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Tag: Mario

  • Nintendo Held Its Own Big Launch Event Right Across The Street From The Xbox One Launch

    While the big news on Friday was the launch of the Xbox One in New York City’s Times Square, the Nintendo World Store across the street was having its own launch event. While the Wii U has already been out on the market for a year, the console finally got a game worth owning the system for on Friday.

    On November 22, Nintendo released two high-profile games for its Wii U and 3DS consoles. The first – Super Mario 3D World – is the kind of game that you should buy a Wii U for. Nintendo knows this and is pursuing a huge marketing campaign to get the console and game into the homes of consumers this holiday season.

    The second – The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds – is the sequel to the SNES classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. As you can imagine, it’s a pretty big deal for Zelda fans around the world.

    Now, if these were any other games, they would be released and that would be that. This is Nintendo we’re talking about though and the company decided to hold a launch event at its Nintendo World Store that rivals what Microsoft did at the Best Buy Theater for the Xbox One launch.

    Check it out:

    While it may not be as exciting as the Xbox One launch, the fact that some fans waited over 15 hours to get their hands on a new Nintendo title shows some hardcore dedication. Now if only Nintendo could channel some of that dedication into hardware sales.

    [Image: Nintendo/YouTube]

  • Mario, Zelda Highlight This Week’s Nintendo Download

    Mario and Zelda remain the top two franchises that Nintendo can always look to in its quest to sell more hardware. As such, the company is looking at an increase in console sales this weekend as new Mario and Zelda games launch on the Wii U and 3DS respectively.

    In this week’s Nintendo Download, Nintendo notes that the Wii U will be getting the long awaited Super Mario 3D World on Friday. The game will be available to download starting at midnight. It promises the kind of 3D Mario platforming experience that we have come to expect from every Nintendo console since the release of Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64.

    Joining Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U this week is puzzle/platformer EDGE. The game, which has been available on PC for some time now, challenges players to navigate their way around precarious environmental challenges as a block that can only move in one of four directions.

    As for the Nintendo 3DS, two big first-party titles are hitting on Friday. The first is the eagerly anticipated The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. The title brings with it a host of new innovations for the series, including an entirely new way to approach dungeons as Link can now rent or buy every item he needs to complete the game from the beginning.

    Joining Zelda this week on the 3DS is Mario Party: Island Tour. This marks the third-time the party game has shown up on handhelds, but this version allows four players to play together using just one gamecard. It also features an all-new single player mode for those who would rather play alone.

    After you’ve had your fill of Mario and Zelda, you can kick back with the latest DLC for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies. This first DLC case challenges players to prove the innocence of a killer whale. This particular case serves as a prequel to the events of Dual Destinies so fans will not want to miss out.

    Check out the list below to see the other games available on Wii U and 3DS this week:

  • Brawl Brothers (Virtual Console on Wii U)
  • Coaster Crazy Deluxe (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
  • The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Secret Paths (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
  • City Connection (Virtual Console on Nintendo 3DS)
  • Christmas Wonderland 3 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
  • Jewel Match 3 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
  • Ohno Odyssey (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
  • Hands On! Tangrams (DSiWare on Nintendo DSi)

    • [Image: Nintendo/YouTube]

  • Super Mario 3D World TV Ad Sugarcoats What Will Undoubtedly Be A Brutal Multiplayer Experience

    Super Mario Bros. has always been a multiplayer game in the strictest sense of the word as players could always alternate between Mario and Luigi. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Nintendo introduced the concept of letting four players play together at once. Needless to say, it wasn’t pretty.

    In its TV ad for Super Mario 3D World, Nintendo is once again selling the idea of a co-op Mario game. In it, we see a group of friends having a good time as the world around them transforms in time with what happens in the game.

    What this TV ad hides from the viewer, however, is modern Mario’s darkest secret. This game, much like New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. U before it, will make you hate your friends. You’ll grow to resent their very existence as they fail to keep up with you, or worse yet, they intentionally kill you for a cheap laugh.

    Now some may argue that the move to a 3D plane will help divert some of the more troublesome problems that faced four player co-op in New Super Mario Bros. U. That may be true, but you’re still going to have that one friend who will do everything in his power to ensure that you die a lonely and painless death at the bottom of a ravine, or end up in the jaws of a piranha plant.

