If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best video game stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.

This week, Disney announced its version of a Skylanders-like game featuring characters from the company’s various intellectual properties, President Barack Obama urged Congress to research the effects of violent video games on children, and the Internet takes Dead Island: Riptide to task over a controversial preorder bonus.

News:

• The DeanBeat: Disney starts a cross-platform toy war with Activision
• Kingdom Conquest II primer: How to protect yourself and dominate your enemies
• Rumor: The next PlayStation is more powerful than the next Xbox
• WGT partners with NBC’s Golf Channel for online golf game
• Déjà vu: New bill would give ESRB video game ratings the force of law
• Diablo III’s director is moving on (but is staying at Blizzard)
• Animal Crossing: New Leaf and more missing from Nintendo’s Q1 release list
• Disney Infinity: Made possible because Disney owns all of this
• Chartboost shines a light on holiday app performance (infographic)
• Gamewise connects gamers with a social experience and a reference tool
• German Facebook page leaks possible Star Wars 1313 release info (UPDATED)
• This week in the Nintendo Download: Fire Emblem, Crash Mobs, and Kirby
• Poll: Tell us what you want in a next-gen console
• Fallout: Coming soon to a TV near you?
• Ubisoft and New Regency team up again for the Splinter Cell movie
• Coming in October: GamesBeat 2013 — ‘The Battle Royal in Gaming’
• Sony exec confirms a new PlayStation announcement could come this spring
• Xseed completes Operation Rainfall trilogy with Pandora’s Tower this spring (updated)
• Obama: ‘Congress should fund research into the effects violent video games have on young minds’
• World of Tanks introduces Chinese armor with newest update
• Watch the Disney Infinity figures wiggle in 3D
• Nintendo to merge console and handheld divisions
• PlayStation Vita’s Wake-up Club is your new social alarm clock
• Dead Island Riptide developer apologizes for special edition’s severed torso statue
• BioShock Infinite on PC scales down to run on integrated graphics cards
• Apple: ‘Want to criticize religion? Write a book’ — don’t make a game
• Game acquisitions set new record at $4B in 2012, but investments tumble 57 percent
• Imprisoned Arma III devs free on bail
• We should inspire game developers to create alternatives to violent entertainment
• Homosexuality in Star Wars: The Old Republic is separate but unequal

 Mobile News:

• Match wits with Mike Tyson and other celebrities in interactive game-show app Braindex
  
• King.com’s Candy Crush Saga beats Zynga with top social-mobile game
• NRA pulls bait-and-switch with iOS shooting app
• Ad giant Interpublic invests in mobile-rewards startup Kiip
• The spendy social gamers of Anchorage (and other facts about mobile gaming habits)
• Mobile-app advertising platform SponsorPay doubles revenue in 2012
• Kabam acquires Vancouver studio Exploding Barrel Games

Interviews:

• How Rick Thompson became the über investor for gaming (interview)
• Tomb Raider’s multiplayer takes a different direction (video interview)

Reviews:

• Temple Run 2 prefers sure footing to leaps of faith (review)
• Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable brings B-movie fun to the Vita (review)
• Offensive Combat pumps out laughs and bullets in equal measure (review)
• DmC: Devil May Cry brings the sexy back to demon killing (review)

Previews:

• Oculus Rift is virtual reality that won’t make you barf (hands-on preview)

Community Spotlight:

• The Dead Island: Riptide reaction was an equality fail
  
• The backlog blues: What happens when you can play it all
• Milkshake Resolved: A Dead Island Riptide poem
• Dishonored’s use of tired storytelling devices shows that game narratives are stale
• Cyberpunk’s old-school order: The history and future of the tabletop games
• The most popular video games are also the most violent
• Honoring your game characters’ deaths is about respecting yourself
• Memorable quotes from video game history
• The future of gaming: What gun violence means to the industry
• Second glance: Investigating the creation and failure of Damnation with lead designer Jacob Minkoff
• 4 things we may never see again in video games

Pieces of Flair: 

• Video games and libraries are a good mix, say librarians
• The funniest Achievements and Trophies ever, part four: I see what you did there
• The funniest Achievements and Trophies ever, part three: That’s so meta
• The funniest Achievements and Trophies ever, part two: Murder is fun(?)
• The funniest Achievements and Trophies ever, part one: Failures
• GamesBeat’s PlayStation 2 memories
• The Kickstarter Hall of Shame: Crazy gaming gadgets
• The ideal Mega Man vs. Street Fighter game would look like this (gallery)

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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The Nintendo Wii has played host to some of the best-selling video games of all time. But for every hands-down success like Super Mario Galaxy, a few titles went almost unnoticed by the masses.

With this in mind, GamesBeat reached out to some key game industry figures to ask which Wii experiences they think deserved a wider audience. Presented below are their choices — a mixture of downloadable WiiWare and full retail releases — that all have one thing in common: You really ought to check them out.

