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Tag: Nintendo Direct

  • Nintendo Direct Offers Details On Upcoming Games

    For the first Nintendo Direct of the year, fans had high hopes. After all, the Nintendo Direct that kicked off 2013 was full of surprises and new game announcements. That was unfortunately not the case this time around, but there was still plenty of goodness for the Nintendo fan.

    Starting off, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed that Little Mac from Punch-Out!! would be joining the roster of Super Smash Bros. He was originally an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii so it gives hope that other assist trophies from Brawl may make the transition to full character in the latest game.

    In additional Wii U news, it was revealed that Mario Kart 8 will feature all of Boswer’s Koopalings as playable characters. That’s right – Iggy, Larry, Lemmy, Ludwig, Morton, Roy and Wendy will all be playable when the game launches on May 30.

    Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze received a new trailer ahead of its launch on February 21.

    Bayonetta 2 was shown once again in a new trailer that focused on a new character, new abilities and new bosses. The game is scheduled to launch sometime later this year.

    In a move that’s somewhat confusing, Nintendo announced that Gameboy Advance titles will be coming to the Wii U virtual console instead of the 3DS virtual console. Even if the platform is a little weird, we’re still getting great games like Metroid Fusion, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 when the service launches.

    Finally, Monolith Soft’s X was shown off for a second time revealing that it’s battle system will be pretty much like the one found in Xenoblade Chronicles.

    Moving onto the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo showed off some new gameplay for Yoshi’s New Island. In the latest installment, Yoshi can now create giant eggs or even metal eggs to traverse underwater environments. The game will be out on March 14.

    After being announced early last year, Mario Golf: World Tour is finally almost upon us. This time, Nintendo showed off the single player campaign mode called Castle Club. In this mode, you play as your Mii as you take on Mario characters in various tournaments. The game will be out on May 2.

    Another 3DS game that was announced last year – Kirby: Triple Deluxe – is almost upon us as well. In the new trailer, it’s shown that Kirby can perform four actions for every ability he copies. In that way, it’s almost like the game plays like a single player Super Smash Bros. It will be out on May 2.

    Giving hope to Monster Hunter fans in the U.S., Nintendo confirmed that Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate will launch exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS in early 2015.

    As for the Wii U and 3DS eShops, Nintendo announced a number of titles for both, including NES Remix 2, Inazuma Eleven, Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball, Weapon Shop de Omasse and more. The most interesting among the group is Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball as it’s a free to download game that features mini-games that must be bought for $4 each. You can haggle in-game, however, to reduce the cost of those games.

    If you want to see everything that yesterday’s Nintendo Direct had to offer, you can watch it in its entirety below:

    Image via Nintendo/YouTube

  • Super C Headlines This Week’s Nintendo Download

    There’s a new Nintendo Direct this afternoon at 5 p.m. that has the Nintendo faithful all excited. Is Nintendo going to announce a new game? Are we going to hear anything about X or Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem? Whatever happened to Yarn Yoshi? All these questions and more will probably not see an answer, but at least you can finally play some Super C on your Wii to take your mind off things.

    That’s right, folks – Super C, sequel to NES classic Contra, is now on the Wii U virtual console. In it, players take on the role of either Mad Dog or Scorpion as they run and gun their way through multiple levels of alien hell.

    Unfortunately, Super C is the only major eShop release today. Sure, there are some new levels being added to Spin the Bottle: Bumpy’s Party on Wii U for Valentine’s Day, but that’s about it. With this disappointing update, Nintendo had better have something worthwhile during this evening’s Nintendo Direct.

    While’s there not much in the way of new content, you can grab three games from Rising Star Games at a reduced price until March 13. Those three games – Beyblade Evolution, Jewel Master: Cradle of Rome 2 and Girl’s Fashion Shoot – are great picks for children who own a 3DS or 2DS.

    Here are the other eShop releases this week:

  • Spot the Differences! (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
  • AeternoBlade (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)

    • Image via yazars/YouTube

  • Nintendo Reveals New Zelda Game In Nintendo Direct

    This morning, Nintendo took to the stage known as the Internet to reveal some new information on upcoming Wii U and 3DS games in a new Nintendo Direct. While most of the information was about games we already knew about, Nintendo took some time to reveal some brand new games as well.

