|
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 8, 2015 in Videogames 
Yo-kai Watch, a Pokemon-like game about collecting weird creatures, did really well when it was released in Japan, blowing up into a massive sensation and getting things like anime adaptations. Now Nintendo has announced that Level-5’s RPG is coming to the West. It hasn’t specified which game is getting released — the second game even had two versions, like Pokemon — or when it’s releasing. But it’s still cool news, and it seems that they’re really making a push for the brand. Viz is releasing the manga adaptation later this year, and Level-5 made a big toy deal for 2016 with Hasbro. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this blow up with kids and some adults. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Level-5, Nintendo, Yo-kai Watch
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 2, 2015 in Videogames 
It seems that 2015 is truly the Year of the Amiibo for Nintendo. While many games were shown off on their latest Nintendo direct, many of the major ones had corresponding amiibo announcements. Let’s start with Super Smash Bros. news first though. The Mewtwo DLC is pretty much ready and will be released on April 23 for $3.99, or $5.99 for both systems. Those who earned the character for free via the Club Nintendo promotion will get him on April 15. Lucas (from Mother 3 and Brawl) was announced as the second DLC character, due sometime in June. Future characters may be influenced by your votes on the Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot that just launched on smashbros.com. And if you want to spend more of your money, there will be new Mii costumes available. The cost of the costumes seems reasonable at $0.75 each, or $1.15 each for both systems. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Amiibo, fire emblem, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Mar 18, 2015 in Videogames 
I have never understood the people who think Nintendo, a company that has only ever made games for its own systems, should put their games out on phones. Never mind the fact that their development style doesn’t fit the mobile market at all, or the fact that they’d be competing against themselves: how are you supposed to play games like Mario, designed for precise buttons, with an inherently imprecise touchscreen? Some people don’t care, but it’s the kind of design mismatch that I’d imagine even Steve Jobs would have disapproved of. Nintendo still refuses to put their existing games on phones, but they have just announced a partnership with DeNA, a Japanese online company responsible for the Mobage mobile game platform. That’s right: Nintendo is finally making games for phones. Read more…
Tags: Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Feb 17, 2015 in Videogames 
It’s already pretty ridiculous that you take missions from Abraham Lincoln in Nintendo’s upcoming game Codename: S.T.E.A.M. The 3DS strategy game is being made by Intelligent Systems, the talented team behind Advance Wars and Fire Emblem. And in this new game, you’re taking orders from the man who saved the Union. And if that isn’t enough, apparently Lincoln has a Lincoln-Bot (powered by steam, of course). Could we already have the undisputed game of the year by March 13? Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 19, 2015 in Videogames 
At Nintendo’s last Nintendo Direct, the Japanese Direct snuck in a little downloadable game announcement that went unnoticed by many: Hakoboy! It’s an eShop game by Kirby developer HAL Laboratory, and features a tiny box-like character called… are you ready for this? …Cubey. Essentially, it’s a puzzle-platformer in which Cubey can create blocks from his square body to make bridges, stairs, walls, or just hold down a button. It looks very simple to pick up, but I imagine it’ll get deviously clever very quick. Also: it looks incredibly easy to localize. You better bring this over here, Nintendo of America! Check out the trailer below! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 15, 2015 in Videogames 
Nintendo held their first Nintendo Direct of the year, announcing their upcoming games for the first half of the year. Sadly, there wasn’t much Wii U news, but that’s because of the 3DS focus, since there is a new piece of hardware. After an annoyingly long wait and well past the holiday shopping season, Nintendo is finally bringing the New 3DS to America after Japan (and strangely Australia) got to enjoy it. The system has improved head-tracking 3D, more power under the hood, a faster OS, Amiibo/NFC support, two more shoulder buttons, and a c-stick (right stick) nub. (An Amiibo adapter is expected for older 3DS models.) Read more…
Tags: Amiibo, New 3DS, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct, Wii U
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 9, 2015 in Tech 
