Tag: Japan - Page 55
Hardware Review Gametech Neo Fami
The Famicom Clone To Rule Them All?
The concept of clone retro hardware isn't anything new — in fact, we've already covered the likes of the Retro Duo V2, RetroN 3 and SupaBoy here on Nintendo Life — but as time goes on these cheap and cheerful systems are becoming more and more desirable. Older machines are either failing as
First Impressions Stardust Amazoness
Arc System Works swaps fighting for dungeon-crawling in this saucy RPG
Arc System Works may be famous for the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series of fighting games, but the company is broadening its horizons somewhat with dungeon-crawling 3DS RPG Stardust Amazoness. Starring an all-female cast trapped in a futuristic prison complex, the game showcases...
News Dragon Quest Monsters 2 Dated for Japan, Alongside 3DS XL Model
So pretty...
Earlier in the year we directed your attention to the fact that Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru and Luca’s Wonderful Mysterious Keys was coming to the 3DS in Japan, a remake that incorporates the content of the two original iterations on the Game Boy Color. It'll feature over 800 new monsters, eight player multiplayer and various...
News Flipnote Studio 3D Friends Gallery Disabled in Japan
Paid service World Gallery remains
Yesterday we reported that Nintendo had halted the Swapnote / Nintendo Letter Box SpotPass service due to some users utilising it to "exchange offensive material". The direct exchange of photos, and minors actively sharing their friend codes and photos, were both highlighted as issues that drove the decision to...
News Pokémon X & Y Reign Supreme in Japan Once Again, Though the Wii U and Sonic Endure Tough Times
The games are coming, the games are coming, the games...
Thanks to the lovely people at Media Create, we have our weekly dose of Japanese game charts to enjoy. In recent times it's been less about what's number one, but by how much it's dominating, and that applies to software and hardware. In the software stakes, Pokémon X & Y maintains its...
So long, and thanks for all the fish
Natsume has revealed that it will be localising Agatsuma’s Farewell Umihara Kawase for North American release under the new title Yumi's Odd Odyssey. A sequel to the much-loved Super Famicom game Umihara Kawase, this 3DS outing introduces extra characters like time-bender Noko, a young version of Yumi called...
News The Pokémon Company Is Working On A Detective Game In Which Pikachu Is Your Partner
Gotta sleuth 'em all?
It would appear that The Pokémon Company is working on a 3DS title which places you in the role of a detective who is teamed up with the famous Pikachu. The game was revealed during Japanese TV programme "The Professionals" in an episode which focused on Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekaz Ishihara. The game has a proposed...
News Rayman Legends Lands With A Thud At Japanese Retail
Less than 1,500 copies sold
Rayman Legends was supposed to be a Wii U exclusive, but Ubisoft changed its mind and delayed the title to accommodate a multiplatform release. However, the wacky epic remains unique to Nintendo's console in at least one region: Japan. Sadly, it would appear that game hasn't been a hit with Japanese players. Although it...
Weirdness Japanese YouTuber Dresses Up As Mega Man, Powers Up Via Electric Shocks
It's one way to celebrate the Blue Bomber's 25th, we guess
As we all know, Mega Man turns 25 this year. Capcom is doing its bit by re-releasing classic adventures on the Wii U and 3DS Virtual Console services, but what fans really want is an all-new Mega Man outing. They may well be getting it, too — although in the form of Mighty No.9, which is a...
News Pokémon X & Y and Monster Hunter 4 Continue Chart Dominance in Japan
Monsters big and small
It's Wednesday, which means it's Media Create Japanese charts day. It's the land where the 3DS rules supreme, while the Wii U awaits its (hopefully) triumphant revival later in the year. This week brings relatively little change, which means good things for Nintendo's portable system. As expected, Pokémon X & Y and...
News Saucy JRPG Toushin Toshi II Is Getting Remade For The Nintendo 3DS
"God of the City" will launch in Japan early next year
Japanese developer Imageepoch is remaking Alicesoft's controversial PC RPG Toushin Toshi II for the Nintendo 3DS. The game — which carries the name God of the City — launches on January 30th 2014, and will retail for 6279 Yen. The original title was released in the early '90s and became...
News Two New Limited Edition 3DS XL Consoles Coming To Japan Next Month
Orange x Black and Turquoise x Black will retail for 19,000 Yen each
The production line of limited edition 3DS hardware continues unabated with the news that Japan is getting not one but two new 3DS XL (LL in that part of the world) systems. The Orange x Black and Turquoise x Black consoles will both go on sale on November 28th for 19,000 Yen. The...
Video A Brief Glimpse at the New Pikachu 3DS Game Includes Some Strange Motion Capture
No Pikachu, no!
