Japan News, Japan Features - Page 13 of 27

Unova drill

Japanese show Pokémon Smash led with the first gameplay footage of Pokémon Black & White 2 this past weekend, showing the newly frosty Unova in motion. In the trailer below you can see new areas, trainers, gym leaders and much more. It's pretty exciting. Pokémon Black & White 2 is due out in Japan in June, and we'll get it a...

All change

Worried that Pokémon Black & White 2 is just a rehash of the original? New details from Coro Coro comics should put your mind to rest. The Japanese magazine has revealed B&W2 will feature new playable trainers, a new town and new gym leaders. Set two years after Pokémon Black and White, it's still set in Unova (Isshu in Japan)...

When in Rome

The very first Dragon Warrior Monsters is getting a full 3D makeover in the scaly form of Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D to give its full title. Square Enix just released a four minute trailer of the 3DS game, and boy is it full of monsters. Of course, being a Monsters title you're not just battling against the slimy...

G, Sonic

Two more for the 3DS Virtual Console in Japan: NES title Donkey Kong Jr. and Sonic Blast (aka G Sonic) for Game Gear. Neither title is the most fondly remembered in its respective canon, though Sonic Blast has the dubious distinction of being the last game commercially released for the Game Gear in Japan. Knuckles is playable too, which is...

Not in the top spot though

Pokémon Conquest — aka Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan — was the best-selling Nintendo title in the Land of the Rising Sun last month. The strategy crossover was released on 17th March, meaning it shifted 242,192 units in two weeks. In third place was Kid Icarus: Uprising, with 144,468 sales in the ten days...

Another big week

Last week 3DS sales jumped 50% thanks to Kid Icarus: Uprising; this week it's Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance bringing about the rise. Square Enix's Disney crossover RPG sold 213,579 units in its first week. By comparison, Kid Icarus shifted 132,526 copies in its first seven days on sale, but this week dropped to fourth place...

Get Rover here

Want to be the best dressed gamer out there? These customisable polo shirts are just the thing. Club Nintendo in Japan is offering the shirts to all members for the cost of 550 points. You can choose from one of eight colours and one of six embroidered icons: Donkey Kong, a Fire Flower, Rover from Animal Crossing, Mr Game & Watch...

Slowing down

It's a bit of a slow month this time for Japan, as only two new games will be released. Neither are big surprises: Europe already got one a while ago and the other has already been announced for European release. Both of them are pretty nice games though, so although the offerings are slim compared to normal, at least they're of good...

Full of heart

3DS scrapper Code of Princess — from the same team behind SEGA Saturn classic Guardian Heroes, remember — is shaping up to be one intriguing title, as these two new trailers show off. The first video is what you'd expect: anime cut scenes, Japanese singing and a jester fighting with a guitar. The second shows off the game's chaotic...

Up nearly 50%

Kid Icarus: Uprising is doing the business for Nintendo in Japan, as hardware sales following its release increased nearly 50% week-on-week. As Masahiro Sakurai's game sold 132,526 units in Japan to top the software chart, 3DS hardware sales hit 94,011, up almost exactly 30,000 on the previous week's tally of 64,017. 3DS accounted for...

What more do you need to know?

It's all in Japanese, but that won't stop you enjoying this video of Fire Emblem: Kakusei (aka Fire Emblem: Awakening), will it? From dialogue and cut scenes to battles and maps, it's got all the daily Fire Emblem nutrition you need. The game's out in Japan next month. Nintendo of Europe has confirmed it'll release the...

Stolen treasure recovered

Japanese 3DS owners can continue their journey through Wario's wicked world next week when Wario Land II reaches the Virtual Console. While here in the West we got two versions of Wario's sophomore outing — one for Game Boy and a revamped Game Boy Color release — Japan only got the colour game, so that's the version...

Japanese gamers win again

We often tell you about limited edition 3DS consoles being released in Japan, simply because Nintendo's homeland has so many. There have been hardware exclusives dedicated to various themes, games and anniversaries, though the latest is arguably the most attractive. The console shown in this article's image is celebrating...

Zero-ing in

Those Samus and Link costumes in Dynasty Warriors Vs. certainly look nice in stills, but how about in motion? Your wish is Tecmo Koei's command. The trailer below shows small snippets of Dynasty Warriors' characters clad in the garb of Nintendo's famous blond/e hero/ine, plus footage of Dead or Alive: Dimensions' Ryu Hayabusa and Ayane...

Gunfire Emblem?

As we prepare for Fire Emblem: Awakening to reach the Western world, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata sat down with some of the game's development staff to discuss this latest entry in the tactical fantasy series. Producer Hitoshi Yamagami and project manager Higuchi Masahiro began discussing the 3DS instalment while working on 2010's...

Insert coin

A new documentary exploring Japan's still-thriving arcade scene is about to hit the 'net. 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience — a reference to the nationwide shortage of 100 Yen coins following the release of the original Space Invaders — investigates what's helped Japanese arcades stay alive, while those in the West have all-but...

Are we next?

SEGA is taking four Sonic games off the Virtual Console in Japan. The Mega Drive/Genesis games Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Knuckles will all be removed from sale on 30th March, along with Sonic the Hedgehog on Master System. There's currently no word on whether these games will re

Having a ball

What comes after Game & Watch Gallery? If you said Game & Watch Gallery 2, you get a cookie. The Japanese Virtual Console service gets the second compilation next week, retailing for 400 Yen. The original game was released on Game Boy and later revamped for Game Boy Color in the West, but as Japan only got the black and white...

Suits you

Tecmo Koei's next Dynasty Warriors game for 3DS, Dynasty Warriors Vs., features some interesting sartorial options for discerning Nintendo fans. The Japan-only scrapper lets you dress up as Link or Samus in her Zero Suit. They're included on the cart, but you'll have to get far enough in the tutorial mode to unlock them. Note that these...