Have you seen the Wii Speak microphone in action? I haven't. So let's watch, as this sweet, innocent Japanese teenager "meets up" with a friend in Animal Crossing and "does stuff". Can't understand much, but it's clear they both recognise a lobster when they see one, one of them is very insistent they eat chicken for dinner, and they both find the whole experience overwhelmingly cute. If there were a hell for Xbox Live users, surely this would be it.

Here's a few new screens for Animal Crossing Wii. I like Animal Crossing as much as the next guy who likes Animal Crossing, but really, Nintendo, you could have tried a little harder.

Animal Crossing Screens

According to reports from the recent GameStop managers conference in Las Vegas, Nintendo is planning on shipping a version of Animal Crossing: City Folk with the WiiSpeak microphone packed in. Can't say it comes as a surprise, but the marketing materials we'd seen to this point had all touted the accessory as being sold separately, so we welcome news of the pack-in.

According to tipsters, the bundle will set you back $US 69.99, making the WiiSpeak mic a $US 20 value, presumably. Pricing in bells was not provided. We're double checking with Nintendo to ensure maximum accuracy.

If Nintendo reveals the Wii iteration of Animal Crossing, we shan't use a single exclamation point in our liveblog upon the announcement. We already know that Nintendo of Japan has tentatively dated the game for a 2008 release at home and just assume that Nintendo of America will follow suit. According to the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine, it sounds like the announcement has already happened.

Tom East, online editor for ONM, writes on his blog that "those of you who have read the new issue of Official Nintendo Magazine should already know that Animal Crossing Wii will be unveiled at the conference". QED, I guess.

Since we've yet to see any ONM subscribers excitedly spill the details from the mag online — if there are any details, that is, outside of the brief Animal Crossing Wii mention we've already seen — we're going to hold tight on this almost-confirmation. But yeah, Animal Crossing Wii. We'll be shocked if it doesn't come up next Tuesday.

One Week To Go... [Official Nintendo Magazin]

While nothing's been confirmed, chances are pretty good that Nintendo will announce Animal Crossing Wii. Hey, it may not! We don't know, but like we said, chances are good. In the latest issue of the UK's official Official Nintendo Magazine, there's an image of Animal Crossing for the magazine's E3 promotion. A caption reads:

It's Been A While! It's time to revisit an old friend. How's your village doing these days?

Pretty sure we'd be more surprised if Nintendo didn't announce AC Wii at E3.

Animal Crossing Wii Confirmed for E3? [Cubed3]

So while the images are work-friendly, the language is NSFW. Unless your boss has a special love for the F-word.

Animal Crossing Music Video [YouTube, thanks Simon]

Nintendogs is the sort of game I never understood the appeal of. If you want to play with, feed and raise a dog, why not buy a real one?

Still, if you, or a friend, is having trouble getting to grips with Nintendo's puppy simulator, the Australian Centre for Moving Image down in Melbourne is holding a "training session" on May 15 between 6 and 7PM. The session will also include beginner's help for Animal Crossing.

At the very least, it's a great way to introduce someone to the DS and the world of casual gaming. Heck, you could even make a date out of it. Maybe. Probably not.

More details after the jump.

Read More »

WARNING: No kidding, that's really what he's doing here. As such, the clip's damaging to eyes, ears and souls alike, and also most likely totally NSFW. Unless you want a portal to the 7th level of Hades to tear itself open beneath your office's floorboards, dragging all and sundry to the fiery, eternal depths below. In that case, knock yourself out.
[via Go Nintendo]

Read More »

Dogs are great — especially dogs with huge fake eyebrows that make them looks like video game characters. Somebody get this mutt a guitar! We have songs we'd love to request.
Found Here [4chan via That Girl's Site via ALBOTAS]

Read More »

The Animal Crossing movie has so far only been released in Japan. And looks - as far as movies go - awful. As if Animal Crossing fans give two hoots! They're only in it for the fangasm, and a fangasm is what they're sure to get after watching this. Since the movie is Japan-only, and there's no plans to release the movie outside of Japan, a team of fansubbers have translated the entire thing and put it up on YouTube. Worth a watch to get reacquainted with the breezy theme song, but if you plan on watching it after that - where it becomes you watching somebody else play Animal Crossing - there's something very, very wrong with you.
Animal Crossing Movie [Part 1, via Go Nintendo]

Read More »