Wii U News

August2012

  • News Those Wii U Launch Details Might be Coming in September

    About time

    Nintendo has taken its time in revealing Wii U information, but the veil of secrecy has to be lifted at some point soon with the console due for release by the end of 2012. Initiate hype mode: we might get all those juicy launch details in a few weeks' time. GamesIndustry International reports that Nintendo of America will be hosting a...

  • Interview Two Tribes - Toki Tori 2

    No more flapping around

    A little over a week ago Two Tribes released its first trailer for Toki Tori 2, showing off footage of the diminutive feathered hero solving puzzles and using various creatures in the environment to help him on his way. It showed off some nifty gameplay mechanics, while the developer revealed details via its blog of the...

  • News SEGA Declares Wii U Graphical Capabilities to be "On Par" or Better Than PS3

    Steady on now

    Update: Following an update to the source article, we have amended the headline to absolutely clarify that sections of this article are referring to Wii U's graphical capabilities, specifically, based on comments made by SEGA Marketing Executive Ben Finch at Gamescom. Original Article The capabilities of Wii U, from the perspective...

  • News Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge Brings Series Back to the Hardcore on Wii U

    "It's kind of the hardcore fan package of Ninja Gaiden 3"

    When Ninja Gaiden 3 arrived on the HD systems, it divided critics due to its attempts to shift the focus of the series towards a mainstream-friendly style, alienating long term fans in the process. Our Ninja Gaiden 3 review on Push Square matched the opinions of some other critics, arguing...

  • News Rayman Legends is Exclusive to Wii U

    At least for now

    A new Rayman Legends trailer has rolled out of Gamescom, and there's an interesting if not entirely unexpected fact at the end — it's a Wii U exclusive. That's slightly at odds with what Ubisoft's Michael Micholic said during E3, when he stated that the publisher was "not really saying it's a Wii U exclusive". Has Nintendo...

  • News Developers Enthusiastic About Wii U's Download Service

    The future's bright

    Several developers have expressed displeasure at Nintendo's previous digital set ups with WiiWare and DSiWare over the years. While the services certainly had successes — Gaijin Games' BIT.TRIP series and Frontier's LostWinds, to name a couple — a number of problems with them have been cited, from lack of flexibility through...

  • Feature DS Games We Want on Wii U

    Two screens, only much bigger

    Seven years and over 150 million sales have passed since Nintendo surprised the world by releasing its dual screen handheld back in 2004, introducing true touch screen gaming to the masses for the first time. The concept proved such a success that Nintendo has now implemented it in its next home console, Wii U, via a...

  • Talking Point Why is Nintendo Not at Gamescom?

    Snubbed

    One of the biggest gaming events in Europe and Nintendo is nowhere to be seen, but why? Over the years the company has had a somewhat sporadic attendance of events, often speculated within the media: a strength of character and desire to do its own thing, or perhaps it's due to a lack of games to show. This year is important for Nintendo,...

  • Rumour Wii U European Launch Could be Delayed

    Manufacturing problems with the GamePad

    At present there are some rumours swirling around the internet about potential launch dates for Wii U, with most agreeing that Nintendo is aiming for early-mid November. That's in North America, but industry sources seem to be suggesting that there may be delays in Europe, with some speculating that it'll...

  • News Maxwell Goes a Bit Mario in Scribblenauts Unlimited

    Doesn't have to rescue Princess Peach, thankfully

    Scribblenauts Unlimited was one of the most charming reveals at E3 2012, with the good news being that it's coming to both Wii U and 3DS. As a follow-up to the DS titles that focus on the gamer's creativity to make the experience even more fun, we're already cooking up some bizarre scenarios to try...

  • News Toki Tori 2 Trailer Flutters Into View

    Wii U exclusive Tokidex confirmed

    We've known for a little while that Two Tribes is bringing Toki Tori 2 to Wii U as a download title, and the developer has today released a new trailer and news on one way the GamePad will be used. The trailer shows off some of the puzzles and the use of a stomp move, which can manipulate creatures as items as well...

  • News Warner Bros. Gets the Party Started With Game Party Champions On Wii U

    Spectre of party gaming looks certain to haunt Nintendo's new console

    Warner Bros. Games has announced Game Party Champions for Wii U, triggering a flood of negative responses on its Facebook page. "Let's get the shovelware started early," stated one person, while another lamented: "Games like this are why so many people hate the Wii." Developed by...