    Starting off, Nintendo revealed that it’s working with Tecmo Koei on a new collaborative Zelda game. No, it’s not the new mainline Zelda game for Wii U. Instead, the two are working on a spin off called Hyrule Warriors that will combine the gameplay of Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors franchise with the characters and worlds from The Legend of Zelda. It’s scheduled to launch at some point in 2014.

    Here’s the first teaser trailer for the title:

    From there, Nintendo largely stuck to already announced titles for the 3DS with new details on Kirby Triple Deluxe. The game will be similar to past Kirby games, but will take advantage of the 3DS by allowing Kirby to switch between planes. There will also be two new mini-games, including a four-player fighter featuring only Kirbys and a rhythm game starring King Dedede. It will be released at some point in 2014.

    Next, Nintendo said that Yoshi’s New Island – the third game in the Yoshi’s Island franchise – will be directed by the creator of the original Yoshi’s Island on the SNES. It will be available in Spring 2014. Here’s a trailer:

    In a surprise announcement, Nintendo said that Gamecube fan favorite Chibi Robo will be back on the 3DS as an eShop title. Chibi Robo Photo Finder will task players to complete AR challenges by taking photos of real world objects. It will be available via the 3DS eShop on January 9. Here’s a trailer:

    Nintendo shared more details regarding its upcoming Pokemon Bank subscription service. Everybody who signs up for the app from launch through January 31 will get a free 30 day trial. Additionally, those who sign up before Sept. 30, 2014 will receive a free Celebi.

    Speaking of RPGs, Nintendo announced that Bravely Default will be getting a free demo on the eShop on January 2. This won’t be any old demo, however, as it features an entirely brand new story not found in the main game. It can be thought of as a prologue of sorts that will help players get familiarized with the game’s numerous systems.

    As announced at the VGX awards show, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will be released on February 21 and will feature Cranky Kong as a playable character. Here’s a new trailer:

    In other platformer news, Sonic Lost World will be getting two exclusive pieces of DLC for the Wii U version based on Nintendo franchises. The first, which is available today, is based on Yoshi’s Island. It has Sonic traveling through a number of levels trying to save all the Yoshi eggs. It was hinted that next year’s DLC level will be based on The Legend of Zelda.

    Moving from platformers to sports, Nintendo announced that Wii Sports Club is getting golf today after launching with tennis and bowling last month. This new version of golf will feature the original nine hole course from Wii Sports as well as a new nine hole course based on Golf for the NES. It’s available starting today.

    In other games that are available today, Nintendo announced a new game for Wii U called NES Remix. As its name implies, it takes classic NES games and gives them a twist. One such twist is having Link from The Legend of Zelda taking the place of Jump Man in Donkey Kong.

    Another Wii U title soon hitting the eShop is Dr. Luigi – a twist on the classic Dr. Mario gameplay we all know and love. In Dr. Luigi, players are still clearing viruses, but they now have L-shaped pills. Nintendo claims this makes the game more forgiving. It will be available exclusively on the Wii U eShop on December 31.

    Of course, it wouldn’t be a Nintendo Direct without a new trailer for Super Smash Bros. In the latest trailer, it’s revealed that Rosalina is the latest playable character in the game. It would be more correct to say Rosalina and Luma are both joining as she can summon her star friend to fight alongside her.

    Finally, Nintendo showed off a new trailer for Mario Kart 8. It’s certainly the prettiest Mario Kart title yet, but it’s still Mario Kart. I’ll leave that up to you to decide if that’s a good or bad thing. In the meantime, here’s a new trailer:

    Here’s the full Nintendo Direct for your viewing pleasure:

    Image via Nintendo/YouTube

  • Nintendo Direct Details Upcoming 3DS Games

    All the attention this week may be on the impending launch of the PS4, but Nintendo isn’t letting that keep it silent. Instead, it decided to host a Nintendo Direct today focusing on the world’s most popular dedicated gaming device – the Nintendo 3DS.