Just prior to the release of Pokémon X & Y, it was confirmed that a new game starring Pikachu had gone into development; that's hardly surprising news, as The Pokémon Company has never been afraid of spinning off the main series to keep keen fans busy. The "top secret" game has now made a brief appearance courtesy of Japanese...
News Pokémon X & Y Pass 1.8 Million Retail Sales to Top Japanese Charts
Monster Hunter 4 in third, Wii U hardware sales drop further
When it comes to confirming the software number one in this week's Japanese Media Create software charts, it's a predictable task. Pokémon X & Y has stormed to the top spot with over 1.8 million sales at retail, just beating the week one sales of Monster Hunter 4. Capcom's title has...
News A Third Limited Edition Monster Hunter 4 3DS Model Emerges in Japan
The West says hi, Capcom!
Monster Hunter 4 has been a bit of a triumph since its release in Japan, surpassing three million sales already and in the process easily hitting Capcom's targets. It's been a positive for Nintendo, too, as it can cite the substantial success of a third-party exclusive on the 3DS. It's certainly been a strong partnership...
News Monster Hunter 4 Surpasses Three Million Sales in Japan
Including download numbers
As we've reported in recent weeks, Monster Hunter 4 has been achieving particularly impressive sales since its launch in Japan, moving quickly towards Capcom's targets. The company had anticipated 2.8 million sales by the end of March 2014, yet has now confirmed that the title has already surpassed three million sales at...
News Train Simulating Shenanigans Live On With the 3DS in Japan
If Densha de Go! 64 is out of your price range
Just recently we published a retro review for Densha de Go! 64, a remarkably tricky and realistic train simulator that even came with a unique controller. If you want to experience the trials, tribulations and challenges of being a train driver, that's a title for you. While slightly quirky simulator...
Review Densha de Go! 64 (Nintendo 64)
Lost in "trainslation"
The massive surge in the number of simulation games over the past few years has been nothing short of baffling. Years ago, Microsoft Flight Simulator was essentially the sole attraction in this specialist genre, but now it seems virtually anything can and should be turned into a simulation. Road Works Simulator, Farming...
News Pokémon X & Y Sells Out in Japan Before It Even Launches
Monster Hunter 4 stock also running incredibly low
It seems that the launch of Pokémon X & Y can't come soon enough for Japanese 3DS owners, with both versions of the upcoming instalment in the popular franchise reportedly having already sold out ahead of release. Pokémon X & Y are the first games in the long-running series to feature...
News Monster Hunter 4 Continues to Devour Competition in Japan
Passes 2.5 million physical retail sales
It's time for the weekly Japanese sales progress report via Media Create, and Monster Hunter 4 continues its strong momentum, hopefully boding well for the future of the series' growing partnership between Capcom and Nintendo. While that blows all competition away in the software chart, the 3DS is doing a...
News Iwata: We Never Fear Failure And Always Seek To Challenge The Status Quo
"Opening the first door is when things are most interesting"
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has been speaking at the recent B Dash Camp Osaka 2013 about his company's outlook on business and where it sees itself in the industry, as well as making the Pokémon series a success in the west. Iwata says that Nintendo doesn't fear failure, and that...
Video We Adventure Through the Opening 30 Minutes of Monster Hunter 4
DIE, HERBIVORES!
Monster Hunter 4, the game that's whipping up a frenzy in Japan, is an elusive beast. Despite going to the effort of releasing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate in the West on Wii U and 3DS, and despite the franchise being a Capcom IP that's surely one big release away from 'breaking' the West, it remains tantalisingly out of reach. We're...
News New 3DS Harvest Moon Game Coming To Japan Early Next Year
Harvest Moon: Linking the New World is 80 percent complete
It has been revealed in the latest issue of Famitsu that a new Harvest Moon title is in development for the 3DS. Harvest Moon: Linking the New World is due out in Japan in February and is being produced by Yoshifumi Hashimoto. Character design is being handled by Igusa Matsuyama. The...
News Pokémon Hanafuda Playing Cards Hitting Japan This Month
Is Nintendo going back to its roots?
As we all know, Nintendo started life not as a video game maker (that would have been hard in the 1880s) but as a card manufacturer. The company seems to be going back to its roots to celebrate the launch of Pokémon X & Y, as a site has just gone live in Japan with the title "Pokémon Hanafuda". There's a...
News Monster Hunter 4 Dominates in Japan as The Wind Waker HD Has a Modest Debut
No notable hardware boost for Wii U
Monster Hunter 4 has successfully maintained its momentum in the Japanese charts this week, remaining at the top of the software list despite a range of new releases arriving in stores. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD also arrived on 26th September, but despite some figures within Nintendo's departments in...