  • News Best Buy Gives Strongest Indication Yet That Black Ops 2 Wii U Is Coming

    Pre-order tags in-store now

    Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 coming to Wii U is starting to become gaming's worst-kept secret; although no official confirmation has been made as yet, it's looking very likely that we'll be enjoying Activision's world famous war simulation on our shiny new Wii U consoles at some point in the near future. And that's a...

  • News Could The Wii U GamePad Suffer From Latency?

    Early hands-on reports suggest so

    One of the most impressive aspects of the Wii U's GamePad controller is its ability to stream gameplay directly from the console so you can play on it even when someone else is hogging your television. This facet of the controller could be a massive selling point in homes that boast large families and subsequently...

  • News Sakurai Spills Some Beans On Super Smash Bros. 4

    Control methods being explored, more cameos looking unlikely

    Super Smash Bros. boss Masahiro Sakurai has spoken to IGN about the fourth installment in the series, revealing that he's keen to avoid unnecessary gimmicks and feels that adding more non-Nintendo characters might be detrimental to the game's focus. "The GameCube controller is not the...

  • News EA: Wii U Will Have The Best FIFA 13

    Nintendo version to offer enhancements over its console rivals

    EA producer Matt Prior has told Official Nintendo Magazine that the Wii U edition of FIFA 13 will boast the best visuals out of all of the console editions. Having previously stated that the Nintendo version would be visually superior to its PS3 and Xbox 360 counterparts, Prior elab

  • News Wii U Box Art Breaks Cover

    Possible final design spotted on Amazon

    It seems almost childish to get excited about box artwork in this age of digital downloads and on-demand gaming, but we're not going to let that stop us from squealing with delight at the supposed final designs posted up on the Canadian arm of Amazon. Listings for Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed III and

  • News HMV Says You Can Now Preorder the Wii U in Black and White

    UK-based chain opens up the order book

    Despite the absence of a 100% solid release date, UK entertainment retailer HMV has started advertising preorders for both the black and white Wii U system in its stores. Spotted by an eagle-eyed consumer and reported by GoNintendo, the promotion appears to be live in many stores up and down the United...

  • News Go for Goal with These FIFA 13 Wii U Shots

    Golden boots

    FIFA 13 was confirmed for release on Wii U yesterday, and after a brief run out at EA's Summer Showcase here are the first screenshots. They show off several of the new functions, such as lifting the GamePad to take direct control of set pieces, on the fly stat checking and those all-important touch screen management options. Remember:...

  • News Wii U's Madden NFL 13 is Only Coming Out in North America

    Undrafted

    If you're a non-North American fan of American football, you might want to fling a coloured flag in EA's direction: the Wii U version of Madden NFL 13 is only being released in North America. Madden NFL 13 on Wii U was officially confirmed last night at EA's Summer Showcase, scheduled for release at the console's launch. However, it was...

  • Talking Point Another Look at the News - 3rd August

    We're on our soapbox

    It's been a relatively busy week of Nintendo news, culminating in the EA Summer Showcase that was more of a polite presentation, in terms of Wii U at least. Once again we take a look at some of the news of the past week and give a personal spin, ranging from optimism to shouting from on top of our soapbox, depending on the...

  • News 2K Games: Gamers Need Time to 'See The Beauty' of Wii U

    Nintendo is 'an impressive company'

    After the limited appearance of Wii U at EA's Summer Showcase, it was another indication that developer support for the system, in some quarters, is still relatively limited. With the console arriving in a matter of months, it seems that a number of companies are adopting a "wait and see" approach, though there is...

  • News Square Enix Targets Ten Years of Support for Dragon Quest X

    X marks the content

    Dragon Quest X has now arrived on Wii in Japan, with a Wii U version also said to be on the way in the future, and publisher Square Enix will no doubt be hoping that the substantial online play will attract a lot of loyal gamers. Any title like this with a focus of online play needs consistent and new content to keep gamers...

  • News Mass Effect 3 Set to Launch Alongside Wii U

    Ready for takeoff

    Don't worry about missing out on any backstory if you jump into the Mass Effect series for the first time on Wii U; Mass Effect 3 will include an interactive mode that fills in the most important parts and lets you make key choices to shape your character. That's better than nothing, right? Speaking at EA's Summer Showcase,...

  • News Madden NFL 13 Gets Tactical on Wii U

    Touchdown

    The Wii U version of Madden NFL 13 has been shown off for the first time at EA's Summer Showcase. On top of the Madden features you've come to expect, the American football series will use the GamePad in several unique ways to really kick things off. You'll be able to use the touch screen for play calling and swift tactical changes with...

