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Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 3, 2013 in Videogames 
2013 is almost over, but it’s apparently not too late for one last celebration of “The Year of Luigi.” Not content with putting out a bunch of other limited edition 3DS XL systems this year, Nintendo has just released a Mario & Luigi 3DS XL. Besides a snazzy silver and gray color scheme, the case features the Mario Brothers. The system comes bundled with Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, which of course is pre-installed because Nintendo seems to have abandoned giving out cartridges that could be traded away. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Mario Brothers, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 26, 2013 in Videogames 
I’m still steaming because my Xbox One was broken out of the box (though my PS4 works great!), so let’s talk about what’s currently the best system out there: the Nintendo 3DS. Yes, what was once seen as a sign that Nintendo was doomed has made a major comeback over the last two years, with a library of must-play games that the PS4 and Xbox One won’t have for a year or two. (Let’s hope Nintendo can repeat that success with the Wii U, which is finally getting amazing games like Super Mario 3D World.) What’s that, you don’t have a 3DS yet? I wouldn’t admonish you if this were 2011, but it’s something you now need if you’re a gamer. Luckily for you, there are several Black Friday deals highlighted by Nintendo themselves in a recent press release. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 17, 2013 in Videogames 
Sure, the PS4 just came out, and yes, the Xbox One arrives next week. But you know what I’m really excited for? Forget all that next-gen junk! I’m ready for Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds! Both games arrive on November 22nd, and Zelda will also come with the gold 3DS system if you’re so inclined. This final launch trailer for the game shows off a little bit of everything: story, gameplay, and new features. It’s been getting rave reviews so far, proclaiming it one of the best Zelda games ever, so if you’ve been out of the Zelda loop for a bit, maybe now is a great time to jump back in! The trailer is embedded below. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 14, 2013 in Videogames 
Bravely Default finally has a confirmed North American release: February 7, 2014. It’s not as soon as the release date in Europe, but considering how likely it was that this game would stay Japan-only as recently as early 2013, I’ll take it. The Square Enix JRPG is dropping its subtitle “Flying Fairy” and also not using the upcoming Japanese rerelease’s subtitle “For the Sequel”; however, the Western release still includes the enhancements and extras found in “For the Sequel.” Bravely Default is also getting a collector’s edition, which features 34 augmented reality cards, an art book, and a soundtrack CD; looks like the figurine will only be part of the European collector’s edition. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Bravely Default, RPG, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 13, 2013 in Videogames 
For many gamers, the rest of the month won’t be about picking up the PS4 or Xbox One to play shiny next-gen games. No, they’ll be sticking with a top-down game with cartoony 3D models. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, a “direct” sequel to the seminal The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES), is out on November 22 in North America. Because blowing a 3DS game’s graphics on a big screen doesn’t look that great, Nintendo made a mostly-live-action TV ad to promote the game. It looks cool and reminds me of a time in the 90s when ads were mostly live-action skits that were sometimes tangentially related to the game itself. Now if only the game itself looked more like this or its concept art; I’ve heard buzz that the 3D effects are great, but that art style looks primitive and almost completely charmless. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 7, 2013 in Videogames 
“Flying Fairy” might as well be say “Final Fantasy,” because Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is the most traditional Final Fantasy-esque game Square Enix has made in a while. After a lengthy period of no announcements, Square Enix confirmed that the game would be localized for North America and Europe. But as was the case with many other JRPGs as of late, the game is coming out in Europe first before America, with their December 6 launch right around the corner. The game is looking good, and the English dub sounds pretty good too. Take a listen and see if you agree! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Bravely Default, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 31, 2013 in Videogames 
If you’re a retro games enthusiast, chances are you’ve bought certain games more than once. Sonic the Hedgehog has been rereleased at least ten times in the last decade, between Virtual Console releases, cellphones, compilation discs, and more. Now you can add yet another rerelease to it, but at least this release has something new to offer. Sega recently converted several Genesis games into 3D for Japanese release on the 3DS. Not every game released on the system needs to be in 3D, especially retro games, but Nintendo and other companies have done so occasionally to offer a new reason to repurchase old classics. It was strange that the games were Japan-only, but now Sega has announced that all eight of them will be coming West before the end of the year. You’ve got Sonic, Ecco the Dolphin, Streets of Rage, Shinobi, and more to pick from. Check out the list below! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 16, 2013 in Videogames 
One of the reasons I’ve held off on buying a 3DS XL is that the colors so far have disappointed me. The recent limited Pokemon X & Y designs look better, but I was holding out for another Zelda-styled model to match my 3DS and Wii U systems. With The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds being released soon, Nintendo has realized that a tie-in would be a good idea and has announced the sexy Zelda 3DS XL you see above. Unfortunately, it has only been announced for Europe so far. Nintendo has seen fit to give Europe some exclusives in recent years, so it’s possible that this system may never come to America, but I remain hopeful that it may pop up as a Black Friday deal. Those living in Europe can buy this limited system on November 22, alongside the release of A Link Between Worlds. (A digital copy of that game is included if you pick this one up.) Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 14, 2013 in Videogames 