    Starting off, Nintendo reconfirmed that both The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and its accompanying 3DS bundle will be available on November 22. There’s not much else to say about the game with it being so close to launch. Instead, check out this new trailer for the title:

    Next up is Mario Party: Island Tour – the latest mini-game collection for the 3DS. It comes out on November 22, but is targeting an entirely different market. Nintendo announced that all the mini-games can be shared among four players from one game cart for those who can’t force friends to buy the game. It also has a sizable single-player mode complete with boss fights.

    For JRPG fans, Nintendo announced that Bravely Default will be coming to North America on February 7. It will release a limited collector’s edition of the title that comes with an art book, soundtrack CD and AR cards. Here’s a new trailer for it:

    As for Professor Layton fans, the final game in the series – Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy – will be released on February 28. Here’s a new trailer for it:

    In other 3DS news, Nintendo will be releasing a 3DS system update next month that will allow you to create a Nintendo Network ID on the handheld and link it to your Wii U. By doing this, you’ll be able to use your eShop funds across both platforms. Nintendo notes that a Nintendo Network ID isn’t necessary for 3DS users, but it will be required to access demos and other free content.

    Speaking of free content, the 3DS will be getting Miiverse in the same update. The handheld will also be getting YouTube later this month.

    Despite today’s Nintendo Direct being mostly about the 3DS, Nintendo did manage to sneak in two Wii U updates. The first was a new sizzle reel highlighting all the indie content coming to the Wii U and 3DS eShop in the coming months:

    The other Wii U news was a new trailer for Super Mario 3D World highlighting “10 new things” players can discover in the game. The trailer is full of minor spoilers regarding unlockables and stages so you’ve been warned. If you don’t want anything about the game spoiled for you, don’t watch the video. You should also avoid Nintendo’s Twitter feed as it has been tweeting about the spoiler as well:

    With the PS4 only a few days away and the Xbox One launching on November 22, it’s no better time to be a gamer. That’s doubly true for the Nintendo faithful as the Wii U and 3DS are both getting some of the best looking games of the year(s) over the next few months.

    [Image: Nintendo/YouTube]

  • Nintendo Direct Reveals New Info On Upcoming Wii U, 3DS Games

    Yesterday, Nintendo announced that it would hold a Nintendo Direct today to discuss upcoming Wii U and 3DS titles. True to its word, the latest Nintendo Direct did just that, and even served up some surprises for the Nintendo fan.

    Starting out, Nintendo showed off a new trailer for Super Mario 3D World that featured some of the new powerups that players will encounter in the latest Mario adventure. We already knew about the cat suit, but there’s also a cherry that will split Mario into two copies of himself. The powerups from Super Mario 3D Land, including the boomerang suit and coin box, will be available in this game as well.

    Next up was Wii Party U. There wasn’t a lot of new information available beyond it featuring some new mini-games that require players to gather around the gamepad and use four Wiimotes in unison to complete tasks. The game will launch with a Wiimote Plus bundle on October 22.

    Another one of Nintendo’s big holiday titles – Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze – has been delayed. Nintendo said that the game has been delayed until February 2014 to allow the team at Retro Studios to add more polish.

    Moving onto Sonic, Nintendo had two announcements. The first was Mario & Sonic At The Winter Olympic Games will have online multiplayer. That alone isn’t too surprising, but the way it’s being handled certainly is. Keeping in line with the olympic spirit, players from all over the world can compete in four events to contribute points to their country. The game will keep track of which country leads the world in points as players battle to defend their country’s honor.

    As for the other Sonic-related announcement, Nintendo confirmed that Sonic will be back in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. Sonic was a fan favorite in Super Smash Bros. Brawl so it’s good to see him back.

    In some final Wii U news, Nintendo announced that Pikmin 3 will be getting some Challenge Mode DLC today for $1.99. This will add four new maps to the game. There will be more DLC added down the road as well.

    Moving onto 3DS, Nintendo showed off the first English trailer for Square Enix’ Bravely Default. The game is your standard turn-based RPG, but that’s only a good thing. It will also allow players to choose between the English dub or the original Japanese cast.

    Nintendo also provided an update on The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Nintendo has decided to change up the formula of Zelda games with this newest title by allowing players to buy almost every item from the start of the game and tackle dungeons in any order. This will be the first time a Zelda game has offered such an option since the original The Legend of Zelda on the NES.