    All of this isn’t to say that Super Mario 3D World won’t be a fun game. It looks like a blast, and Mario fans are going to eat it up. Just be forewarned if you decide to play with friends. They’re not going to suddenly be wearing a catsuit and you’re not going to be laughing. They’ll be wearing an evil grimace, and you will begin to suspect that your friend has been overtaken by an otherworldly presence.

    Super Mario 3D World launches November 22 exclusively for the Wii U.

    [Image: Nintendo/YouTube]

  • Here’s Some New Super Mario 3D World Gameplay Footage

    Last week, Nintendo made us a believer in Mario again with the latest trailer for Super Mario 3D World. After some initial skepticism regarding Mario’s first 3D adventure on the Wii U, most are now convinced that Nintendo has hit upon something great yet again. Of course, a six-minute trailer is not nearly enough time to see everything the game has to offer, and that’s where the Nintendo Minute comes in.

    In the latest Nintendo Minute, the folks at Nintendo of America show off some new levels from Super Mario 3D World. Unlike the carefully edited gameplay trailers out of Nintendo of Japan, this latest video gives us a glimpse at what 4-player gameplay will really be like. In short, it’s chaotic and looks like a blast.

    Check it out:

    I think it’s safe to say that Super Mario 3D World will be one of the best games of the year. Of course, it will face some stiff competition in a gaming population that has increasingly lost interest in the platformer. That being said, Mario games tend to be the one platformer that even the most jaded platformer cynic likes so it’s anybody guess regarding its reception.

    Super Mario 3D World launches on November 22 exclusively for the Wii U.

    [Image: Nintendo]

  • Super Mario 3D World Continues To Impress In Latest Gameplay Trailer

    We’re only a month away from the launch of Super Mario 3D World, but Nintendo has stayed relatively quiet about the game. Sure, we’ve seen some trailers here and there, but there’s not a lot being said about the next big 3D Mario game. Well, that was the case, but now Nintendo of Japan has come to our rescue with an amazing 6-minute long gameplay trailer.

    In the latest gameplay trailer for Super Mario 3D World, we’re given a look at all the power-ups Mario can collect throughout the game. There are the usual power-ups like the Tanooki Suit and the Fire Flower, but there are also new power-ups like the Cherry that can split Mario into multiple clone of himself or the Piranha Plant that can eat enemies from a distance.

    The below trailer also reveals for the first time what can be best described as Miiverse stamps. Throughout your time with the game, you’ll come across hidden stamps that allow you to “stamp” custom Mario art on your Miiverse posts. It should prove to be useful for those who aren’t great artists but want to add a little more flair to their Miiverse posts.

    Also, I think it’s worth pointing out just how pretty Super Mario 3D World is. Nintendo has always somehow managed to make their games look great, even on inferior hardware, and this game looks to continue that trend. Even if the game comes out a week after the PS4 launches, Sony’s next gen titles will be hard pressed to impress me more than what Nintendo is doing here with its use of bright, vibrant colors.

    Super Mario 3D World launches November 22 exclusively for the Wii U.

    [Image: NintendoJPofficial/YouTube]

  • Broadwell Intel Chip Delayed, Beware PC Delays

    During Intel’s Tuesday earnings call, the company announced a delay in production for its Broadwell processors, according to PC World. The setback is due to a manufacturing glitch, which analysts assert may postpone the launch of technologies based on the germinal chip.

    CEO Brian Krzanich reported that the problem stemmed from the 14-nanometer process with which the chips are created and production will resume once fixes are implemented. “While we are comfortable with where we are at with yields, from a timing standpoint, we are about a quarter behind our projections,” Krzanich said. “As a result, we are now planning to begin production in the first quarter of next year.”

    Manufacturing problems are rare for Intel, which regularly releases new chips annually. In this case, Kraznich blames “yield” problems, or how many good chips can be produced from each silicon wafer. The last delay of a major chip was for the Pentium 4, over 10 years ago.

    The Broadwell is the successor of the Haswell line of Core processors. The Haswell uses a 22-nanometer process; talking nanometer processes refers to the dimensions of circuits inscribed on the chips.

    Intel promises 30 percent more power-efficiency and speed over the Haswell. That is, once the Broadwell is released. The snowball effect of a delayed chip may stall release dates for PC makers.
    Mario
    Intel reported fiscal 3rd quarter numbers Tuesday, with a top-line revenue of $13.5 billion and a net income of only about 20 percent, at $3 billion.

