Wiifit

From the mind that brought you ExtraLife comes this: the custom Mario toilet seat. (Oh! The number of Wii jokes I could dive into right now!) Scott Johnson (there’s a joke there too but I’ll rise above it), the artist responisble for the throne, is selling the work on eBay right now (at the time of writing the auction was sitting at $76.00US and had just over 4 days remaining). It’s a very nifty rendition of the world famous plumber and Johnson even filmed himself drawing it freehand — a very impressive watch. Continue reading after the jump to see the clip of the master in action.

Would you want that flat Mario face staring back up at you in your loo every time nature called? If nothing else, it would certainly add a new dimension to the proceedings.

I’m misleading you with my headlines again. This is nothing to do with Animal Crossing, but it is a Wiimote-based road crossing. And animals could potentially use it, I guess.

Nintendo already told us all about their next Mario Strikers game for the Wii, and now we’ve got twenty pictures to go along with the details. The game’s set for a late May release in Europe and everything looks playable and functioning so there shouldn’t be any delays, although things don’t seem very polished at all. The terrains change as you play on them, yet nothing looks like it’s beyond GameCube quality graphics in the game. Even if it is fun, I’d rather spend money on other Mario multiplayer games. You can check out the interface and Pelé gameplay pictures below.

InFeCtuS is the first versatile modchip ever released in the market, created to work with many different consoles. InFeCtuS will give you access to so many features that it’s impossible to describe them all today, some are still in development and more will come in the future.

This modchip was developed with an OPEN concept, uses CORE reprogrammable, a 512kb flash on board and an USB interface for the PC communication.
The hardware has a very HIGH QUALITY component design:

The core of INFECTUS is the new ACTEL ProASIC3 FAMILY, the new family after the famous APA075 used in the past in many PS2 projects.
A 512Kb parallel flash SSTSF040, with a high transfer rate and performance.
A REAL USB2.0 processor. This high quality component can manage the communication between ACTEL and PC (mini usb connector).
All of the devices PLD/FLASH/USB parts are 100% reprogrammable via USB communication.
The project is produced in Europe with the last technology of BSDL testing.

Because InFeCtuS is so versatile, here is a small selection of its features with currently available games consoles.

XBOX360 SUPPORT:
FIRST IN THE WORLD, GIVE YOU COMPLETE ACCESS TO “NAND FLASH BIOS” OF X360. With “X360 FLASHER” you can read and write the internal NAND BIOS FLASH of all X360 - NEW! (03/04/07)
Allows to gain total access over the XBOX360 flash driver, so that you can read and write the internal flash of any X360 DVD READER in the market.
Everything can be managed with a very simple and user friendly PC software.
FLASH ID real-time patching, your xbox360 cannot understand if there is any flash running other than the original one.
GLOBE MODCHIP 360 100% emulation including ON / OFF LED
NME 1.2 firmware emulation (at work 80% finished). Allow you to install the chip with few wires like NME.
Recovery of Bricked drivers X360 (software can search the key of bad flashing drivers, if you have backup firmware allow you to flash it again)

PS3 SUPPORT:
The first work to be done is to allow our users to flash directly the PS3 BIOS by USB. So no more problem with firmware, you can install everything you want, when you want. All the complications due to firmware versions that cannot be downgraded will not bother you anymore.
This solution will be released in the next 4 weeks!
Another new feature that we want to add is a REAL TIME patching of the firmware part that you want to be emulated from the chip. Being the 512Kb flash not enough to store a real dual firmware, we’ll have to wait for the first hacked firmware to understand if a “real-time” patching will be possible. In case we won’t be able to find more ideas, a new version of Infectus with a memory expansion bay will be released.

PS2 SUPPORT:
Complete O2 MODCHIP emulation 100% with all functionalities (www.o2mod.com) - Included for FREE
REMEMBER THAT O2 MOD ONE OF FEW MODCHIPS IN THE MARKET WITH “DNAS PATCH” AVAILABLE!!! DNAS PATCH IS NECESSARY TO HAVEN’T PROBLEMS IN ONLINE GAMING

WII SUPPORT:
Of course this is a free “bonus” in this mod because, we know, most of You wouldn’t install such a big and expensive chip on a WII, but being it free… it’s a good chance!

WIIKEY / WIIFREE EMULATION: (under development - 80% ready). This feature will allow you to play just everything you want on your WII.

SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT:
The possibility to manage the features using an easy software is one of the BIG advantages of the Infectus solution!

WIZARD help for the users: you will simply follow software’s instruction step by step, everyone would be able to install and manage the INFECTUS MOD.
When you will be ready to install INFECTUS on a DVD DRIVE 078 XBOX360 FIRMWARE, the software will assist you with a 100% automated extraction of the key and the patch of new firmware.
WIZARD configuration based on XML for an automatic update of last firmware.
X360 FIRMWARE checksum, the software will tell you if you are actually using the correct firmware (this feature is only available in WIZARD procedure)
HELP section to allow an easy searching of X360 firmware

The Nintendo Wii is a mindtrap designed to deceive parents and their obese children, if The Times is to be believed.

Parenting correspondent Peta Bee wrote what I feel was a rather ill-reasoned article where she attacked Nintendo for falsely presenting its latest console as having health benefits for young players.

She argues that “if Nintendo is so concerned about the expansion of waistlines, then perhaps it should plough some of its profits into funding children’s activity schemes or grassroots sport”.

Say what?

Nintendo is not the Gates Foundation, lady. Furthermore, the Wii has always been intended to improve people’s gaming experience rather than up their heart rate, and this is an ambition that the company has worn on its sleeve from day one. In fact, I can’t recall them ever even suggesting that the Wii was the 21st century’s answer to obesity.

Bee is missing the point.

Kids, and increasingly everyone else, like video games. As ill advised as it is to try and stop of-age people from having sex, so it is with video games and the young: it won’t work. So when a system comes along that encourages players to get out of their seats and swing their arms around for a change, parents should jump for joy. They have been presented with an alternative. Even if their children’s sessions on the Wii only amount to pseudo-exercise, it is preferable to the more visibly “catatonic” states, as they would believe, that playing on other consoles would induce.

Revolutionary or no? My thoughts on the Wii’s contraversial control system coming soon.

Capcom have released a video showing off some of the gameplay featured in Treasure Island Z. It’s an adventure game with some puzzle elements thrown in. You play as a pirate called Zack, your sidekick is a hovering bear / monkey type creature.