Last month, a report came out of Kyodo saying that Nintendo was looking into free-form displays made by Sharp for their next handheld. According to the rumor, Nintendo was particularly interested in a circular display with a hole in the center — essentially a doughnut shape. At CES, Sharp brought their latest prototypes to show off and The Verge got some photos, so take a look to possibly get a glimpse at what Nintendo could do next. Most of Sharp’s examples are car-themed, as their custom displays could easily fit into the unique shapes of a car dashboard. My current theory is Nintendo either wants to put a screen around buttons and joysticks, or perhaps this could be used on their sleep-monitoring device they’re planning as well? Read more…
Tags: Nintendo, Sharp
Posted by Ben Huber on Jan 9, 2015 in Videogames 
In one of Nintendo’s smartest team-ups in a long time, popular puzzle game Puzzle & Dragons will be mashed up with Nintendo’s mascot in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition for 3DS. This will sell like gangbusters in Japan, as the mobile game (and its handheld console games like Puzzle & Dragons Z) is one of the biggest games out right now. It has already been confirmed for a US and Europe release via the official Puzzle & Dragons Twitter account, so don’t fret, P&D fans! This’ll have much more stuff going on than the free mobile game, but you can check that out for free if you haven’t experience P&D yet. Trailer below, along with the reason Nintendo made this partnership. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Puzzle & Dragons
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 7, 2015 in Videogames 
Continuing its recent tradition of limited edition bundles for certain big releases, Nintendo has announced The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D Limited Edition. You’ll get a copy of the game (a 3DS remake of the N64 original) and this Skull Kid figurine, which looks snazzy. Though this sequel to Ocarina of Time (which also saw a 3D remake) still doesn’t have a release date beyond “Spring 2015,” you’d be wise to preorder now. Apparently this also continues the proud tradition of having a really small print run with no prior notice that many other recent Nintendo limited editions have had. Though I managed to preorder a copy, most outlets have already sold out prior to this post going live, partially due to scalpers. There should be a few more available, so keep rechecking or try preordering at an actual GameStop. And whatever you do, do it quick! Read more…
Tags: Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 29, 2014 in Star Wars, Videogames 
As with everything on the internet, if there’s something big, there’ll be parodies of it. This Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer parody places Nintendo characters into a “Smash Wars” video, in which “The Triforce Awakens.” It’s short, it’s sweet, and it does a good job fitting Nintendo characters into the spaces where each Star Wars character would fit. The animation isn’t too shabby either! Their substitute for the new lightsaber design is also very cute. Also: props to the musician who made the background music, as it successfully straddles the line between Nintendo and Star Wars music at the end. Read more…
Tags: Nintendo, Super Smash Bros., The Force Awakens
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 2, 2014 in Videogames 
With the New 3DS and New 3DS XL out in Japan (and for some reason Australia), it was inevitable that Nintendo would eventually discontinue the original 3DS and 3DS XL models. But surprisingly, Nintendo has already announced that it was soon ending production on the 3DS XL (actually called the 3DS LL in Japan). In the past, Nintendo has left previous models in production, as a low-cost option for consumers. (For example, at one point the DS Lite, DSi, and DSi XL were in production, partially because the larger DSi XL didn’t truly replace the previous models because many consumers want a smaller device.) But with the New 3DS systems effectively replacing the old 3DS systems around the same price, it’s not surprising that the previous models would disappear much quicker. The only thing strange about this is that Nintendo is still keeping the original 3DS in the marketplace. It’s a strange choice for what was easily the weakest design of them all, with small issues that suggested it was rushed to market. Get that thing out of here! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, New 3DS, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 18, 2014 in Anime, Videogames 
Since Pokemon Black 2 & White 2, new Pokemon games have received anime teasers to sell what the game is like, but prettier. To be honest, I think they’re pretty cool, with lots of action and a tantalizing overview of some of the game’s moments. But invariably, I realize that they look too good; we’ll never get anything that cool in the Pokemon anime with dopey Ash Ketchum, the world’s least-capable Pokemon protagonist. Why can’t Nintendo do something cool with the anime like these game ads? Tell the animators to get on it! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 6, 2014 in Videogames 