It looks like The Legend of Zelda is doing the “alternate world” thing again, but this time they’re really running with it. In this new trailer for the next 3DS game, A Link Between Worlds, they reveal that Hyrule’s opposite-universe version is called… wait for it… Lorule. Yup. I’m not making that up. Of course, Zelda’s counterpart is called Hilda. Like I said, they’re running with this. Another thing to note is that the game now allows you to use all the weapons right away — provided you have enough money to rent them from the store. I wonder how that mechanic will pay off? Seems like Nintendo is at least trying some things different with Zelda! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 8, 2013 in Videogames 
Yacht Club Games’ first release, Shovel Knight, is due out later this year. The game is coming out on PC, 3DS, and Wii U (all digital releases), and Nintendo is showing up at Indiecade, so there’s a new trailer to build up more hype for the game in a crowded holiday season. If you haven’t gotten a good look at the game before, watch the trailer and marvel at the NES+ style pixel art and fun, old-school gameplay. If you’re a fan of retro indie games, this one should be on your list! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Indie Games, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 3, 2013 in Anime, Videogames 
Nintendo already announced that Charizard (and fellow Kanto starters Blastoise and Venusaur) would have new Mega Evolutions in Pokemon X & Y. But did you know that Charizard would get two Mega Evolutions? Like Mewtwo’s new Mega Evolutions, there will be a different item each in X & Y, with the one we saw before going by the name Mega Charizard Y. That new one up above is Mega Charizard X, which just debuted in Japan in Pokemon Origins, an anime special based on the original Pokemon games. Unlike the Fire/Flying Charizard, its type is (finally) Fire/Dragon. Even though it’s not a flying type, it seems that it gets the benefit of the doubt and can keep flying due to the fact that it starts the battle flying as regular Charizard. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 2, 2013 in Videogames 
During the latest Nintendo Direct, Nintendo revealed a new Kirby game coming to 3DS in 2014. The visuals look colorful and bright, and the core gameplay is typical Kirby. What’s most interesting about this installment is the two different levels of platforming. One track is closer to the camera, while the other is farther away in the background. Kirby can hop between the two, presumably to avoid obstacles or look for secrets. A few other games have done this, but not many, so it’s still novel. Plus, it seems like a good way to use the 3D capabilities of the system, which range from unnecessary visual enhancement (most 3DS games) to actual gameplay help (Super Mario 3D Land). Hopefully it’s more of the latter! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Kirby, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 17, 2013 in Videogames 
Even if you don’t follow the franchise, you probably still associate Pokemon with the phrase “Gotta Catch ‘Em All!” It was a marketing concept that was used in the early days to communicate that you’d need to catch more than your favorites to be a Pokemon Master (and encourage you to buy more and more stuff). Now that there are 649 pokemon and more to come in this fall’s Pokemon X & Y, the idea of literally catching them all seems out of reach for all but the most dedicated pokemon players, hence why the famous phrase hasn’t really been used for years now. (The newer games also allow you to “win” by only catching the 150-200 pokemon in that game’s region.) But now “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” is back, and it’s offering prizes. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 12, 2013 in Videogames 
The latest CoroCoro magazine is out in Japan, and since it’s the last one before the worldwide launch of Pokemon X & Y, it’s got some more information. Perhaps the biggest news in this issue concerns Mewtwo, everyone’s favorite psychic pokemon from the first generation. We knew he was getting a Mega Evolution — a temporary evolution triggered in battle by holding a Mega Stone — but now it seems that he’ll have one of two. Depending on whether you’re playing X or Y, players will find Mewtwonite X or Mewtwonite Y. The previous Mega Evolution was apparently Mega Mewtwo Y, so this new one is Mega Mewtwo X. Maybe there will be other version-exclusive Mega Evolutions? The closest thing Pokemon has had to this in the past was the event legendary pokemon Deoxys, which had a different form exclusive to each Game Boy Advance game, though the forms were more changeable in later generations. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 9, 2013 in Videogames 
Capcom’s Monster Hunter is still a huge series in Japan. The latest in the series is Monster Hunter 4, and will be showing up on the 3DS on September 14th… in Japan. Hopefully we’ll see it arrive on western shores eventually, but for now you can just drool over their cross-promotion with Nintendo: Mario & Luigi costumes for the Felynes, and Link armor and weapons for your character. Now you can slay monsters with the Sacred Bow or Master Sword while your assistants run around with mustaches on. I’m sure it’s been a long desire of yours. The trailer is embedded below, or you can watch the full Monster Hunter Nintendo Direct here! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Monster Hunter, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 5, 2013 in Videogames 