  • News FIFA 13 is a Wii U Launch Title

    Back of the net

    FIFA 13 has been announced as a launch title for Wii U at EA's Summer Showcase. EA hyped up the soccer simulator as the best FIFA on a Nintendo console yet, with the Wii U allowing for a "different experience" to the other platforms. The company thinks that if your dad can use a mobile phone, he should also be able to play FIFA 13...

  • News Crysis 3 Isn't Coming to Wii U

    Crysis city

    There's been conflicting information about Crytek's Wii U ambitions for a while, particularly in regards to Crysis 3. The latest word is no: at this time, there aren't any plans to put a version of Crysis 3 on Wii U. Over the last couple of months we've heard that, despite CryEngine 3 running "beautifully" on Wii U, there was no chance...

  • News EA's Summer Showcase May Feature Wii U

    It's today, by the way

    We already know that EA is watching Wii U closely and has confirmed FIFA 13 for the system, but is the publisher/developer planning more for Nintendo's new console? We may find out today, as part of EA's Summer Showcase. IGN has stated that Wii U games will feature in the presentation, though the off

  • News EA is Watching Wii U Closely

    Tell us something new

    Speaking at EA's first quarter earnings meeting, EA chief operating officer Peter Moore mentioned that the company is "keeping a very close eye" on Wii U. Earlier, FIFA 13 was confirmed for Wii U. IGN reports that Moore noted Wii U's "lackluster response" at E3, but that Nintendo is not a company to take lightly, "as proven by...

  • News JAY Z Named As Executive Producer of NBA 2K13

    Oh, he's gonna run this game

    If you want to gain some street credibility for your new game, maybe the way to go is to hire a multi-million selling hip-hop star as executive producer: yep, that might do it. It's been confirmed that executive producer of upcoming Wii and Wii U title NBA 2K13 will be rap royalty JAY Z, who's had almost as many hits as...

  • News WWE 13 Won't Wrestle with Wii U

    No, absolutely not

    We're used to developers and publishers dancing around questions of planned release platforms, when a game will hits stores and so on, so it's refreshing to bring you a recent Twitter exchange between a wrestling game fan and Cory Ledesma, Creative Director for WWE Games at THQ. We know that WWE 13 is coming to Wii, but naturally...

  • News FIFA 13 Confirmed for Wii U

    Extensive GamePad controls detailed

    As we wait for more big developers and franchises to commit to Wii U, we have one more that we can tick off the list today. FIFA 13 has been confirmed for Nintendo's upcoming console, with no solid release date but a variety of details being shared as part of the announcement in the Official Nintendo Magazine. To...

July2012

  • News Katsuya Eguchi: Wii U Design Philosophy is For Everyday Life

    Wii U Pro controller designed so some gamers don't 'feel left out'

    Katsuya Eguchi is one of Nintendo's prominent figures, with credits as far back as Super Mario Bros. 3 and senior leadership roles in some of the company's biggest titles, such as Animal Crossing: City Folk and Wii Sports Resort. Perhaps his most important role to date is his latest,...

  • News Namco's Harada: Smash Bros. Design is Sakurai's Job

    Super Smash Boss

    If you're worried that Namco Bandai's involvement in the next Super Smash Bros. will mean an influx of Tekken characters, fear not. Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada says that usual Smash main man Masahiro Sakurai remains in control of design. Harada assured Dusty Cartridge that he is focused on Tekken — including upcoming...

  • News Two Tribes Has 'Something Big' Coming to Nintendo

    Tell us all about it

    Two Tribes has already confirmed that it's working to bring Toki Tori 2 to Wii U, with the goal of arriving on the system on or near its launch. As it's a developer that's already keen to be involved in Nintendo's next console, we were certainly encouraged when the following exchange took place on our Twitter feed...

  • Interview Tomorrow Corporation - Little Inferno

    Burning down the house

    When some of the folks behind WiiWare wonder World of Goo and the creator of DS darling Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure team up for a project, well, you best sit down and pay attention. Tomorrow Corporation is hoping to light up Wii U when their debut title Little Inferno hits this winter. We caught up with the men...

  • News Crytek: Crysis 3 on Wii U 'Is a Possibility'

    Some decisions would be nice

    The Crysis series is highly regarded by many FPS fans who get their game on with an Xbox 360, PS3 or PC. With Crysis 3 due to arrive Spring 2013, it's natural for some Nintendo gamers to wonder whether this title will make the jump to Wii U. After all, developer Crytek was in the Wii U cheerleading brigade just one month...