    Finally, Nintendo announced a new Kirby game for the Nintendo 3DS. There’s not much to say at the moment beyond it looks like a Kirby game. That’s not a bad thing, mind you. It will be out in 2014.

  • Latest Nintendo Direct Just Made A Lot Of Phoenix Wright Fans Very Happy

    Nintendo announced a new Nintendo Direct yesterday, and said the intention was to discuss already announced Wii U and 3DS titles. That was mostly the case, but the company can never resist announcing new titles as well.

    Nintendo president Satoru Iwata kicked off the Direct with new information regarding third party titles hitting the Wii U later this year. First up was Sonic Lost World. He said that the game will feature connectivity between the Wii U and 3DS versions. Players will be able to build a RC helicopter in the 3DS version and then bring it into the Wii U version to help players interact with the game world. Both versions will be available on October 22.

    The other third party title to receive mention was Rayman Legends. There wasn’t a lot of new information available, but Iwata did announce that the Wii U version of the title will include Mario and Luigi outfits for Rayman and Globox. Rayman Legends is still on schedule to launch on September 3.

    During the last Nintendo Direct, Iwata mentioned that they would be launching a scaled down version of Art Academy for the Wii U. Today he announced that the game is called Art Academy Sketchpad and that it will be available on August 9. There will also be a Miiverse community for aspiring artists to share their creations.

    Iwata turned things over to Erik Peterson at Nintendo of America where he announced that Pokemon Rumble U would be coming to the Wii U eShop on August 29. The title is similar to the past Pokemon Rumble games, but now you can unlock characters in the title by buying NFC figurines similar to Skylanders or Disney Infinity. There will be 18 figurines available in all and they will be exclusively sold at GameStop.

    Peterson also announced a number of eShop titles for the 3DS. These include Summer Festival 92, Donkey Kong for the NES, Tecmo Bowl, Wario Land 3 and Super Mario Bros. 3. These will be available in the coming weeks and months.

    On a final note, Peterson announced that Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, and Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright will be both be coming to the 3DS in 2014.

    Iwata came back to make some final announcements regarding The Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros. and Animal Crossing. For Zelda, he divulged new details on The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. He revealed that the title will feature the world from A Link to the Past alongside an alternate world that’s not exactly like the Dark World from the SNES classic. He also revealed that the title takes place many years after A Link to the Past.

    As for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Iwata said that they will be fine tuning the Triforce shard quest to make it more palatable to gamers who complained that the quest took too long on the Gamecube.

    It was also announced during the Nintendo Direct that Luigi will be in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS. It’s not exactly surprising, but it’s nice to know that Luigi will be back in the latest title.

    Finally, Iwata announced that Animal Crossing will open to players from all over the world. You should start to see players from Europe and Asia soon. He also announced that the Wii U will be getting a new app called the Animal Crossing Plaza that will feature all of your friends as well as the animals that populate your Animal Crossing town. It’s available now and will remain available until the end of 2014.

    You can check out the entire Nintendo Direct in its entirety below:

  • Here Are All The Trailers From Today’s Surprise Nintendo Direct

    Did you know that there was a Nintendo Direct this morning? You probably didn’t as Nintendo stealthily released it without any prior warning. The secretive nature of its release doesn’t mean it was a bad Nintendo Direct though. In fact, there were quite a few excellent trailers released alongside of it that give us a better look at some upcoming games.

    First up is Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Nintendo calls it the “comedy trailer,” and I believe that designation is apt. The franchise has always been known for its humor, and this latest trailer doesn’t disappoint.

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

    Up next is the latest trailer for The Wonderful 101. This prologue trailer explains a bit of the backstory for the latest game from the geniuses over at Platinum Games. Nintendo promises a future Nintendo Direct will be devoted entirely to the game so you won’t have to wait long for more information.

    The Wonderful 101 will be available on September 15 exclusively for Wii U.

    On a final note, Nintendo released a trailer for the virtual console release of EarthBound. It’s a pretty special event as this is the first time in decades that Nintendo of America has even acknowledged the game’s existence, and they went all out with its debut on virtual console. Every virtual console release isn’t going to get a trailer this cool, but I can dream, right?

    EarthBound is available on the Wii U virtual console today.