    Krzanich has had a little over five months as CEO, succeeding Paul Otellini, who racks up 40 total years at Intel. Unanimously elected to the head post, Krzanich started at Intel in 1982 and was most recently chief operating officer as of January 2012.

    Rather than bemoaning the Broadwell via Facebook on Tuesday, Intel waxed nostalgic, celebrating 30 years of Mario at an Intel-built interactive Museum of Mario.

    [Images via Intel Facebook.]

  • Here’s Some New Super Mario 3D World Gameplay

    Yesterday, Nintendo showed off some new levels and powerups from Super Mario 3D World during its Nintendo Direct. The trailer was a little short, however, so we didn’t get to see everything these new powerups have to offer. That’s where Nintendo of America comes in.

    In a new video today, the Nintendo Minute crew take us through almost nine minutes of new gameplay footage from Super Mario 3D World. The new gameplay footage takes us through two new levels while also giving us a look at the new cherry powerup that creates a clone of the player character.

    It’s revealed in the video that players can collect more and more cherry powerups to create multiple clones of any one character. It’s not mentioned if there’s a limit on these clones, but it’s said that some challenges will require multiple clones to complete.

    In another level, it’s shown that players can pick up a potted piranha plant. It can be used to eat enemies and other obstacles. Think of it like a baby Yoshi, but a little more aggressive.

    Super Mario 3D World launches November 22 exclusively for Wii U.

    [Image: Nintendo/YouTube]

  • Luigi’s Habit Of Falling Asleep Anywhere Is Starting To Get Dangerous

    For three videos now, Nintendo has made light of Luigi’s apparent narcolepsy. Sure, it may be a main gameplay mechanic in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, but it’s still a dangerous condition. The latest video advertising the game doesn’t do anything to address any health problems that Luigi may have.

    In the latest, and what appears to be last, video, Mario and Luigi are hanging out by the pool. Luigi hops in only to fall asleep on a floating pool raft. That could be dangerous. Does Mario try to save his brother though? Of course not. Mario instead opts for the dream world instead of staying behind to ensure his brother remains safe. It may be the year of Luigi, but Mario apparently still doesn’t respect his own flesh and blood.

    All joking aside, this video series has been a wonderful look into the kind of world Nintendo might create if it kept on making live action ads like this. I can only hope that ads for Super Mario 3D World feature a live action Mario wearing a cat suit.

    Mario & Luigi: Dream Team is out now for Nintendo 3DS.

  • Mario & Luigi Embrace Their Italian Heritage In The Latest Dream Team Trailer

    If you frequent Internet culture, you would know that Luigi is a pretty big fan of spaghetti. Nintendo has downplayed Mario and Luigi’s Italian heritage in recent years, but it’s making a comeback in the latest ads for Mario & Luigi: Dream Team.

    In the latest adventure, Mario and Luigi are cooking up some spaghetti at a resort. The big reveal is that Luigi prefers his paste al dente. Beyond his culinary preferences, we also learn that Luigi is apparently a narcoleptic.

    The ads for Mario & Luigi: Dream Team continue to be absolutely delightful. The above might be the best one yet for its bold and frank discussion of Italian archetypes.

    Mario & Luigi: Dream Team launches on August 11 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.

  • Nintendo Continues To Advertise Mario & Luigi: Dream Team In The Best Way Possible

    I love Nintendo’s silly live-action ads. I like to think that most kids who grew up in the 90s and early 2000s love them as well. There was a time when Nintendo didn’t make many of them, but the silly live-action ads of yesteryear are finally making a comeback.

    Last week, Nintendo revealed the first TV ad for Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, and it was incredibly silly. It’s latest ad campaign for the title features the same live-action antics of before, but now it’s tied into a contest to win a 3DS XL and a copy of the game.

    While I do appreciate the use of people dressed in costume, I would absolutely love to see a return to what we got in the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. Unfortunately, Lou Albano is no longer around to play Mario, but I’m sure Nintendo could find a suitable replacement.

    Mario & Luigi: Dream Team launches August 11 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.

  • Check Out This Silly Mario & Luigi: Dream Team TV Ad

    Back in the N64 and Gamecube days, Nintendo was known for imaginative, and oftentimes silly, TV ads. That all stopped once the DS and Wii came out as Nintendo opted for ads showing families having fun together instead. For its latest 3DS games, Nintendo has tapped into the fun loving ads of yesteryear.