  • News Skylanders: Giants Introduces Swarm the Super-Sized Bee

    UPDATE: Release dates confirmed

    Activision has now confirmed the release dates for Skylanders: Giants, set to arrive on Wii and 3DS on 19th October in Europe and 21st October in North America. Original article Skylanders: Giants, the sequel to the rather successful original, is confirmed for 3DS, Wii and Wii U. That means whatever your console of...

  • News Bing Gordon: Nintendo's 'On Track' to Primarily Focus on Software

    But not while Miyamoto's around

    The evolution of inexpensive tablet computers with gaming potential, and the continuing 'will they/won't they' question of whether Apple or Google will enter the home console market means that Nintendo, and its competitors, face big challenges. Those challenges may have been in the mind of experienced industry figure...

  • News FIFA Producer: Wii U Potential is "Pretty Exciting"

    Goal?

    FIFA 13 hasn't been announced for Wii U yet, but during an interview about the game and the future of the series, FIFA executive producer David Rutter expressed interest in the potential of Wii U GamePad, labelling it "pretty exciting". CVG asked Rutter if he found Wii U interesting and received an enthusiastic response in return. Rutter is...

  • News Vigil: Darksiders II Uses Wii U GamePad in "Interesting Ways"

    But deathly silent for now

    We're all a bit in the dark about just what Darksiders II will be doing with Wii U GamePad. So far we only know that it'll be used for an easy access inventory — but according to the game's lead designer, there's more to come. Speaking to our sister site Push Square this weekend, Vigil Games' Haydn Dalton implied that...

  • News Nnooo Approved for Wii U Development

    Yesss

    Australian development studio Nnooo will be familiar to afficionados of Nintendo download services. The company was there for the WiiWare launch with Pop, followed up with some DSiWare apps before releasing its best title to date, escapeVektor: Chapter 1. The studio's continued support for Nintendo means that escapeVektor is on the way to 3DS,...

  • News Yves Guillemot: Nintendo's 'Created Something Good' with Wii U

    Nintendo 'taking lots of risks with the games they create'

    When it came to judging console manufacturer's and publisher's efforts at E3, Ubisoft was the recipient of plenty of praise from attendees and those viewing on the web. Its own press conference may have included some sketchy, cringeworthy jokes — though that's not exactly rare at E3 —...

  • Feature GameCube - GBA Connectivity and Wii U

    Blazing a trail

    Nintendo has been known to dip into its past when looking for the future. The 3DS is a good example: while the handheld may be the first glasses-free 3D video game system, it's hardly the company's first foray into the third dimension. The forgotten Famicom 3D System brought pop-out graphics to Nintendo's original home console in...

  • Talking Point Another Look at the News - 20th July

    Sonic, retail downloads and a certain analyst

    It's that time again, when a few members of the Nintendo Life team look at recent news and decide that they simply have to give their opinion on it. Last time out things were very serious, with topics such as Nintendo's online services, the number of 'new IPs' on Wii and the continued madness that is...

  • Feature Batman's Nintendo Adventures

    Holy topical feature, Batman!

    Today sees the launch of The Dark Knight Rises in UK and North American theatres, amongst others, and it's become a cultural phenomenon, dominating the thoughts of Batman geeks and film lovers alike. We figured that you'll see the word 'Batman' wherever you go, so we might as well wrap it up in our favourite...

  • News Satoru Iwata: 'We Have Not Changed Our Strategy'

    Return to profitability not far away

    With Wii U getting closer, and various opinions swirling around about the system's capabilities and even Nintendo's long term future in the industry, Satoru Iwata has spoken to Gamasutra to once again outline Nintendo's philosophy and plans. On the subject of profitability, Iwata has reiterated that the company...

  • News Tekken Tag Tournament 2 on Wii U to Have 'Nintendo Like' Features

    The E3 sizzle-reel didn't lie

    Sometimes we see reveals and footage at E3, allow ourselves to get intrigued and excited before an inevitable disappointment, weeks later, when we find out it was all a big tease. It happened to an extent at E3 2011, when a third-party Wii U sizzle reel showed off games that have since been withdrawn from the console;...

  • News NetherRealm Still Unsure About Injustice's Wii U Features

    Indecision

    NetherRealm's DC Universe fighter Injustice: Gods Among Us has already been confirmed for Wii U — but the team isn't yet sure what to do with the unique features of Wii U GamePad. Speaking to Polygon, creative director and Mortal Kombat master Ed Boon said that the game will share the same features across every platform, but also...

  • News Michael Pachter Admits That Wii U Pro Controller Comments Were an 'Educated Guess'

    Oh dear

    Earlier this week we shared comments from well-known — and polarising — industry analyst Michael Pachter, which were made at the Develop conference in Brighton. Pachter stated that he was unimpressed with the Wii U concept, but most notably claimed that Activision had pressured Nintendo to produce the Wii U Pro Controller, as it may have...

  • News World of Goo Developers Returning With Little Inferno

    Wii U release may be console-exclusive

    When WiiWare was still relatively fresh and home to some excellent indie games, World of Goo was a high profile arrival that charmed with its intuitive physics puzzles, attractive visuals and quirky sense of humour. It seems that 2D Boy — developer of that title — is now Tomorrow Corporation, with Allan...

  • News Zombi U Trailer Takes in the London Sights

    Not quite the holiday season

    Last week's Comic Con expo had plenty of games coverage, and Ubisoft took the opportunity to show two new trailers for its launch window Wii U title, Zombi U. The footage gives more insight into the basic premise of being a survivor stranded in a zombie-infested London, scavenging for whatever resources can be found,...

  • News Mass Effect 3 Extended Ending on Disc for Wii U

    If you don't like it, tough

    Mass Effect 3 will be one of the big-name HD ports to come to Wii U and it's easy to forget that, when it was originally released, fans of the series were exceptionally hyped and excited. As a finale to the epic trilogy, however, some didn't like the ending, making such a noise online that developer Bioware felt compelled...

  • News Rise of the Guardians Set to Protect the Holidays on Wii U

    Tying into Wii, 3DS and DS too

    Some things stay the same in every year's Holiday season: lots of money is spent on gifts and merriment, too much food is eaten, and a CG movie based around festive characters arrives in cinemas and theatres worldwide. One of these movies will be Rise of The Guardians from DreamWorks Animations, and we all know what...

  • News Gearbox Interested in Bringing Borderlands 2 to Wii U

    Lots of love, but no commitment yet

    The developer response to Wii U has been remarkably mixed, with studios contradicting each other on a weekly basis in terms of the machine's capabilities and potential. One particularly vocal developer in the supporter's camp has been Gearbox, which has talked about the system's power and contributed plenty of...

  • News New Marvel Avengers Media Assembles

    Hulk out

    It's summer, now traditionally the season of the superhero, so Ubisoft has released some new screenshots and a CG trailer of Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth to celebrate. There's also some cool key art from Marvel artist Leinil Yu. Marvel Avengers is coming to Wii U later on this year and will give you the chance to get to grips with...

  • News FIFA 13 Faces Licensing Dilemma with Rangers FC

    What to do?

    Many that follow football — or soccer — have more than likely heard about the troubles faced by Scottish Glasgow-based team Rangers FC. Despite being one half of the overwhelmingly dominant 'old firm', along with Celtic FC, Rangers got itself into trouble with the tax-man and lots of other people who were owed money. The club...

  • News Michael Pachter: Activision Demanded Wii U Pro Controller for CoD

    Wii U 'a solution in search of a problem'

    For those that didn't know, last week Brighton — South England — hosted the Develop conference, where many figures from the industry chewed the fat and debated the games industry. Being one of the big three console manufacturers that also has a new system on the way, it's only natural that the subject of...

  • News Wreck-It Ralph is in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

    Sonic'll still win

    SEGA and Disney have collaborated to make Wreck-It Ralph's dreams come true: he's going to be a playable character in upcoming kart racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. The character, who will star in Disney's computer animated movie Wreck-It Ralph, will rev up on the starting line alongside SEGA all-stars including...

  • News New Tekken Trailer Tags In

    Team spirit

    Namco Bandai has released a new trailer for its upcoming Wii U fighter Tekken Tag Tournament 2. Featuring over 50 fighters, including punchy Panda, wooden man Mokujin and dozens of slightly less absurd characters, it boasts brawling a-plenty and a Snoop Dogg collaboration. At E3 we saw that Mario power-ups are in the Wii U version too...

  • News Unreal Engine 4 Ports Possible on Wii U

    Get Unreal

    After months of mystery, the will-it-won't-it of Wii U's ability to handle Unreal Engine 4 finally seems to have come to an end — sort of. Epic Games vice president Mark Rein told Videogamer that it'll be possible to port Unreal Engine 4 games to Wii U, though Epic itself doesn't intend to bring the engine to the console. Instead it'll...

  • News Secret Third-Party Wii U Games Under Wraps Until Autumn

    More in the pipeline

    Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has revealed we'll see brand new third-party Wii U games later this year when Nintendo reveals the console's price and release date. Iwata told The Independent that while we've seen some of the machine's third-party line-up, there's more to see: I think some of these projects have already been...

  • News New Super Smash Bros. Is a 'Big Priority' for Namco

    Roster decisions a way off

    The game may still be a fair bit away, with the only publicly shown development being a whiteboard sketch, but the next entry in the Super Smash Bros. series is, it's safe to assume, high on the hype lists of a lot of Nintendo gamers. It's the ultimate fan-service franchise, so it's only natural to want to know as much as...

  • News Dylan Cuthbert Talks Star Fox, Game Development and Miyamoto

    Interested in returning to Star Fox in the future

    Dylan Cuthbert is a name well-known to fans of the original Star Fox, as a member of the Argonaut development team that relocated to Nintendo HQ in Kyoto to work on the Super NES title. Cuthbert's had a long and successful career since, and his studio Q-Games was most recently seen on a Nintendo...

  • News Square Enix: Nintendo Works With a 'Different Perspective'

    Going its own way

    One debate that has swirled around Wii U is its graphical power and grunt, with many debating whether it's on par, stronger or potentially weaker than its Microsoft and Sony counterparts. One thing we do know is that it produces HD visuals and that Mario and company have never looked so pretty, all while coming out with its...

  • News Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Keeping it Simple on Wii U GamePad

    Second screen can be 'distracting'

    We've already read and heard much about the Wii U GamePad, with its screen and various control methods set to be explored and tested by developers. While these features are likely to be prominent in a number of launch window titles, it seems that one in particular will be keeping it simple. Tekken Tag Tournament 2...

  • First Impressions Wii U Panorama View

    Look around you

    Wii U's ability to output different scenes to television and controller is something truly special, but many of the games we've seen have been content to use the GamePad's extra screen to provide an alternative take on the main display, or an inventory, or a map. Wii U Panorama View is a startling look at the possibilities of the new...

  • First Impressions Trine 2: Director's Cut

    Triple trouble

    Three: it's the magic number. It's also the number of playable characters in Trine 2: Director's Cut, a 2D puzzle platformer that sees you regularly switching between a mismatched trio of varying skillsets to traverse beautiful lands. The wizard Amadeus commands bridges and blocks with the tips of his wizened fingers, either...

  • News Nintendo Determined to Beat Hackers with Wii U and 3DS

    Pirates beware

    Most will agree that, when it came to online functionality and security, Wii and DS were both below par. Hacking and modding on both systems appears to have been widespread, which not only led to issues with some online games but, most importantly for Nintendo, cost the company money due to the extensive number of pirated games on...

  • News Iwata Expects Wii U to Last a Generation

    Microsoft doesn't seem to agree

    An obsession that has plagued video gaming since its earliest days is power, whether it was the 'BIT' wars of the 1990s or the current-day complexities of graphics processors. Wii has been a staggering success that has faded away in its twilight years, arguably because its lack of power has deprived it of many big...

  • News Satoru Iwata: 'Deep' Online Services May Have a Cost

    'Ordinary' services should be free

    Satoru Iwata has recently chaired the latest Nintendo Shareholder's AGM, and as expected faced some tough questions about the future of the company and its plans. One subject that came up was online services, primarily whether the enhanced functionality on Wii U and the developing role of Nintendo Network on 3DS...

  • News Super Smash Bros. Needs A 'Change of Direction'

    Not just about adding new characters

    Nintendo gamers with a fondness for the Super Smash Bros. series can now rest easy as night. Masahiro Sakurai, alongside Namco Bandai, is on the case and directing his full attention to the game. Considering the fact that development hadn't even started when the next entry was announced for Wii U and 3DS, we...

  • News No Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 for Wii U

    Fangs for nothing

    Despite Nintendo's insistence that Wii U won't miss out on support from third party developers and will be getting key multiformat releases, it seems that developers are yet to be convinced. As part of an upcoming interview with Konami's Dave Cox, it was confirmed that the forthcoming sequel to popular reboot Castlevania: Lords of...

  • News Mighty Switch Force! HD Heading to Wii U eShop

    Lick of paint

    WayForward's eShop favourite Mighty Switch Force! is getting revamped for the Wii U's download store. Mighty Switch Force! HD is currently on course to launch alongside Wii U later this year, with all-new graphics akin to the hand-drawn style of Wii title A Boy and His Blob. It'll also include all the extra content recently released...

June2012

  • News EA Sports to Reveal Wii U Games Next Month

    Madden-ing wait

    EA Sports will lift the lid on its Wii U titles next month, says IGN. The publisher is hosting an open house in the middle of July where it will make Wii U-related announcements. Back in May EA Sports announced FIFA 13 for Wii U and at E3 2011 EA's John Riccitiello mused about Madden NFL on Wii U, so you can expect to hear details...

  • News Retailers Confidently Predict Wii U Will Cost £250, or Less

    Pricing could lead to a 'sure success'

    With the launch of Wii U creeping ever closer, key details of price and release date are still under wraps, leading to the usual range of predictions and guesses. We've seen speculative prices ranging from £199 on Amazon UK — since removed — to €399 on Amazon Germany, though the latter has since dropped...

  • Interview Farsight Studios - Pinball on Wii U, 3DS and Kickstarter

    Bringing tables onto your screens

    Farsight Studios has been in the gaming industry for over 20 years, but is probably best known for its extensive range of pinball titles including Pinball Hall of Fame — The Williams Collection on Wii and 3DS. The studio recently announced that its latest title, The Pinball Arcade will come to Wii U and 3DS, as...

  • News Farsight Studios: 'We're Really Excited About The Wii U'

    GamePad screen comes in handy

    In recent weeks we've brought you some coverage about Farsight Studios running a Kickstarter campaign to license The Twilight Zone, one of the highest-regarded pinball tables in the business. We also learned, thanks to that campaign, that the developer will be bringing The Pinball Arcade to Wii U and 3DS, which is a...

  • News Iwata: Wii U Won't Repeat 3DS Price Mistake

    Breaking: Pope commits to Catholicism

    Nintendo president Satoru Iwata assured everyone looking forward to the Wii U launch that it won't be a repeat of the 3DS's high-priced launch debacle. As we all remember, 3DS sales stalled at its original price point, with the system's fortunes only improving after a significant price drop in August 2011...

  • News Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U Powers Up with Namco

    Dream team in place

    We weren't expecting news on Super Smash Bros. today, but Nintendo surprised us with the revelation that Namco Bandai staff are working on the Wii U and 3DS game. While series supremo Masahiro Sakurai will still direct the new instalments, top staff from Namco Bandai will pitch in too: Masaya Kobayashi has pledged his "best...

  • Feature The Future of GameCube on Wii U

    Including the 'Cube

    When Wii U is released, you'll be able to play games from each of Nintendo's home consoles thanks to a mixture of backwards compatibility and the Virtual Console. With one exception. No, not Virtual Boy. Currently GameCube has no place on Nintendo's first high definition console, that we know of: only games on systems up to...

  • News 3DS Patent Can Tell When You've Returned Home

    Not as creepy as it sounds

    Back to the Future Part II's vision of 2015 was an intelligent house that greeted people as they walked in. "Welcome home, Marty!" it would say. "Lord of the manor, King of the castle!" Well, this new patent application from Nintendo might lead to that mythical home of the increasingly-near future. The patent shows a...

  • News Miiverse Won't Connect to Twitter or Facebook

    Living in a box

    Nintendo's Miiverse social network will start life on Wii U before eventually spreading to Nintendo 3DS and any other web-enabled device, but it won't interact with popular social networks like Twitter or Facebook. GamesIndustry.biz reports Miiverse will keep its focus on those already interested in video games. Nintendo of Europe's...

  • News CryEngine 3 "Runs Beautifully" on Wii U

    Dry those eyes

    Crytek is making the shift to a free-to-play model once its current games are complete, so for now it won't be developing any Wii U titles of its own — but that doesn't mean that the superb CryEngine 3, most famous for powering the Crysis games, is going anywhere. In fact, it "runs beautifully" on Wii U and a "respected developer"...

  • Feature The Potential of Wii U and Amazon

    More than a games console

    Nintendo has been busy with Wii U promotion in recent weeks, with E3 at the core of a number of interviews and reveals about the system and what it will offer on the day it hits stores. Satoru Iwata has spoken about the console and its GamePad controller becoming the centre of the family living room. An image of four family...

  • News Ubisoft's Killer Freaks Evolved From Rabbids

    Then shifted to zombies for a 'serious' tone

    When Killer Freaks from Outer Space for Wii U was shown at E3 2011, some may have thought that Ubisoft had produced one of the more intriguing teasers for the system. It was a new IP with strange looking aliens that the player could shoot with impunity: it pushed some buttons. This year we've learned...

  • Rumour Wii U Priced at €399.99 by Amazon Germany

    Release date of 21st December, apparently

    We have more news about the exciting innovation in video game retail: the Amazon Wii U guessing game. It was only a week ago that Amazon UK listed a black version of the system at £199, before swiftly removing the listing and cancelling any pre-orders shortly after. That product page had stated it'd be...

