Wii, HD-DVD and PSP hacks emerge

GAMES NEWS has trickled out over Christmas, with the industry focused on sales rather than product launches and important news releases.

Wii/DS
Wiimote hacks are coming thick and fast, with the device the choice of input on multiple different platforms - WoW on the PC is one new development, but more oddly is a hack involving a Roomba vacuum cleaner, a remote controlled car, and a home entertainment control system using the Wii Opera web browser.

Someone's even hacked the Wii classic controller to place the cable at the top of the pad, as opposed to the bottom. Alternatively you could purchase a Gamecube controller.

If you fancy using iTunes on your Wii, for whatever reason, Wired has a good overview of how to get iTunes streaming from your PC/Mac for playback on your Wii, using 'dot.Tunes'.

It seems there is little left to hack on the Wii - ISOs are already in the wild, courtesy of pirate group Paradox. The Red Steel ISO was the first to released, but there are no ways to playback the copied game - yet.

The INQUIRER reminds its readers that this is what happens to Wii pirates.

Spong has the details of the entire DS and Wii UK line-ups for the next few months, which is definitely worth a look if you own either device.

Joystiq have a review round-up of the Gamecube version of the new Zelda which makes interesting reading, with most reviewers coming to the conclusion that the chosen format of play doesn't matter.

PS3/PSP
It seems the Wii isn't the only device prone to a good hacking. The PSP homebrew/cracking scene continues with pace, with news that the PSP can now play any PS1 game using the official emulator recently released by Sony, using a conversion util provided bysceneo Dark_AleX.

Rumours are rife that a PSP2 will come equipped with a 60GB hard-drive, due to a presentation by Samsung spotted by Engadget.

These HDD-embedded PSP rumours have long been circulating, but a HDD-equipped PSP tends to make sense considering the failure of UMD-based movies, the new PS1 emulation service, and Sony's move into mp3/movie download services for the PSP.

Further rumours, this time concerning a home-entertainment AV-PS3, come straight from Ken Kutaragi at Sony.

According to an interview conducted by Japan's 'Impress', via Engadget, good old Ken promised an 'AV-centric' PS3. The new Sony-branded living room box would, in Ken's words, "be a standard AV component sized box with a more powerful, power supply unit, anti-shake insulator, twice the main memory, and 2x HDMI to split sound and video output."

This isn't completely surprising considering Sony's past foray into the console/AV hybrid-system with the PSX.

If you can't wait for an AV-orientated PS3, why not buy a recently painted white console, recently available on Ebay. Lovely.

Xbox 360
As previously noted by the INQ, Digitimes reported that the 65nm process reduction for the 360 CPUs has allegedly been delayed until the middle of 2007 - pushing back the die shrink by at least 3 months.

While not a significant hurdle in the short-term, this could pose a problem for Microsoft's plans for future price cuts, which were being banked on to compete with the expensive PS3.

Considering Microsoft have already reduced the 360's bill-of-materials by up-to $100, the further cost-reduction from the process upgrade may not result in a huge set-back.

Good news for Burger King came from the release of figures suggesting that BK flavoured games have sold in excess of 2 million units on Xbox Live.

The titles, which are yet to be confirmed for release in Europe, are playable on both the Xbox 360 and original Xbox, and retail for US $3.99 with the purchase of a meal in Burger King restaurants.

The recent alleged hacking of HD-DVD encryption came courtesy of an Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive hooked up to a standard PC. You can watch a video of the hack in operation, and further details, at Teamxbox.

The source-code for the hack will apparently be released in January - it will be interesting to see if the code performs as purported.

Xbox modding reached new heights in design this month, with pictures from waterjets.org showing water jet processes applied to various Microsoft consoles and accessories. Quite amazing stuff. µ

See also
Wii shipment problems, PS3 delayed again
Wii reigns in Blighty
Unwrapping Nintendo's new console
Nintendo Poo added to Nintendo Wii