Splatoon may not look to be as immersive as some upcoming games are, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t look really, really fun. I wanted to play this badly after Nintendo announced it at E3, because a nonviolent shooter that lets you turn into a squid to travel along the paint you spray sounds amazing (and fresh). But it seemed like a multiplayer-focused game, and while it does look fun, I generally seek out singleplayer games. Lucky me, it turns out there will be a singleplayer campaign too! Naturally, you’re fighting evil octopi, since those are the squid’s cephalopod rivals. This is now a must-buy for me, and hopefully for you too! Read more…
Tags: Nintendo, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 6, 2014 in Videogames 
After gamers got finished playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, the 3DS enhanced port of the classic N64 game, there was one question: when would we get The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D? Though the unconventional sequel wasn’t originally held in high regard, critical opinion has come to hold Majora’s Mask as one of the most creative, unique entries in the Zelda series. This is due to its dark, strange, and often scary tone, as well as tough, weird mechanics that reinforce the setting. Nintendo has played coy about whether they would port the game to 3DS, though fans expected it to be technologically possible. Finally, Nintendo has confirmed that Majora’s Mask 3D would release on 3DS in Spring 2015. The announcement trailer shows just how strange the adventure can be. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Legend of Zelda, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 28, 2014 in Videogames 
Nintendo doesn’t expect everyone to buy both versions of a new Pokemon game. Other than minor plot differences and certain exclusive pokemon, they’re basically the same game. Nintendo does this to encourage trading with other players. But some people buy both versions for various reasons: collecting, sharing the second game with a poor friend, a second save file, or maybe not having anyone else to play with. If you are thinking of getting both Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Nintendo has a “deal” for you. For the exact same cost of buying the games separately, you can buy them together in a bundle. What’s the incentive? Two download codes for 100 potions each, to help you start your game. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 25, 2014 in Videogames 
Nintendo recently streamed “50 Things” about Smash Bros. for Wii U, touting a bunch of new features, items, stages, and game modes. The biggest news was an 8-player mode, which let’s 8 people in the same room duke it out on extra-large stages. This is kind of crazy, as Smash Bros. is already pretty hectic. They also announced a new and improve stage creator, a new board-game mode called Smash Tour, and basically all features from Brawl returning. Lastly, they confirmed DLC for the game: if you own both Smash Bros. for 3DS and the Wii U, you’ll receive Mewtwo as a downloadable character for free. Neat! I hope that means there will be more DLC in the future. Smash Bros. for Wii U is out November 21st. The entire stream is embedded below. Read more…
Tags: Nintendo, Super Smash Bros., Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 21, 2014 in Videogames 
Nintendo, why didn’t you just say this from the start? If you missed signing up for the Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter (or didn’t care to bother), you can still get a code for the 3DS demo for Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. This demo is a unique adventure that lets you catch some new Mega-Evolved Pokemon and items that will transfer to the full game. Nintendo has announced several more ways to get a code. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 16, 2014 in Videogames 
There are two DLC packs planned for Mario Kart 8, and they’re planned to have some crossover elements from fellow Nintendo series The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing. Each DLC pack features two new cups, four new vehicles, and three new playable characters, one of which is Link. He’ll be in the first DLC pack due November 2014, along with this newly-revealed motorcycle called the Master Cycle. It’s blue like the hilt of the Master Sword, and also looks like a horse. Nintendo humorously notes that this vehicle “has plenty of horse power.” This is such a cool thing to see that I’m going to let that horrible pun slide. Read more…
Tags: Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart, Nintendo, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 15, 2014 in Videogames 