Kyle Gabler
Co-founder, 2D Boy (World of Goo)
In addition to co-creating the smash-hit World of Goo, Kyle Gabler is one of the brains behind Indie Fund, which recently supported the release of the critically acclaimed Dear Esther on PC.

Pick: Cave Story

“Cave Story is a game that’s magic in the way games were magic when I was a kid. On the surface, it’s almost easy to dismiss as another above-average indie platformer. But after spending a few minutes in the game’s world, hanging out with the characters (who are almost all rabbits!), and uncovering an adorable mystery filled with secrets and eggs and a floating island, it’s clear this was a labor of love.

“Made entirely by one guy, Daisuke ‘Pixel’ Amaya, over the course of five years, and first released back in 2004, this game inspired many in the recent wave of indie games, and it has become something of a legend in the indie community. The soundtrack alone is a classic and brings you right back into the world. Make sure to stick around and discover all three endings.”

Bill Trinen
Director, Product Marketing, Nintendo of America
A key member of the Nintendo of America team, Trinen had a hand in some of the company’s biggest-ever releases, including Super Mario Galaxy,  Animal Crossing, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. He also regularly acts as Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto’s translator at public events.

Picks: Boom Blox, ExciteBots, Rhythm Heaven Fever

“One of the Wii games I always come back to is Boom Blox. It’s so simple but so engaging. Not only do you want to keep playing, but you always feel like you can do better on the next go. I’m also a huge fan of unique concepts like ExciteBots and Rhythm Heaven Fever.”

Nic Watt
Creative Director, Nnooo Games (Pop, EscapeVektor)
Pop was a launch-day title for Nintendo’s WiiWare service. Nnooo Games, based in Sydney, Australia, is now working to bring its critically acclaimed EscapeVektor to 3DS and PlayStation Vita.

Picks: Fire Emblem, Swords and Soldiers

“I have quite a few titles which I think have flown under the radar and are great. I think my favorite of the disc-based ones is Fire Emblem. I love how easy it is to pick up and play yet how strategic it can be. Leveling up each member of your army, seeing how their stories play out, working out the pairing of who to stand next to whom in battle — some characters receive a boost to damage when they fight next to a friend — and most importantly of all, the permanent deaths! If one of your characters dies in battle that’s it. You cannot use them again in any future battle.

“This makes the game super challenging — in a good way — as you develop bonds for each character and really don’t want anyone to die, particularly the ones you have spent so long leveling up!

“My favorite of the download titles is probably Swords and Soldiers. I love the art style and the fun, quirky gameplay. Again it is a kind of strategy title. However, it’s so much more arcadey and fast-paced. Each of your units moves from left to right and engages the enemy in battle. You can cast spells and add bonuses to them as they enter combat against whacky warriors from historic armies of the past. If I remember correctly, you start off playing Vikings and can later play as a whole host of different army types. It’s really simple to pick up and play but still really engaging.”

Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya
Independent game developer, Studio Pixel (Cave Story)
Amaya famously created the original PC version of Cave Story entirely in his spare time. He has more recently collaborated on DSi and 3DS versions of Cave Story and released Azarashi on iOS.

Pick: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

“I like Silent Hill: Shattered Memories on Wii. It does not have any gun action, asking you only to run away from monsters. Maybe people who enjoyed other Silent Hill games will not enjoy this game as much, but I like it, because I like getting lost in a frightening world.”

Alex Neuse
Co-founder, Gaijin Games (Bit. Trip series)
The Bit.Trip series, from Gaijin Games, has been a consistent highlight on the WiiWare service. The company is currently working on Bit.Trip Runner 2, which is due for release on PSN and Xbox Live in 2012.

Pick: Fluidity (a.k.a. Hydroventure)

“I was asked to write a short piece for the fine gentlemen at GamesBeat about little-known gems for the Nintendo Wii that I find enjoyable and worthwhile. After perusing my collection, I discovered many more than you might think. It was a tough internal debate, but the game I want to write about today is Fluidity for the WiiWare service.

“Fluidity has a zen-like calm while still employing unique and engaging gameplay. It’s not too hard, but it is definitely challenging enough. One of the best things about Fluidity is that it uses the unique functionality of the Wii Remote in a way that’s not gimmicky. Fluidity is but one of several unique titles on the WiiWare Service, a sadly overlooked corner of Nintendo’s Wii lineup.”

Nathan Fouts
President, Mommy’s Best Games (Weapon of Choice)
Mommy’s Best Games is a boutique developer, founded in 2007 by industry veteran Nathan Fouts. Game highlights include the award-winning Weapon of Choice and Shoot 1UP.

Pick: ExciteBots: Trick Racing

“Any game which tasks you with making a sandwich while driving several hundred miles an hour immediately has my attention. ExciteBots, sequel to the Wii launch title Excite Truck and NES classic ExciteBike, is more fun and inventive than I ever expected. Players drive transformative ‘Bots which can glide for miles, perform tricks in mid-air, and boost like the Space Shuttle. In ExciteBots, if you’re touching ground for more than three seconds or traveling less than the speed of sound, you’re probably doing it wrong.