  • Nintendo Launches Earthbound On Wii U Virtual Console Today

    Nintendo usually gives us an advance warning before it streams one of its Nintendo Direct videos, but today’s Nintendo Direct came without any prior warning. It didn’t really matter though as the company only provided updates on previously announced games.

    Nintendo’s Bill Trinen started off today’s Nintendo Direct talking about Animal Crossing: New Leaf. He announced that Nintendo Zone locations at Best Buy and other retailers will start storing StreetPasses for games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Super Mario 3D World and other games. By visiting a Nintendo Zone, you’ll be able to pick up the StreetPass of the previous player to have visited the location.

    If you need more StreetPass games, Trinen also announced that it would be releasing an update to the StreetPass Mii Plaza that included four new games – Mii Force, Flower Town, Warrior’s Way and Monster Manor. All four games provide new ways for players to interact with the people they meet via StreetPass. Each game is available for $4.99 each, or $14.99 for all four.

    Next, Trinen announced that Mario & Luigi Dream Team will launch on August 11. He also shared a new trailer that further confirms my suspicions that it will be one of the best RPGs on the 3DS this year. He also shared new release dates for The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Mario Party for Nintendo 3DS. Both titles will be launching in November.

    Switching to Wii U games, Trinen shared new information regarding Pikmin 3. He revealed a new Bingo Battle stage while revealing that there will be 12 battle stages in all with each stage featuring three variations. Players will also be able to compare times and scores with other players around the world.

    As for Wonderful 101, Trinen said that gamers will be able to play the game this weekend at San Diego Comic-Con. Other information about the title will be revealed in a future Nintendo Direct that will be entirely dedicated to the title.

    On a final note, Trinen announced that SNES classic Earthbound is now available on the Wii U virtual console for $9.99. They have also uploaded the Nintendo Power strategy guide that the game originally shipped with to their Web site. Players can access the guide from either the Web or the Wii U browser as it has been optimized for the gamepad.

    If you prefer your Nintendo Direct in full motion video, you can watch the full 22 minute presentation below:

  • Nintendo’s E3 Direct Gets The Abridged Treatment

    Nintendo didn’t hold a traditional E3 press conference this year. It instead opted to speak directly to fans via its Nintendo Direct video series. Now its Nintendo Direct has been condensed to 5 minutes from its original 45 minute running time.

    The masterminds at VideoGamer have put together its final E3 abridged video aimed directly at Nintendo. Nintendo fans are going to get the biggest kick out of it, but it has that unique universal humor that all gamers can appreciate.

    If you’re new to VideoGamer’s wonderful abridged series, check out their abridged Sony and Microsoft E3 press conferences.

  • E3 2013: Nintendo Focuses On Their Core Franchises

    Going into E3, Nintendo was a bit of a mystery. We had a small idea of what the company would be showing for Wii U, but its latest Nintendo Direct shows that the company knows what its fans want.

    Nintendo kicked off its show with some new information for Pokemon X and Pokemon Y. It revealed there’s a new type called “fairy” that’s especially strong against Dragon types. The game will be out on October 12.

    Next up is the latest 3D Mario title – Super Mario 3D World. Unlike the Galaxy games before it, the newest 3D Mario is taking a cue from the excellent Super Mario 3D Land. What that means is that Nintendo is distilling Mario into its core essence. That doesn’t mean the game won’t have anything new, however, as the developers are introducing a cat suit power up and simultaneous four player co-op. It will be out in December.

    Sticking with Mario, Nintendo announced that Mario Kart 8 would be coming to the Wii U in Spring 2014. The game will borrow elements from Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart Wii to create the definitive version of the title. It will also implement some new online features that the company isn’t discussing at the moment.

    Earlier this year, Nintendo said that it would be bringing Wii Party U and Wii Fit U to the console in Summer. Both titles have been delayed with Wii Party U coming later this year and Wii Fit U launching this Winter.

    Nintendo noted that fans have been creating fantastic art in Miiverse ever since the console launched. They wanted to bring more sophisticated tools to those fans so they will be creating an updated version of the popular 3DS title Art Academy for Wii U. The game has no release date just yet, but Nintendo will launch some of the drawing tools found in the main game for Miiverse artists in Summer.