    Nintendo recently shared the TV ad for the upcoming Mario & Luigi: Dream Team for Nintendo 3DS. The main hook of this particular title is that much of the game takes place within Luigi’s dreams where he has enormous power. The ad somewhat touches upon that, but it’s more or less just an excuse for somebody to dress up in a big Luigi costume. We haven’t seen these kind of ads since Super Mario Sunshine, and it’s great.

    Of course, TV ads don’t really give you a feel for the gameplay. If you want to see more of that, check out the trailer Nintendo shared during its surprise Nintendo Direct last week.

    Mario & Luigi: Dream Team launches on August 4 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS.

  • Mario And Sonic Relive Old Rivalries In Their Latest Olympic Outing

    Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has been a massive franchise for Nintendo and Sega ever since the two collaborated on the first for the 2008 Summer Olympic games. Each Summer and Winter Olympics event since then has received a game, and this year’s event in Sochi is no different.

    Earlier this year, Nintendo showed a bit of gameplay footage from its upcoming Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. It was looking pretty good then, but the latest gameplay trailer for the first title in the franchise for Wii U looks even better.

    This latest Mario & Sonic title promises 16 Olympic events, including ice hockey, ice skating, bobsledding, skiing, snowboarding, and my personal favorite, curling. In fact, there’s just something hilarious and awesome about Bowser and Dr. Eggman competing in curling.

    Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games will bring its obnoxiously long title to retailers later this year when it launches on the Wii U and 3DS.

  • Super Mario Bros, Recreated with Food and Vined

    Like most visual media, crappy Vines can be really, really crappy. And great Vines can be really, really great. This set of Vines falls into that latter category.

    Using, Cheez-Its, mini marshmallows, graham crackers, Chex, gum drops, and what appears to be a modified cucumber and some parsley, Hunter Harrison has recreated a couple of scenes from Super Mario Bros.

    [h/t Mashable]

  • E3 2013: Super Mario 3D World Camera Tilt Demoed

    Though it did not hold a major press conference at this year’s E3, Nintendo had an impressive showing this week. Dozens of first-party titles were announced and previewed for both the 3DS and Wii U consoles.

    However, even now there don’t seem to be any current or upcoming Wii U games that use the console’s GamePad effectively. At least, not to the extent that it changes gameplay in a fundamental way, which the original Wii console certainly did. An E3 demo for the just-announced Wii U Mario Kart game, for example, uses the touch screen mainly as a horn for karts.

    Even with their new Wii U Mario game, it seems Nintendo hasn’t found a “revolutionary” way to use the Wii U GamePad. A new highlight video put out by Nintendo shows that Super Mario 3D World can use the GamePad to tilt the view of gameplay on a TV. Of course, the same thing can be accomplished using an analog stick.

    Super Mario 3D World is based on the style of Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS. The new game will feature multiplayer support for gamers to play as Luigi, Toad, and Peach. It also features new cat costumes, allowing Mario and others to claw up walls and pounce on enemies:

  • Nintendo Plans To Revive The Wii U By October With New Mario Game [Rumor]

    The Wii U is in a spot of trouble. What is Nintendo going to do about it? Well, not much at the moment. The company has delayed many of its biggest titles into the latter half of the year, and that was entirely intentional according to a new rumor.

    CVG reports that retailers in the UK are saying that Nintendo held back many of its biggest titles into the latter half of the year for a revival of sorts. In other words, Nintendo plans to release a number of high-profile games later this year to renew interest in the console. One of those games is reported to be the new 3D Mario game that Satoru Iwata promised back in January, with retailers saying it will be out by October.

    Aside from a new Mario game, the report says that Nintendo intentionally held back Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101 and Wii Fit U to help populate the latter half of this year with more Wii U game releases. There are some that refute that claim, and Iwata himself said the games were delayed after developers were taken off of games like Pikmin 3 to help finish launch games like Nintendo Land.

    Of course, the Wii U already has a number of titles that range from pretty good to fantastic. What’s stopping Nintendo from marketing the console based on those titles alone? The report says that Nintendo executives wanted to wait until all of the problems with the hardware and software, including long loading times, were sorted out. The Spring update helped to reduce said loading times, and a planned Summer update will decrease those loading times even more. Nintendo is expected to start marketing the Wii U in earnest after the Summer update.

    A statement from Nintendo UK said just as much:

    “From July onwards we will launch a succession of Wii U titles and we will promote these extensively until the end of the year. Marketing activity will include TV, print, online and PR as well as comprehensive experiential and social media campaigns”.

    The Nintendo faithful had better hope the company start marketing the Wii U sooner rather than later. The next PlayStation and Xbox are expected to launch in November of this year. Nintendo’s console will soon look outdated compared to the competition so it needs to prove that the Wii U, much like the Wii, is capable of providing those unique experiences that you just can’t find anywhere else. Super Mario Galaxy succeeded in that mission on the Wii in 2007, and a new 3D Mario game on the Wii U could do just the same this year.

  • Nintendo 3DS eShop Gets A Number Of Unique Titles This Spring

    The Nintendo eShop for 3DS has been a bastion of creativity and innovation since it first launched in 2011. Nintendo’s own studios have created a number of unique titles for the service that don’t conform to the conventions set by their big budget releases. That focus on innovative titles will continue with the next wave of eShop titles hitting the service.

    During its Nintendo Direct this morning, the company announced that HarmoKnight, Kersploosh!, and Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move would be coming to the Nintendo 3DS eShop this spring.

    The first is HarmoKnight, a rhythm platformer from Game Freak. The developer has taken time off of working on the Pokemon franchise to make this unique platformer that bears a striking resemblance to Bit.Trip Runner. It’s just as, if not more, charming than Gaijin Game’s effort, and features some stellar tunes if the trailer is any indication. With this being GameFreak, the game will also feature some Pokemon music crossovers that’s sure to delight fans of the franchise.

    HarmoKnight will be available on the eShop on March 28.

    The second is a far more “interesting” title called Kersploosh! In this game, the player controls a rock that’s been thrown down a well. The player will have to maneuver the rock on its way down to avoid obstacles as it makes its way to the water at the bottom. It’s certainly unique, and could very well be a really fun title.

    Finally, Nintendo showed off the latest game in its Mario and Donkey Kong series called Minis on the Move. Much like the previous titles, the game is focused on solving puzzles as Mario leads miniature versions of himself to the exit while avoiding hazards.

    Go here for more news from this morning’s Nintendo Direct.

  • Watch This Morning’s Luigi Powered Nintendo Direct

    This morning, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata sported a rather fetching Luigi hat and announced 2013 as the year of Luigi. He said it’s about time the character got his due after being a supporting character for so long. Of course, seeing is believing, and now you too can watch Iwata celebrate the life of Luigi with his sweet hat.

    Besides Luigi, this morning’s Nintendo Direct also included new details on Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Fire Emblem: Awakening DLC, new eShop titles, and LEGO City Undercover. The video also featured the first look at Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, a 3DS remake of 2010’s Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii.

    For some extra fun, try to count all the times Luigi shows up in the background during this Nintendo Direct.

  • Nintendo Direct Announces The Year Of Luigi

    Early this morning, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata appeared in the latest Nintendo Direct wearing a Luigi hat. He says that the hat is in celebration of Luigi finally becoming a central character after being in the background for so long. As part of the celebration, Nintendo says 2013 will be the year of Luigi.

    Kicking off the Year of Luigi will be Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. Nintendo luminary Shigeru Miyamoto made his Nintendo Direct debut to talk about the single-player campaign in Nintendo Direct. He says that the game will be introducing a number of new elements.

    The game will also be introducing a number of multiplayer modes. We’ve already seen one mode, but the game will also offer a number of competitive and cooperative modes.

    Continuing the theme of Luigi games, Nintendo announced a new entry in the long running Mario & Luigi RPG series. This latest game has Mario entering the dreams of Luigi to combat the creatures of the dream world. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team will launch in summer 2013.

    Luigi will also be joining Mario and the crew in a new Mario Golf title called Mario Golf: World Tour for the 3DS. It will be released in summer 2013.

    Finally, Nintendo will be releasing DLC content for New Super Mario Bros. U called Super Luigi U. The DLC will transform all the levels in the game to exclusive Luigi levels that offer new challenges. Nintendo says it will be like a full retail game, and will be available later this year.

  • Check Out Today’s Nintendo Direct In All Its Glory

    Early this morning, Nintendo sent a message to its fans and detractors – the company is serious about bringing top notch games to its newest system. The Wii went through years of casual gimmicks and broken promises before it delivered on its true potential with titles like Super Mario Galaxy and Xenoblade Chronicles. This morning proved that Nintendo is not going to let that happen with the Wii U.

