North America

Reduced price and launch trailer may tempt you

After delays and some mystery, we finally have the North American release date for Rayman Origins: 5th June. That's three days before it arrives in Europe, and less than three weeks away for those who've been impatiently awaiting its arrival. Ubisoft has also confirmed the price for the U.S., which is a...

VC and vampires

After a pretty long nap 3DS Virtual Console wakes up today, and DSiWare swells with a hidden object adventure too. This is much more like it. 3DS Virtual Console: Kirby's Block Ball (Game Boy, Nintendo, $2.99, 40 blocks) — At long last, 3DS gets another Virtual Console game in the rotund form of Kirby. Check out our Kirby's Block...

Going on a U.S. tour

The upcoming launch of Mario Tennis Open is coinciding with the start of summer, warm days and the prospect of taking to the courts in real life. It's also launching at the same time as the USTA SmashZone Mobile Tour, which encourages young people to try the sport; so a doubles team has naturally followed. The SmashZone tour is...

Coming to (North) America

Consider quantifying your excitement for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance into financial form. What number would it be? Square Enix hopes some of you will have come up with the number $54.99, as that's what it's asking for the game's special edition. The Mark of Mastery edition — so far only announced for North...

Release date revealed

EnjoyUp Games' next DSiWare game, 99Seconds, will hit North America on 31st May for 200 Nintendo Points. The retro-styled avoid-everything game comes just over a year after 99Bullets, a similarly old-school title about shooting. Now you have no bullets, just 99 seconds to survive, unless you pick up the extra time capsules that...

Among other price drops

The long-awaited Pikmin 2 on Wii reaches North America on 10th June for $19.99. Dropping the New Play Control! monicker, the enhanced romp launches as part of the Nintendo Selects range. It'll be joined by another Wii-enhanced remake, Mario Power Tennis, coming to Nintendo Selects for the first time. There are other price...

Dollars to donuts

Nintendo of America has announced sizeable price drops for the DSi and DSi XL consoles. From 20th May the DSi console will cost $99.99 — down from $149.99 — while the XL will set you back $129.99, down from $169.99. 3DS remains at $169.99. If you haven't already picked up a DSi or DSi XL, this might be a good time. New Prices...

Very early edition

Believe your eyes: the Nintendo Download for North America is out, several hours ahead of usual. There's two Virtual Console treats and more to get stuck into, so here's what's up this week. Virtual Console: Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Virtual Console Arcade, SEGA, 900pts) — Just like Europe, North America gets a double dose of...

Two long overdue games are finally coming

With the release of Super Hang-On on Wii Virtual Console this week, SEGA has announced on its blog that it will be releasing the other two games announced last year soon as well. Very soon, in fact — both of them will see the light of day next week. Yes, that means there will be two new Wii Virtual Console...

Germs and birds

The eShop gets its cheapest game yet, a $1.99 'infinite challenge' title, and real-time strategy fans can rejoice that Intrinsic Games' molecular head-scratcher is finally out, plus the return of VC Arcade. Here's what's up and competing for your money today. 3DS eShop: Bird Mania 3D (Teyon, $1.99, 227 blocks) — Fly as far as you...

Here's what they are

It's a new month and that means new rewards for Club Nintendo members in North America. Here's what you can spend your coins on before 31st May. WiiWare: Snowpack Park (Nintendo, 150 coins) — A game full of penguins, read our Snowpack Park review. Eco Shooter Plant 530 (Nintendo, 200 coins) — Developed by Fire Emblem studio...

Nicalis breaks the news via Twitter

Few WiiWare games have had as public a storied development process as Nicalis' retro-inspired adventure La-Mulana. Today that story seems to have come to a whimpering end for North American and European players, as Nicalis broke the news on Twitter earlier this evening that the game would not be published in those...

Told you so

North American shoppers get a new colour to choose from in a few weeks when the rumoured Midnight Purple 3DS console hits stores. Coming on 20th May for a suggested retail price of $169.99, it joins Cosmo Black, Aqua Blue, Flame Red and Pearl Pink in the rainbow of handheld console colours. Will you be picking one up? Nintendo 3DS Gets...

Eat your heart out

Pre-order Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance ahead of its summer release and you'll get some augmented reality cards to use in-game. The AR cards unlock exclusive Dream Eaters, though retailers haven't specified whether the cards unlock evil Nightmare Dream Eaters to battle or helpful Spirit Dream Eaters to recruit and...

Blocks, fighting and Chuck E. Cheese

Virtual Console returns to Wii this week with a fighting classic, plus there's some original 3DS Download Software and DSiWare too. Here's what you can look forward to downloading later today. Wii Virtual Console: Super Street Fighter II (Genesis, SEGA, 800pts) — The 16-bit scrapper reaches North America,...

May contain mushrooms

Desperate to spend your Club Nintendo coins but just don't know what to spend them on? Let Nintendo help you out, with a series of Mario "Surprise Me" boxes for 300 coins. The box contents are secret, but Nintendo claim you'll get at least two surprises with a combined worth of over 500 coins. While the website shows...

And relax

So far only Nintendo Japan and Nintendo Europe have confirmed their plans for Fire Emblem Kakusei (aka Fire Emblem: Awakening), but it looks like Nintendo of America will be right behind them. The North American arm registered the domain FireEmblemAwakening.com, which currently redirects to Nintendo.com. The wing also registered domains...

About time

Hey, New Play Control! Pikmin 2 — what took you so long? The latest issue of Nintendo Power claims the motion-controlled strategy game is finally going to reach North America later this year, presumably to tide you over until Pikmin 3 and remind gamers who Olimar and Louie actually are. The enhanced Pikmin 2 originally hit Europe...

It's complicated

Last year, Atari published The Kore Gang in North America, over a year after Pixonauts published it in Europe. So far, so simple, but Pixonauts has just launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to publish the game again. According to Pixonauts, a "dubious business partner" has "ruin years of development...

Hard to beat

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy is out in North America in July, but if you're the kind of person who likes to get an order in early rather than wait and see, the game's pre-order bonus might be right up your alley. At the moment only available via Amazon but likely to reach our retailers soon, pre-order customers get a gripped stylus and a...

Running wild with Pit

A very quiet week this week, with just two titles, one of which has been available through GameStop for a while. Here's what awaits. 3DS Download Software: 3D Classics: Kid Icarus (Nintendo, $5.99) — Pit's reimagined debut has been available exclusively through GameStop for a month now, but is finally opened up to everyone...

Ketzal and dolls

3DS owners get a new puzzle game and there's a doll dressing-up game on DSiWare. No, it's not Bizarro World, it's the Nintendo Download of course! Here's what's on offer today in North America. 3DS Download Software: Ketzal's Corridors (Nintendo, $6.99, 275 blocks) — The follow-up to the WiiWare's ThruSpace, this is another...

About time

After a lot of campaigning and complaining, Monolith Soft's epic Xenoblade Chronicles makes it across to North America today. The mammoth RPG is available to buy from GameStop or Nintendo's online store. The regular version is $49.99, while the 'enhanced package' with black Classic Controller Pro will set you back $64.99 (plus tax, of...

TNT, Colors and more

A long-awaited 3DS art package, a DSiWare puzzler and a WiiWare racer make up this week's digital downloads in North America. Here's the Nintendo Download: 5th April 2012 for Europe. 3DS Download Software: Colors! 3D (Collecting Smiles, $6.99, 226 blocks) — A much-anticipated release for 3DS, this 3D art software was supposed...