News More Mega Man Love Is Coming To Japanese Virtual Console Services
Game Boy and Super Famicom sequels on the way next week
Mega Man is 25 this year, and Capcom is wasting no time in pumping out as many of his classic adventures as possible onto Nintendo's Virtual Console services. Next week — October 9th, to be exact — will see the release of Mega Man III on the 3DS eShop and Mega Man X2 on the Wii U eShop...
News Nintendo Set To End Production of the Wii
Wii don't want to hear any more
Update: Nintendo of Europe has provided a statement to Eurogamer regarding this news. Yes, NCL did update their website on 29th August with a small notice to state that Wii hardware production will stop in the near future. This specific message was referring to the Japanese market. No specific time frame has been...
News New Wii U System Update Goes Live Across Europe, North America and Japan
Brings Wii Off-TV play, but with a twist
A brand new firmware update has pushed its way across the Mushroom Kingdom and landed on Wii U consoles across Europe, North America and Japan. The prompt for the update began after the scheduled extended maintenance for the Nintendo Network and Miiverse ended. One of the big changes included is the use of...
News Lifetime Sales for the 3DS Have Now Surpassed the Wii in Japan
Cripes...
It's a weekly theme here at Nintendo Life that we report the ups and downs in the Japanese software and hardware charts, yet in the case of the 3DS it's often almost exclusively ups. It tops the hardware results almost every week, occasionally outselling all other system combined, and has a reliable set of ever-green titles in the software...
News Monster Hunter 4 Maintains Japanese Chart Dominance
As does the 3DS, naturally
Last week we reported that Monster Hunter 4 sold a staggering 1.7 million retail units in just two days, a figure not too far off two million when estimated download sales were also considered. In its first full week and its second appearance on the Media Create Japanese software chart it's continued that strong form,...
Video Level-5's Wii U RPG Wonder Flick Gets A Gameplay-Laden Trailer
Next-gen role playing with old school sensibilities
We revealed recently that Level-5's next big project is an RPG for the Wii U, PS3, PS4, Xbox One and PS Vita. Wonder Flick is due in Japan next year and will feature connectivity with a mobile application for smartphones and tablets. Level-5's Akihiro Hino insists that this link "goes beyond the...
News Japan Getting Two New 3DS Colours, Pure White and Clear Black
Brings the total number of systems in the region to around 7,499
Japan has certainly had its fair share of exclusive 3DS systems over the years. For example, the Metallic Red 3DS, the special Luigi 3DS XL, the Kingdom Hearts 3DS and the lovely little
News Wii U Family Hardware Bundles Revealed in Japan
Mario, partying, fitness and karaoke all in one box
When it comes to the Wii U, Nintendo is undoubtedly working hard to line-up offers and deals to make an impression on the market. We've recently seen a special bundle for The Wind Waker HD in North America — which is also coming to Europe — and more bundles are rumoured, such as one featuring...
News Monster Hunter 4 Launch Sales Estimated to be a Series High
Surpassing PSP release Monster Hunter Portable 3rd
Earlier this week we reported that Monster Hunter 4 had surged to number one in the Japanese charts, selling an outstanding 1,715,060 units at physical retail in just two days. Those figures were impressive, but Media Create has estimated that the latest release may have enjoyed the biggest-selling...
News Panzer Dragoon Creator Yukio Futatsugi Wants To Work With Nintendo Again
"We have a good relationship with them"
Yukio Futatsugi — the man behind Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword and Sega's beloved Panzer Dragoon series — clearly likes to keep himself busy. He's been speaking to Siliconera at the Tokyo Game Show about his future projects, and has revealed a desire to work wit
Video Here's What Puzzle & Dragon Z's Japanese Commercial Looks Like
Spoiler: plenty of wide-eyed anime characters lie within
Mobile smash hit Puzzle & Dragons is coming to the Nintendo 3DS in the shape of Puzzle & Dragons Z, an enhanced version which creator GungHo hopes will sell over one million copies. The Japanese commercial for the game is below, and shows some of the graphical refinements that have...
News Prepare Yourself, There's A Bayonetta Anime Movie In The Works
Trailer breaks cover
With its buxom lead character, hordes of angelic demons and preoccupation with over the top action, Platinum's Bayonetta is perfect fodder for an anime adaptation — which makes you wonder why it's taken this long for it to actually happen. Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is being handled by animation studio Gonzo (Hellsing, Final...
