Windows Mobile phone or PDA? That's just one of many ways to relive the 1980s and early 90s with your PDA. You can also run LucasArts, Sierra, Atari, Nintendo, and even Mattel LED games.

One of the best resources for finding information on getting these old games to run on your new device is Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazine's column by Werner Ruotsalainen. In just the past few days, he's featured posts on Mattel and Sierra games, and updated his excellent Windows Mobile web browser bible.

Sure, most of this information is out there if you're willing to look for it piecemeal. But if you're in the market for a few good games or a comprehensive comparison of every web browser available for Windows Mobile, you should check out Ruotsalainen's blog.

Tags: atari, emulators, ledhead, lucasarts, mattel, nintendo, sierra, werner ruotsalainen, WernerRuotsalainen

Filed under: Fun, Games, Windows Mobile, Freeware, Mobile Minute

Top 5 emulators for Windows Mobile - Mobile Minute

by Brad Linder Mar 5th 2007

In the last two Mobile Minutes we've focused on productivity tips: How to sync your PDA with Thunderbird, and replacements for the built in file explorer. But we all know the real reason you lug a tiny computer around with you isn't to keep your contacts and appointments within arm's reach. It's for playing games in board meetings.

With that, we bring you Download Squad's top 5 emulators for Windows Mobile. Each of the following programs has been tested on a PDA running Windows Mobile 2003SE with a VGA screen. They should all work on Windows Mobile 5.0 devices with VGA or QVGA screens.

Keep in mind that while the emulators are all free it is against the law to download commercial video game ROMS. There are a number of resources out there for finding free and legal "homebrew" or demo games. Or you can always convert your own game cartridges or discs into ROMS.

Tags: adventure games, AdventureGames, fpsce, gameboy advance, GameboyAdvance, lucasarts, nes, nintendo, playstation, pocketgba, pocketnester, pocketsnes, scummvm, snes, super nintendo, SuperNintendo

Filed under: Business, Games, Internet, Features, Adobe

The tipping point for online games

by Ian Smith Jan 18th 2007

Have browser based games reached their tipping point? The evidence says yes. And this will quickly lead to a huge influx of better and more accessible browser based games pushing an old industry into the mainstream for the first time. Let me explain.

Just a few days ago we posted a review of a little Flash game called Elements TD. We weren't the only ones. In less than two weeks the traffic to the game has grown by over ten thousand percent. Yes, you read that right. 10,000%! Over a million hits a day. Currently the game hogs over 40 Gigabits a day of creator David Scott's bandwidth.

Why is this one example important? Because it illustrates the rapid rise of Flash game development.

In-browser games have been around for a long time. "Arcade" websites like Yahoo Games, Pogo, and Shockwave have arisen to collect these games into one place and market them. Despite respectable success by many of these competitors, the quality of online gaming has continued to lack luster. Flash Elements TD shows us that it doesn't have to be that way and that a great game can be developed independently and marketed successfully. It also shows how great ideas can be taken from existing desktop games and turned into viral web based epidemics.

And an epidemic in online game creation is about to overtake us.

Tags: browser, Flash, games, nintendo, online gaming, OnlineGaming

Filed under: Fun, Games, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Time-Wasters

Mission in Snowdriftland - Today's Time Waster

by Chris Brentano Dec 13th 2006

Never content to keep you sitting idly by during the holidays, Nintendo delivers Mission in Snowdriftland, a fun platform-style Flash game. Here's the deal: 'El Pix has entered the Secret Teleport Station and has sent himself to Human World. He has stolen some important game files and flew the coop (Har-har!). Meanwhile, Chubby Snow, an out of work video game actor, who is tired of being cast for the wrong role, is pondering his next career move. In a meeting of the fates, Chubby Snow is asked to go after 'El Pix in his home realm, Snowdriftland, and retrieve the stolen game files.

And that's where you come in. Each day until Christmas Eve, in the spirit of an Advent calendar, a new level awaits you in Snowdriftland. There's no ill-tempered sea bass, but there are definitely evil orcas and penguins waiting for you. At the end of each level, a new game file is recovered, and rewards are imparted to you in the form of wallpapers, game clips, MP3 ringtones and icons. This game is true to the spirit of every platformer out there and definitely a ton of fun. But you better get started, you've got 12 levels to catch up on.

Tags: advent, chubby, el pix, fun, nintendo, snow, snowdriftland

Filed under: Fun, Games, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Web services, Freeware, Time-Wasters

vNES: Nintendo in your browser - Today's Time Waster

by Jordan Running Oct 9th 2006

Got a hankerin' for some classic 8-bit gaming? Want to play right now? Look no further than vNES, a fantastic site of questionable legality that lets you play any of almost 400 classic Nintendo games in your browser, for free. As you may have already guessed, vNES is a basic Java-powered NES emulator, and it has games for every taste, including a few dozen Japanese titles, some funky unreleased and prototype games, and even a "Games That Aren't Fun At All" category. It has most of the classics, and more are being added every day. It works great without any noticeable slowdowns or glitches in most games, but beware: vNES can be a bit of a memory hog. Bookmark vNES while you still can, as I doubt Nintendo's IP lawyers are going to be as happy about it as I am, especially once they start selling these classic games for the Wii.

[Via Lifehacker]

Tags: 8-bit, classic, emulator, free, java, nes, nintendo, retro, video games, VideoGames, vnes

Filed under: Fun, Games, Windows, Linux, Freeware, Open Source, Time-Wasters

Super Mario War - Today's Time Waster

by Jason Clarke Oct 1st 2006

Super Mario War is a multi-player PC fan game based on (and using) the artwork from Nintendo's famous Mario games. The makers consider the use of copyrighted artwork to fall under the "fair use" consideration, although personally I doubt that would hold much validity in court. Regardless, I hope Nintendo leaves these guys alone, because they've created a fun and compelling game that both Windows and Linux users (and Xbox users, surprisingly) can enjoy.

The game features a multitude of modes, as well as a game level designer, and over 400 user-submitted levels, providing almost limitless replay value.

If you're at all familiar with the Mario line of side-scrolling games, and really... who isn't, you'll understand how to play this game. It's all about stomping on each other, the way Mario squished his enemies in all of those classic games. Happy stomping!

Tags: Mario, Nintendo, Super Mario War, SuperMarioWar, time waster, TimeWaster

Filed under: Internet

A look at Opera on the Nintendo DS

by Jordan Running Jul 25th 2006

Last week our pals over at Joystiq posted a video of the new version of the Opera web browser designed for the Nintendo DS. I'm not a DS owner, but I've been wondering since the Opera-Nintendo deal was announced how Opera would fit into the DS's unique dual-touch-screen paradigm. From the video, it looks pretty intuitive: You can scroll around either with a single scroll bar (which spreads the page over both screens) or by dragging around a box on the lower screen, which shows a magnified version of the box's contents on the upper screen. Text input is done with an on-screen keyboard or handwriting recognition. The video also shows off bookmarks and basic browsing. Take a look at the comments on Joystiq for some more insights, including a rough translation of the video's Japanese audio.

Tags: browser, ds, nintendo, nintendods, opera, operafornintendo, portable, video, web

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

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