The good news: Nintendo is finally putting out demos for some of its biggest games. The bad news: not only are these generally restricted to a certain number of uses, but sometimes they’ll make you jump through hoops to try things out. Chances are you already know if you’re interested in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire; after all, they’re remakes of the third generation, the point by which the overall formula had pretty much been figured out. But if you’re on the fence, here’s what you need to do to get a demo. By October 20, go to Pokemon.com and sign up for a Pokemon Trainer Club account (which you likely already have if you use online features). Then, make sure you’ve opted in to marketing emails, and they’ll send out codes in their next Pokemon newsletter. It’s pretty simple, but still more complicated than just making the demo available to everyone. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 8, 2014 in Videogames 
I’ll be honest: I didn’t think Super Smash Bros. for Wii U would come out this year. Though the tie-in Amiibo toys were scheduled to be released soon, it was somewhat strange that it was already October and no one knew the release date of the supposed “Holiday 2014” release. But apparently I was wrong, because Nintendo has finally announced that the game would be out on November 21, the same day as Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. As a reminder, you can also get a bundle with a Gamecube controller adapter and a Smash-branded controller for $100, $10 cheaper than grabbing the adapter and controller separately. Read more…
Tags: Nintendo, Super Smash Bros., Wii U
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 6, 2014 in Videogames 
After a long and illustrious career, Satoru Okada has retired from his job at Nintendo. If you don’t know Okada, here’s a few things he’s worked on that you might know: he was the director of Metroid, Kid Icarus, and Super Mario Land. He also designed the Game Boy with the legendary Gunpei Yokoi. After Yokoi left, Okada headed up Nintendo’s Research & Engineering department, leading the design work on the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS. Basically, while not quite as famous as some of the other Nintendo staff, he did a ton of impressive work. Okada has now retired. He has also written the foreword for the upcoming book Before Mario, which chronicles the exploits of Nintendo before they jumped into the home console business. Read more…
Tags: Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 30, 2014 in Videogames 
Japan will soon see the release of the New 3DS, an upgraded version of the 3DS handheld with extra controls and horsepower. One of the features of the smaller model (not the bigger New 3DS XL) is changeable faceplates, featuring Nintendo characters and other designs. So to promote this and tie-in with the recent release of Super Smash Bros. for 3DS, Nintendo made an ad with Japanese pop idol Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. This girl is like the Japanese version of Lady Gaga, but more cute-weird than sexy-weird. After learning this sequence of events, you can see how this ad turned out to be so weird, with various Nintendo characters getting sort of dressed up, if you somehow consider a mish-mash of patterns to be proper formal wear. Read more…
Tags: New 3DS, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 25, 2014 in Videogames 
It may not be quite as good as a hands-on demo, but Japan’s first ad for the New 3DS does a good job of showing off the system’s new design. There’s a new C-stick (more of a nub), more meant to control the camera than act as a stick. You can also use the new Amiibo toys (think Skylanders toys) without needing a separate NFC adapter. What’s missing is a good view of the new extra shoulder buttons, as well as the movement of the card slot and stylus holder to the bottom of the handheld. The increased horsepower also gets no mention. Still, I know that I’ll be picking this up for the various upgrades, if only Nintendo will announce it for release. While the New 3DS is out in Japan next month and has just been announced for Australian release on November 21, the system won’t be released in North America or Europe until 2015! Read more…
Tags: New 3DS, Nintendo
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 24, 2014 in Tech, Videogames 
While I think the 2DS has a place as a budget-friendly, kid-friendly alternative to the 3DS, I could never see myself buying one unless it was just to add to my videogame collection. The 3DS XL has 3D screens (if you’re into that like I am), bigger screens, and it folds in half to protect those screens. The 2DS just looks bulky, albeit more comfortable. But oh lordy, Nintendo keeps putting out more limited variants of its handhelds, and even though I already own great-looking systems, I keep wanting to spend more money on things I don’t need. These red and blue 2DS systems are coming out in Europe on November 28, bundled with a copy of Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, respectively. But the coolest thing about these is that their plastic is transparent. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Pokémon
|
|