    Moving on, Nintendo shared more details regarding its remake of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD. The game will ditch the Tingle Tuner from the original game in favor of the Tingle Bottle. This item will allow players to toss a message in a bottle out to sea and then have it wash up on shores of other players. The title will be available in October of this year.

    Platinum Games got some love during Nintendo Direct with The Wonderful 101 and Bayonetta 2 both getting new trailers. The Wonderful 101 will be launching September 15.

    The latest Bayonetta 2 trailer shows taht the central character has received a redesign with shorter hair and a new outfit. The game will be out in 2014.

    One of the brand new announcements was of a new Donkey Kong game titled Donkey Koung Country Tropical Freeze. The new Wii U title will be similar to Donkey Kong Country Returns, but will feature some fancy new camera angles. It will also bring Dixie Kong as a playable character. It will be out later this year.

    Near the end, Nintendo showed a new trailer for X. If you recall, X is the codename for the new title from Monolith Soft. It looks like a mashup between Xenoblade and Xenogears. That’s hardly a bad thing. X will be released in 2014.

    On a final note, Nintendo showed the first trailer for Super Smash Bros. for both 3DS and Wii U. The 3DS title will be using a cel-shaded style while the Wii U version will look more realistic. The Villager from Animal Crossing will be joining as a fighter.

    The big surprise this time around is that Mega Man will be joining the fray as a guest character. He looks to play a little like Samus, but he can also call upon the power of every single robot master from Mega Man 2. Both versions of Super Smash Bros. will be out in 2014.

  • Nintendo Partners With Sega For Next Sonic Game, More Release Dates Announced [Nintendo Direct]

    Yesterday, Nintendo said that today’s Nintendo Direct would solely focus on games coming out this summer. That was mostly true, but the company did take time to reveal a new partnership with Sega that will either make Sonic fans very happy, or very disappointed.

    First up, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced that the popular Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games franchise will be back in time for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The game will be the first time the series has debuted on the Wii U with improved graphics and gameplay. The highlight was a curling minigame that takes advantage of the Gamepad.

    In even bigger news, Iwata said that Nintendo has entered into a partnership with Sega that will see the next proper Sonic game – Sonic Lost World – released exclusively on Wii U and 3DS.

    The final bit of news from Nintendo’s new partnership from Sega revealed that more Sega Game Gear games will be released on the Nintendo 3DS eShop in the near future.

    Iwata then turned it over to Nintendo of America where they announced that The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons will be launching on May 30 for the Nintendo 3DS eShop. Each game will cost $5.99, but the price will be reduced to $4.99 each for the first three weeks to ensure that everybody can experience the game connectivity features.

    They also announced a number of release dates for other Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, which features a new world exclusive to the 3DS version, will be out on May 24. Animal Crossing: New Leaf will be out on June 9. The sole Wii U game from Nintendo of America was Game and Wario, which they say will be out on June 23 for only $39.99.

    Nintendo of America gave the mic back to Iwata where he announced that New Super Luigi U, the Luigi-centric spin off of last year’s New Super Mario U, will be out on June 20 on the Nintendo eShop. The game will feature multiplayer, but will not have Mario. Instead, the game will include Nabby as a playable character. Players of the original game may remember Nabby as the character that stole items from Mario. As a playable character, Nabby is not affected by power ups, but he is also immune to all enemy attacks. Iwata says that he’s meant for players who find 2D Mario platformers to be too challenging.

    As an added bonus for fans, Nintendo will be releasing a separate retail version of New Super Luigi U at retail on August 25. The retail version of the title does not require the original New Super Mario Bros. U to play. The DLC version releasing on June 20 will cost $19.99, and the retail version will cost $29.99.

    Platinum Games’ The Wonderful 101 will be out on September 15. There was no price announced, but you can assume that it will be probably go for the full $59.99.

    Iwata also dished out some new details on Pikmin 3. The game will feature three new protagonists – Alph, Brittany and Charlie – who are trying to collect food for their dying homeworld. As such, players will have to collect fruits and turn them into juice if they want to keep exploring. There is no time limit this time around though, and players can replay previous days to collect more fruit. Pikmin 3 will be out on August 4.

