Who would have ever thought that a microphone could predict the future? It sounds like some sort of failed ABC comedy.

Earlier today, EA CEO John Riccitiello revealed the exciting news for Wii owners:

In terms of pacing the next few quarters, you’re probably well aware of the more than $2.5 million music downloads that have occurred on Rock Band. What’s probably the most interesting pieces right now is the coming launch on the Wii, the continued sale of the core platforms in North America and then the fiscal ‘09 launch across Europe against all of the SKU.

No details were given on whether or not the Wii version will feature the Band World Tour mode and wealth of downloadable content like its PS3 and 360 counterparts. Hopefully, the Wii version won’t simply be a port of the stripped down PS2 version (no online content and World Tour mode), but considering the lengthy delay, I doubt that this will be the case.

Fun fact: Almost exactly a year ago, another game was revealed through a conference call.

Gamespot

Since the launch of Guitar Hero III this past October, I have heard one too many tales of college students and parents upset over the need to repurchase the entire Wii bundle just for a second guitar. Heck, I would have been in the same boat if I wasn’t so busy with my self-induced arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Today, Guitar Hero and Rock Band enthusiasts can finally rejoice. Starting in March, standalone Les Paul controllers will be available in stores across the US. The Wii Les Paul will carry the hefty price of $59, while the 360 and PS3 versions will set you back $69.

Good news, but these guitars are ridiculously overpriced. If I needed a guitar, I would buy the Wii bundle for $90, take out the guitar, then turn around and sell the sealed copy of Guitar Hero III on half.com. Even if I sold the game for only $40, I’m still getting a better deal than if I went the standalone route.

Or maybe I’m just stingy when it comes to my guitar peripherals.

Primo Tech

Incredibly, because some video games appreciate in value over time, you’re actually saving money on average by taking your business to Nintendo’s Virtual Console download service. The only catch or disclaimer to all of this is that unfortunately VC games do not appreciate in value, and you cannot sell them separately from your Wii console. So buying the actual games turns out to be a wiser long-term investment. Check after the break to have a look at the numbers.

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In an effort to tend to our possible confusion about all the game modes included in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, director Masahiro Sakurai saw fit to try and demonstrate it all in a short video. Of course, cramming all of that info into such a short time span may confuse you further, but it’s the thought that counts, right? Thanks, Mr. Sakurai!

Seriously, though, if you’ve been following the Dojo updates we post, you should be able to understand everything. If not, it won’t be hard to dive in once you pick up the game in March. That is, assuming you can get a copy at all…

Video after the break!

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Although confirmed months back to be making it’s first appearance on one of Nintendo’s consoles, nothing much has been brought up concerning Fatal Frame IV. Tecmo, working alongside Goichi Suda and his studio, Grasshopper entertainment, are developing the latest game in the series. Work has no doubt been ramped up now that No More Heroes is finished and has been shipped, which generally means that information will follow shortly. Coincidentally, a two-minute video shown off by Tecmo not yet been released to the public would have revealed what we could expect in terms of atmosphere. Fortunately, screen shots of said video can be found after the break.

Also of interest is Nintendo’s role in all of this. Besides the fact that the game will be designed for their console, Nintendo has decided to handle production, publishing, and promotion for Fatal Frame IV.

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More evidence that the Japanese gaming population are a spoiled bunch. They get Brawl early, and despite the fact that Metroid Prime 3 is finally going to be released in Japan after several months of agonizing waiting, they get much better artwork gracing the front of the package. Unbelievable!

In all honesty, the North American box-art wasn’t terrible, but it could have been a lot better. The Japanese box-art will probably get mixed reactions based solely on the choice of colors, but give them credit for coming up with something completely different than the NA version. How about you dear reader? Which do you prefer?

NeoGAF

You might have heard about the part in Mass Effect where two females engage in sexual activities, in the process desensitizing billions of innocent children. But the key factor here is that it doesn’t matter if you’ve heard about it. Fox heard about it, and they didn’t like it. Geoff Keighley, of Spike TV’s gamer division, defended Mass Effect on the show, calling it a fantastic game with just two minutes of partial nudity. Not only did that statement get completely ignored by their “experts”, one of them blurted out the following statement: “How can you argue that Luke Skywalker meets Debbie does Dallas is a good thing? It’s not. It’s just not..” Moving on.

So what does all this mean you’re asking? Well, Wired magazine wanted to make sure that everyone knew that Mass Effect isn’t the only video game out there that is causing harm to our children. We have every reason to outright ban Super Mario Galaxy after this revelation:

If you bring Rosalina enough “fuel,” she tells you “stories,” helps you learn new “techniques” and eventually invites you into her bedroom to “look at the stars,” all while you’re shaking your Wiimote at regular intervals. Get it? No? Well, there’s also an explicit sex scene involving Mario and a Koopa Troopa.

Check out more controversies in the making surrounding Rock Band, Geometry Wars, and Endless Ocean among others.

Wired

For the past 4 years, I’ve been rockin’ a Powerbook G4 Apple laptop. It was one of the most powerful laptops at the time, but now, I’m lucky to squeeze out some minor Photoshop work out of this thing.

I’ve been wanting to start some video projects for the site, but seeing as it takes over 40 minutes to render out a very compressed 2 minute long movie file, it’s just not possible. However, all of that might change this weekend with a quick trip to the Apple store to pick up a Mac Pro.

If all goes well, you can expect some new video features in the near future (video reviews, perhaps?).

Oh, and good luck with this box art.

Originally a TurboGrafx16 title, Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts is being remade for the DS and the PSP. Minor differences between the two versions include a considerable increase in the amount of fighting styles known as “arts” that players customize their character with in the PSP version. Enjoy the above trailer that shows off what Dungeon Explorer is all about. Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts is scheduled for a February 12th release in North America.

DS Fanboy

This week, Yahtzee takes on Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. I’m disappointed that Yahtzee was unable to get his hands on the Wii Zapper, because if anything needs to be subjected to the wrath of Yahtzee, it’s the Wii Zapper.