News Monster Hunter 4 Shifts Over 1.7 Million Retail Units In Two Days
More than a quarter of a million 3DS sales in the same week
So, Monster Hunter 4 is a bit popular in Japan. We recently reported Capcom's announcement that over two million copies had been shipped in four days, with download purchases also lifting it to third in the all-time 3DS eShop regional chart at that point. If anyone was concerned that a...
The 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console get the follow-on treatment
Japanese players will get the chance to go sequel-crazy next week thanks to the arrival of three classic games across the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console services. On the handheld front, Mega Man II (the Game Boy version, not the NES sequel) is hitting the 3DS eShop for 500 Yen. Although...
News Sega Sammy Acquires Atlus Parent Company Index For 14 Billion Yen
Reports suggest purchase will take place in November
UPDATE: It's now been confirmed that SEGA — or rather a part of the company called Sega Dream Corporation — has indeed bought Atlus. It's anticipated that the deal will be wrapped up by 1st November, and the following was in the press release. The Company believes that transfer of Index's...
News Youkai Watch Receiving A New Game in Japan Already
Will it be a sequel or an enhanced version?
Level-5 released Youkai Watch in the Summer in Japan and it looks like the region is set to receive another iteration of the series as CoroCoro magazine has stated a new title is in the works. The 3DS title centres around around a young boy who comes into possession of a special wristwatch that enables...
News Monster Hunter 4 Ships Over Two Million Copies in Four Days
That's just monstrous
So, Monster Hunter 4 is out now in Japan. While Capcom has admittedly had a hard time replicating the success of the franchise in the West, in Japan it's a sure thing, as a dedicated and monstrously large fan-base rarely hesitates to weigh-in on the latest entry. We'll give you one guess what'll be top of this week's Japanese...
News MapleStory: The Girl's Fate Will Be Released in Japan
No news on a Western release just yet
Earlier this year we reported on a new MapleStory title that emerged on the 3DS exclusively to South Korea. MapleStory: The Girl's Fate was published by Nexon in the region but that exclusivity has now been broken as SEGA has partnered with the South Korean publisher to take the game to Japan at some point in...
News 3DS Hardware Sales Continue to Rise in Japan, Wii U Numbers Drop Again
Counting the days to The Wind Waker HD?
Wednesday is Media Create charts day in Japan, which often means more pleasing 3DS news. As we've become familiar with, however, it often means the opposite for the Wii U. In terms of the software chart this week, there are no notable new releases on Nintendo hardware, meaning that some evergreen titles on...
News Taiko: Drum Master Wii U Version Bringing the Beat to Japan in November
Has potential for some serious sales
The Taiko: Drum Master series of games — and there are many — is hugely popular in Japan. The range of releases on multiple systems accounts for that, with five variations released on the Wii alone, three on DS and one on 3DS — releases in the West have been exceptionally rare in comparison. They're such...
News Square Enix Reveals Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call In This Week's Jump Magazine
It's a sequel, not an expansion
Last week we reported that Square Enix filed a U.S. trademark for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call on 27th August, suggesting that the original Theatrhythm Final Fantasy may be getting a re-release that includes all of the previous DLC. This week's Shonen Jump magazine reveals that the company is actually...
News Monster Hunter 4 Will Allow You To Dress Up As Link Through Collaborative DLC
See Mario and Luigi outfits in the full presentation, too
During this morning's Monster Hunter 4 themed Japanese Nintendo Direct, Capcom revealed that the upcoming 3DS title will allow players to obtain costumes from Nintendo's biggest franchises through specific DLC quests. One quest enables you to dress up your Felyne in the famous Mario and...
Nintendo Direct Japanese Monster Hunter 4 Broadcast Coming September 8th
The hunt is almost on
Monster Hunter 4 hits Japanese store shelves on September 15th, but just in case there wasn't enough hype surrounding its launch already, Nintendo is holding a special Monster Hunter-themed Nintendo Direct on September 8th. The video will go live at 8PM JST, 1PM CEST and 7AM EDT. It's going to be in Japanese obviously, but it...
News The Wii U Continues to Struggle in Japanese Charts
The Wonderful 101 departs the top 20 in its second week
The Japanese charts often provide solace for Nintendo, especially with 3DS hardware and software sales continually leading the way. While the portable's hardware performance retains its strong run this week, the Wii U's issues in the market have been brought sharply into focus once again. The...
News Super Castlevania IV Is Whipping The Japanese Wii U Virtual Console Next Week
A 16-bit classic to get your teeth into
Japanese Wii U owners will be able to enjoy what is arguably Simon Belmont's best adventure next week as Super Castlevania IV (or Akumajō Dracula as it's known over there) hits the Virtual Console in that region. The first 16-bit outing for Konami's esteemed vampire-hunting series, Super Castlevania IV was...