    On a final note, Reggie Fils-Aime announced that Nintendo has partnered with Best Buy to bring the E3 experience to gamers in America and Canada. During the week of E3, select Best Buy locations will have exclusive E3 demos in stores for fans to play.

    The next Nintendo Direct is scheduled to take place in June before E3. We’re likely to not hear much on the Nintendo front until then.

    If you want to watch the Nintendo Direct yourself, you can do so below:

  • Nintendo Direct To Reveal More Details On Wii U, 3DS Games Tomorrow

    Are any Wii U games coming out this Summer? I honestly can’t remember anymore after so many were delayed earlier this year. Good thing Nintendo is going to jog our collective memories tomorrow with a Nintendo Direct.

    Nintendo announced today that it will be holding a Nintendo Direct tomorrow at 7 a.m. PST/10 a.m. EST to discuss upcoming Wii U and 3DS games. This particular Nintendo Direct will only focus on the games coming out in the Summer so that means any releases from now until August. As such, you can probably expect to see more details on Pikmin 3 and Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

    There’s always the potential for a surprise, however, and Nintendo may just have one in store for us tomorrow. The last Nintendo Direct seemed like it would be pretty ordinary, but the company used it as a platform to announce a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the 3DS.

    That being said, I don’t think we’ll see any new game announcements tomorrow. Instead, we can only hope that Nintendo decides to announce some release dates for its other promising titles like The Wonderful 101.

    Nintendo will be announcing some new games next month though at another Nintendo Direct that’s scheduled to go up before E3. The company had already said that it would be going against the trend of hosting a major press conference this year by holding smaller, separate events for gamers, the press and investors. June’s Nintendo Direct will be squarely aimed at fans, and we’ll probably get to see the promised new 3D Mario game and maybe even a new Metroid that doesn’t transform Samus into a sexist stereotype from the 19th century.

    As always, we’ll be bringing you all the updates from the Nintendo Direct tomorrow. If you want to watch it yourself, it will go live here.

  • Did You Miss This Morning’s Nintendo 3DS Direct? Watch It Here

    As has become tradition lately, the latest Nintendo Direct included a few huge announcements that made Nintendo fans go absolutely wild.

    Of course, you may have missed all the big announcements, like a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, or that Bravely Default is finally being localized. If you missed out on any of it, you can relive it now thanks to the power of YouTube.

    The only depressing thing is that this Nintendo Direct focused almost exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS. There are plenty of great Wii U games on the horizon, but it would have been nice some assurance that the Wii U was getting great content sooner rather than later. In the meantime, Wii U owners will just have to settle for the Virtual Console finally launching on the system.

  • Check Out Some Upcoming Nintendo 3DS Titles

    During it’s Nintendo 3DS Direct today, Nintendo announced a number of new games for its handheld device. The most exciting was obviously the announcement of a sequel to A Link to the Past. Beyond that, however, the company also announced a new Yoshi’s Island, Bravely Default and the next Professor Layton title.

    The above games are all newly announced for the North American market. What about the already announced games though? Nintendo had more details to share on those as well, including new trailers.

    The first trailer is for Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. The latest title in the successful, and very funny, Mario & Luigi RPGs follows the exploits of Mario and Luigi as they attempt to rescue Princess Peach from a dream world. The only way to enter said dream world, however, is through Luigi’s dreams. Inside his dreams, Mario will be battling enemies with Luigi who gains almost god-like powers thanks to his newfound dream abilities.

    Up next is Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. This particular title is a remake of Retro Studio’s wonderful Donkey Kong Country Returns that debuted on the Wii in 2010. Most of the title is a straight up port, but it does have a few new features. For one, the original game was incredibly difficult in later areas so Nintendo is upping the life bar of Donkey and Diddy Kong for players that aren’t ready for the challenge of the normal mode. There’s also a new world with eight new levels to be unlocked for those who beat the main game.

    The third is for Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The latest entry in Nintendo’s popular life sim looks to bring more of the Animal Crossing experience that fans have come to expect with the added gameplay feature of the player now being the mayor of their town.

    Finally, Nintendo released a new trailer for LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins. The prequel to Wii U’s LEGO City Undercover, this new title brings the open world gameplay of the console title to the 3DS. Expect more of the zany LEGO humor that you’ve come to expect from the series.