    Before Nintendo floored us all with news announced later in the video, the company first took some time out to address its wonderful Miiverse app. The big news is that developers will soon be able to obtain verified accounts that come with special powers.

    The company announced that the Wii U would be getting the Virtual Console before long with a selection of NES and SNES games. The company also said that a number of Gameboy Advance titles would be making their way to the service.

    As for games, Nintendo shared more details on upcoming games like The Wonderful 101 and Bayonetta 2. Development is progressing smoothly on both titles, but they can’t show any gameplay from the latter just yet. The Wonderful 101, however, looks like it’s just about done. We’ll hopefully see it launch before E3 in June.

    The real surprises came in the later half of the show as it featured announcements for a new Yoshi game, a Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem crossover title, and a Xenoblade Chronicles successor from MonolithSoft. The biggest surprise, however, came in the form of Nintendo announcing that it is bringing a The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker remake to the Wii U later this fall. There is no gameplay footage available, but you can check out some wonderful screens in the above video.

    This will probably be the last “earth shattering” Wii U related announcement from Nintendo until E3 in June. It will be worth the wait, however, as we will get to see the first details of Nintendo’s newest Mario, Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. titles at that point.

  • Wii U Sells Over 300,000 Units In Japan At Launch

    The Wii U has now officially launched in every major territory. It pulled respectable numbers for its US and UK launch, but what about Japan? The numbers have just been reported and it’s another good launch weekend for Nintendo’s newest console.

    According to numbers from Famitsu, the Wii U sold 308,570 units in the two days since its launch. Compare that to the 400,000 units in the US and 40,000 in the UK. It should be noted again that the numbers from the UK don’t represent all of Europe and Australia so the sales there are obviously higher. With all that being said, it seems that Nintendo has easily sold over 1 million Wii U units since its launch last month.

    I predicted that Monster Hunter would be the big seller in Japan for the new console. That prediction turned out to be only partially accurate as New Super Mario Bros. U was the biggest performer over the two-day period with 170,563 units sold. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate came in second with 110,159 units sold. Third place was Nintendo Land with 78,41 units sold. Its numbers are a bit lower as it’s not bundled with the console like it was in North America and Europe.

    Nintendo is still hoping to sell 5.5 million Wii U units before the end of its fiscal year in March. It’s assumed that it’s already sold over a million units worldwide now. Now Nintendo has a little over three and a half months to see another 4.5 million units. Can it do it? It’s possible, but the company needs to pick up its pace and deliver more stock to stores, especially in the UK.

    [h/t: Siliconera]

  • Nintendo Talks About The Wii U’s Online Network And Miiverse

    We’re now less than a week away from the launch of the Wii U. Nintendo is gearing up for a massive launch in North America, but it’s also taking some time to explain some of the more finer details of the Wii U system. It’s a good thing too, as Nintendo has some more explaining to do about its online services.

    The Wii and DS both dropped the ball when it came to each system’s online play. The 3DS greatly improved upon it, but it still used the annoying friend code system. The Wii U will be changing all that by using a centralized Nintendo Network ID that will connect players with friends. Nintendo also confirmed that third-party publishers will be using their own online infrastructures, such as EA’s Origin, but players can connect to these services via their Nintendo Network ID.

    Another really interesting point is that Nintendo is taking its Network ID beyond the Wii U early next year. This was hinted at during E3, but the company had not said much about it since. Players will soon be able to access their ID and the eShop via a PC or smartphone. In short, you’ll be able to purchase eShop titles from your smartphone. It’s something that more console manufacturers need to do, and it’s kind of mind blowing that Nintendo is the company leading the charge.

    Nintendo confirmed that most of the online features such as Wii U chat are not available on the Wii U from the start. Players will have to download a day one patch that will add these services to the Wii U firmware. Beyond that, Nintendo also says that players will be able to transfer games and saves on the Wii to the Wii U via SD card.

    The rest of the video shows more examples of how Miiverse is integrated into the experience. A player stuck on a challenge in New Super Mario Bros. U can discuss the current challenge with friends on the Miiverse and get help from more experience players.

    Another Nintendo Direct was aired in Japan last night, but it has yet to be translated. When it becomes available in English, we’ll bring that video to you as well. It looks like it has more information about the Wii U hardware and memory.