“While racing blindingly fast, seeking out secret paths, and attacking opponents, you’re constantly focused on getting a high score to unlock new, wild tracks. Fans of fun (and racing) games should have this in their library. Selfishly, I want more people to buy it, because they can’t go wrong with it but really so they’ll make a new version crammed full of more driving insanity.”

Nate Bihldorff
Senior Manager, Localization, Nintendo of America
Based at NOA’s localization division, Treehouse, Nate Bihldorff has been responsible for the North American versions of some of Nintendo’s most popular franchises including Metroid and The Legend of Zelda.

Picks: MotoHeroz, Wario Land: Shake It!, Monster Hunter Tri

“MotoHeroz for WiiWare is unbelievably deep. I think a lot of people perceived it as just a racing game, but it’s a brilliantly designed platformer as well and boasts some of the best single-screen multiplayer on the system.

“Wario Land: Shake It for Wii remains one of my favorite games on the system. The hand-drawn art style is truly timeless, and the platforming is pitch-perfect. Also, I’m surprised that Monster Hunter Tri isn’t more of a phenomenon in the States. It has a learning curve, but once the game gets its hooks into you, it offers incredibly fun online multiplayer.”

Andrew Smith
Managing Director, Spilt Milk Studios (Hard Lines)
Andrew Smith is a BAFTA-winning game designer, currently working on a new iOS title, Smash The Block.

Pick: Link’s Crossbow Training

“The most underrated Wii game has to be Link’s Crossbow Training. It has some smart controls, really well-developed challenges, and is one of the most polished, rewarding, and deep ‘light gun’ games I’ve ever played.”

Joost van Dongen
Co-founder, Ronimo Games (Swords and Soldiers)
Ronimo Games’ Swords and Soldiers started life on Wii and has since been ported to PS3, PC, and iOS. The team also created the original version of De Blob before selling the rights to THQ.

Pick: Excite Truck

“Excite Truck is one of the most fun racers I have ever played. It is fairly limited in its features, with no opponents in split-screen and few game modes, but the core racing is plain fantastic. It proved to me that tilt controls for a racing game can actually feel great. But most importantly, the star system in Excite Truck adds a great form of adrenaline and depth.

“In normal racing games, the goal is to finish first. Here the goal is to collect the most stars, and ending first is only one way to get stars. Other ways include drifting, jumping, and racing only just past trees. The beauty here is that getting more stars requires taking a lot more risk, so the player has to choose between certain mediocrity…or possible awesomeness. The adrenaline and depth this adds makes Excite Truck an absolutely fantastic racing game!”

Robert Boyd
Founder, Zeboyd Games (Cthulhu Saves the World)
Zeboyd Games brings a great retro-RPG sensibility, along with a neat sense of humor, to its games — the next of which will be Penny Arcade’s On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3.

Pick: Trauma Team

“My favorite Wii game that no one seems to have played is Trauma Team. Previous Trauma games on the Wii were fun but Trauma Team takes the series to a whole new level, with an over-the-top story and much more gameplay variety.

“Each character in the game features a different form of gameplay, with my personal favorites being First Response, where you juggle the immediate needs of several patients simultaneously, and Forensics, which are puzzle-adventure sequences, reminiscent of the Ace Attorney series of games. The game is one of the best showcases for Wii controls, features great graphics and music, and is fairly long. In short, it belongs in every Wii owner’s library.”

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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It has been an odd year for Nintendo. July brought plummeting stocks for the game company after the lukewarm reaction to the 3DS. Nintendo responded swiftly with a price cut in July, making its new handheld much more affordable. Back in September we learned the $80 price cut had increased sales threefold for Nintendo’s struggling handheld. Between a weak launch lineup and criticism of the surprisingly short battery life, even this tripling of sales failed to stifle the inevitable year-end loss.

Right before Christmas, Enterbrain, publisher of Japanese magazine Famitsu, announced that the 3DS had reached over 4 million sales in Japan. Christmas week was responsible for over 500,000 of these sales. This news was soon followed by the revelation that both Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 had reached over 1 million sales since their respective launches in November and December, making them the first games on the portable console to reach platinum status.

Nintendo has also confirmed last month’s rumor that it would finally be including paid downloadable content (DLC) in future games. The first game with paid downloadable content will be the new Fire Emblem: Kakusei (which translates to Fire Emblem: Awakening) for the 3DS, and will cost “several hundred yen” according to reports from Nikkei. The content will be purchasable either by pre-paid cards or by credit card, identical to the current system on 3DSWare. More games will support the new feature in the coming summer, and will continue to live on in Nintendo’s next home console, the Wii U.

During the Nintendo Direct live webcast late last night, a new trailer was unveiled for the game, which now touts an April 19th release date. No further mention was made of the DLC during the show.

via The Verge, Techcrunch

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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