Nintendo released another Nintendo Direct, holding a rather self-congratulatory roundtable to discuss more information on Pokemon X & Y. First of all, it was revealed that you would get your starter pokemon from your friend, not a professor. The professor will actually offer you a choice soon after of one of the starter pokemon from Pokemon Red & Blue, meaning you’re basically getting two starters. Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle’s evolved forms also have new Mega Evolutions, a temporary battle state triggered by a Mega Stone and a trainer’s Mega Ring. Charizard’s looking pretty good! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 29, 2013 in Videogames 
I’ll say one thing for Nintendo: you can’t ever safely predict what they’re going to do. Apparently they wanted to offer a cheaper version of the 3DS, targeting kids age 6 and under who shouldn’t be using the system’s 3D visuals but who may want to play the next Pokemon game. So they’ve created the 2DS, a system that plays 3DS (and DS) games with no option to turn on 3D. It’s coming out on October 12, the same day as Pokemon X & Y, for $129.99 in either red or blue. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, Wii U
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 11, 2013 in Videogames 
Pokemon X & Y aren’t too far away now — October 12th is growing closer. Nintendo and Game Freak have been very careful to trickle out info at a specific pace, and it’s that time again! This time they’ve revealed several new evolutions for older Pokemon. Lucario, Blaziken, Absol, Mawile, Ampharos, and the previously revealed “Mewthree” are all getting new Mega Evolutions that unlock new moves. Yes, that new Mewtwo evolution is actually a Mega Evolution. The twist on these, though, is that they can only happen in battle while the Pokemon is holding a certain object. After battle, they return to normal. A few other new non-Mega Pokemon were revealed as well. Images of all these below, as well as a trailer! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 8, 2013 in Videogames 
For a while there, I thought it was entirely possible that Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney would not be released outside of Japan. Sure, Level-5 often takes an unusually long time to announce Western releases for their Layton games, but with so many other niche games not leaving Japan, you can’t blame me for being nervous. It didn’t help that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies is only getting a digital release, and Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth 2 never got translated at all. But lo and behold, during the latest Nintendo Direct, they finally confirmed that the US (and it turns out also Europe) will be getting this crossover game in 2014. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Ace Attorney, Capcom, Level-5, Nintendo Direct, Phoenix Wright, Professor Layton
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 18, 2013 in Animation, Videogames 
The first footage of Cartoon Network’s next Adventure Time and Regular Show games is out! Both Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW and Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby in 8-Bit Land are being made by WayForward, the 2D masters who also made the previous Adventure Time game Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?! However, the new AT game isn’t a 2D sidescroller with an overworld (a la Zelda II) like the previous one was. The new game is a multiplayer dungeon crawler, where you can play as Finn, Jake, Marceline, and Cinnamon Bun — yes, Cinnamon Bun! But of course, it’s got that Adventure Time charm, so I’d expect it to me more than just another Gauntlet game. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Adventure Time, Cartoon Network, PS3, Regular Show, Wii U, Xbox 360
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 19, 2013 in Videogames 
Capcom’s Ace Attorney series has supposedly seen diminishing returns in the West, with the sequel to Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth never getting a translation. The series jumps to 3DS for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, and it’s getting an English localization, so that’s good news for fans. However, the trade-off is that it will be a digital-only release, a move that will help meet an exact level of demand and cut costs for physical copies and distribution. But according to Capcom’s Christian Svensson, a physical release is still possible, with enough fan support. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Capcom, Phoenix Wright
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 18, 2013 in Fandom, Videogames 
Announcing new characters in a Super Smash Bros. game is a strange mix of excitement, nostalgia, and a touch of self-mockery. 2008’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl had a very successful website called the Super Smash Bros. Dojo that gave out daily updates on the game, and some of those updates echoed through gaming communities — “Diddy Kong confirmed for Brawl” or “Sonic confirmed for Brawl.” When Nintendo announced some new characters for the upcoming Wii U/3DS entry, they started a new style of character announcements that many fans have already adopted for their favorite or joke characters. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Super Smash Bros., Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 12, 2013 in Videogames 
With all of the major press conferences out of the way (thanks for nothing, Square Enix), E3 is starting to stabilize as journalists get their hands-on impressions. But there are still some announcements trickling out, especially for games that may have been a bit too small to trumpet from the heavens (er, stage). One such game is Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millenium Girl, a 3DS remake of the first Etrian Odyssey game. Atlus made and published the game in Japan, but not every game makes it over. However, since the series does rather well for Atlus USA, they’ve announced that they will be publishing The Millenium Girl in the US this fall. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Atlus, RPG
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 11, 2013 in Videogames 
Both Microsoft and Sony announced a lot of major exclusives yesterday, which leaves Nintendo in a catch-up position with its already underperforming Wii U. With the 3DS finally taking off, what did Nintendo have to show during its first online-only E3 press conference? Click to find out! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct, Pokémon, Wii U
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