  • News Professor Layton Wii U Would be Interesting, Says Hino

    It sure would

    Level-5 top dog Akihiro Hino has told Famitsu (via Andriasang) a 3D Professor Layton game on Wii U would be 'interesting'. So far the popular puzzle series has only appeared on portable formats, but with the Wii U's touch screen GamePad and wealth of inputs it might be able to do the tricky teasers justice. Hino says a game where you...

  • First Impressions New Super Mario Bros. U

    Mushroom magic?

    It's OK to say you were disappointed that New Super Mario Bros. U is Wii U's first Super Mario game. You may have wanted something groundbreaking like Super Mario 64, and Nintendo revealed a shinier, sharper version of a Wii game from 2009. You're entitled to be disappointed. Your excitement for Mario's next home adventure all...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. U is 'Accessible and Intuitive'

    Keeps the 'building blocks' of the series

    The extended unveiling of New Super Mario Bros. U at E3 this year prompted a number of reactions from viewers. In our office there were comments that it looked exceptionally pretty, graphics-wise, but also that it looked extremely similar to its 'New' series predecessors on DS and Wii. Whether that's...

  • First Impressions Project P-100

    Crowd sourcing

    Tucked away at E3, shielded from the glare of the main presentation for reasons unknown, was Project P-100. It's an all-new superhero action IP by well-lauded developer Platinum Games, due to be published by Nintendo in Wii U's launch window. It's also bonkers. One Mr Hideki Kamiya is at the helm as director, famous for a track...

  • Talking Point Wii U Bundles Need to Suit Us All

    One size does not fit all

    After the fun and games of Wii U noise over E3, now we probably have to wait until the next Nintendo Direct broadcast for another hit. We learned a great deal about Wii U at E3, with game reveals and system demonstrations giving a broader idea of what the console will offer. Much was left to our imagination, however, such...

  • News Smash Bros. Wii U Wait Could Be Even Longer Than We Thought

    Stock up on calendars

    Masahiro Sakurai has told fans eagerly awaiting Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS there could be an even longer wait ahead than expected. The project was announced at E3 2011 but as Sakurai only finished Kid Icarus: Uprising earlier this year he's not had a lot of time to ponder the next brawler. Sakurai told Nintendo Power...

  • First Impressions ZombiU

    London crawling

    Ubisoft's first-person shooter ZombiU is brutal. Adapted from the ashes of the cancelled Killer Freaks from Outer Space, it sees London overrun by hordes of infected monsters. Your only goal is to survive, but don't expect to do so for very long; battles are desperate, fought with melee weapons or a weak pistol until you can scrape...

  • News Wii U Will be a 'Great Value Proposition'

    No details yet

    One message that Nintendo has been keen to emphasise is that Wii U will avoid the launch day mistakes that hit 3DS, promising that plenty of content will be available from the beginning. There's little doubt that a relatively high price and the lack of a 'killer app' hurt the handheld, so Nintendo faces a task to avoid either of these...

  • First Impressions Nintendo Land's Multiplayer Games

    Wii U's main attraction

    Nintendo Land is lots of fun. In some ways it's exactly the kind of fun you had when you played Wii Sports for the first time, regularly erupting into laughter and occasional curses when things don't go your way. It didn't look much on stage at E3, but Nintendo's right to put its faith in the game's ability to communicate...

  • First Impressions Game & Wario

    No Ware out

    Wario's first Wii U appearance isn't quite what we've come to expect from the garlic-munching gold grabber. Instead of a platformer or a new entry in the micro game-fuelled WarioWare series, Game & Wario is a collection of more fleshed out mini games that shows off what Nintendo's new home console can do with a single GamePad. Game...

  • First Impressions Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition

    Sonar, so good

    Batman's latest crusade through video games has been out on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC for a good eight months now, but that didn't stop Nintendo giving enhanced port Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition plenty of stage time at E3. Escaping the confines of Arkham Asylum, a section of Gotham City has been cordoned off as a gigantic...

  • First Impressions Pikmin 3

    Extra floretstrial

    For years Nintendo has been tending to a new entry in the Pikmin series, experimenting with different control methods and systems both handheld and home console. After starting life on Wii, Pikmin 3 was eventually transferred to Wii U due to the benefits of high definition and the GamePad's touch screen. The little plant-alien-bug...

  • News Amazon Removes £199.99 Wii U Listing

    Update: Pre-orders cancelled

    Update: Amazon has cancelled pre-orders for the Wii U, saying "the product was listed in error". Bad luck, everyone. We had a feeling that Amazon listing Wii U for £199.99 was too good to be true, and now the retailer's taken down its cheap listing. The Wii U product page now generates a 404 error, with the

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