  • Nintendo Announces New Nintendo 3DS Games

    Nintendo held a Nintendo 3DS Direct this morning. It was assumed that it would focus primarily on already announced titles, but the developer did announce some new games that are sure to excite casual and core 3DS players.

    As part of the Year of Luigi announcements, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata announced that the 3DS will be getting a new entry in the classic Mario Party franchise. The game will feature all new mini-games and each game board will have its own unique rules. Mario Party will launch this winter.

    Another new title announced is a new entry in the Yoshi’s Island series. The game looks to be similar to the past titles on the SNES and DS, but this new version will include new abilities for Yoshi. One ability shown is a large egg that can be destroy large structures.

    As for third party titles, Nintendo announced that Square Enix’ Bravely Default will finally be launching in North America. The RPG is widely celebrated as one of the best that Square Enix has made in recent years.

    Level 5 and NIntendo are partnering up again as well to release the latest entry in the Professor Layton series, as well as three new titles that were part of the Guild-02 release in Japan.

    Finally, Reggie Fils-Aime announced a new Zelda game for the 3DS. The game is said to be set in the world of A Link to the Past, but it remains to be seen if it will be a sequel or prequel. The game will be utilizing the early 90s design of Link in a top-down world that captures the look and feel of the SNES classic.

  • Nintendo Bringing Flipnote Studio 3D To 3DS This Year

    One of the more popular apps on the Nintendo DSi was Flipnote Studio. It allowed artists to create frame-by-frame animation on the handheld device, and share the animations with the world via the Web. Now Nintendo is bringing an updated version of the software to the Nintendo 3DS.

    During a Nintendo Direct Mini posted today, the company announced that Flipnote Studio 3D is currently being developed for the Nintendo 3DS. The software still allows artists to create short animations, but the animations can now be rendered in 3D on three separate planes. Artists also now have access to six colors per animation instead of the two available in the original software.

    Flipnote 3D will be available for free this summer.

    Check out the announcement, and Iwata’s creepy floating head, below:

  • 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.

  • New Nintendo Direct Scheduled For Valentine’s Day

    Despite some rather important launch titles being delayed further into the year, the Wii U still loves you. That’s at least what Nintendo may be trying to get across tomorrow with a special Valentine’s Day Nintendo Direct.

    Nintendo announced that its latest Nintendo Direct for North America will go live tomorrow at 9 a.m. EST/6 a.m. PST. The company isn’t saying what exactly will be shown, but says that the event will cover “upcoming Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games.”

    Whatever it is, it’s going to be hard for Nintendo to top January’s Nintendo Direct that announced a number of new titles including a remake of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. This event sounds like the company will be sharing details on upcoming games of the near future like LEGO City Undercover and The Wonderful 101.

    Of course, we can’t forget the Nintendo 3DS getting some love this time around as well. Nintendo’s release schedule for its handheld is looking far more populated than that of the Wii U for the next few months so expect a few more details on titles like Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon and Castlevania Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate.

    Whatever happens though, Nintendo fans will want to keep their expectations in check. It’s doubtful that the company will announce any new games. It might not even be that long of an event, but we just might get to see Reggie exiling more Nintendo employees to Japan.

  • 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.

  • Nintendo Direct: Updates on Bayonetta 2, The Wonderful 101

    The last 15 minutes of today’s Nintendo Direct were filled with surprising and exciting announcements that may have turned around the general sentiment surrounding the Wii U. That makes the first 15 minutes look dull in comparison, but within all that talk about the Virtual Console and Miiverse was

    Though they may soon be overshadowed by new Mario and Zelda titles, Bayonetta 2 and The Wonderful 101 were two of the most anticipated games announced by Nintendo before the launch the Wii U.

    A new trailer for The Wonderful 101 aired during Nintendo’s announcement, showing off more gameplay than has been seen before. The game features heros that can unite normal citizens and transform them into powerful attacks. It sounds weird, and it is:

    Bayonetta 2, on the other hand, hasn’t quite made it to the stage of development where a gameplay trailer can be showcased. Instead, Nintendo provided a glimpse at the game’s development with a short “making of” featurette: