Wii U News

February2012

  • News Two Tribes Announces Toki Tori 2 Wii U Plans

    They're not playing chicken

    Some of you may remember that Toki Tori, developed by Two Tribes, was a launch title on WiiWare. With the Wii's successor due this year, Two Tribes has decided to try and make an appearance on Wii U's download service. Through a press release and blog entry, it's been confirmed that efforts are underway to bring Toki Tori...

  • Talking Point Wii U and the Future of the Online Pass

    'Project $10' and what it could mean

    With the number of gamers indulging in online play on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 at an all-time high, it’s disheartening sometimes to observe how far Nintendo has been lagging behind, as far as online functionality goes. For those lucky enough to own more than one console, the Wii isn’t exactly the go-to...

  • News Skylanders Developer "Looking at Wii U NFC Technology"

    Giant sized controller ahoy

    Yesterday's announcement of Skylanders Giants for Wii naturally led to questions of whether or not the game will head over to Wii U, particularly with Wii U's Near Field Communication functions that behave a little like Skylanders' figure-portal doohickey. Toys for Bob CEO Paul Reiche III was tight-lipped about the poss

  • News THQ Could Lose Stock Market Listing

    That's bad, by the way

    Not long ago we revealed the positive news that THQ has two secret Wii U titles in the works, with Darksiders II and Metro: Last Light already unveiled for the new console way back at E3 2011. While that's the good news, unfortunately the developer is enduring some serious financial issues. As reported by Gamasutra, THQ is in...

January2012

  • News Team Ninja Reveals Wii U Evolution

    New features in the shadows

    Last week we heard from Street Fighter IV producer Yoshinori Ono, who stated that the Wii U is more capable than what we saw at E3. Ono said he couldn't reveal more due to fear of Nintendo assassins, by which he may be referring to previous Nintendo collaborators Team Ninja. In an interview with Nintendo Gamer magazine,...

  • News "Trustworthy" Third Parties Get Microtransactions Go-Ahead

    Horse armour anybody?

    Downloadable content, software updates and microtransactions are not things that owners of Nintendo systems have been hugely exposed to in the past, but things are about to change. With expanded online offering Nintendo Network on the cards for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, third party developers will soon be allowed to sell...

  • News Iwata: Zelda on Wii U Won't Look Cheap

    Rolling out the barrel

    We all know The Legend of Zelda will come to Wii U, but whether it'll look as good as the Zelda HD Experience from E3 is another matter. Nintendo knows it has to deliver on the graphical front though, as president Satoru Iwata told investors. Explaining that not all Wii U games will take the ultra-realistic, high cost...

  • News Nintendo May Not Call Wii U a Home Console

    A rose by any other name

    When we saw Wii U at E3, we were pretty certain it was a console. We even saw people playing it in a home-style setting. So it's a home console, right? Wrong. Talking to investors after the latest financial results, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata suggested the company won't refer to it as a traditional home console: As for...

  • Talking Point NFC and the Latest Wii U Wizardry

    Near Field Communication: cooler than it sounds

    As you may have noticed, we've seen a flurry of news stories coming out of Nintendo HQ in the past few days. We started with bad news, that Nintendo expects to make a loss in the current financial year, though the news that Wii U will launch in time for Christmas 2012 helped ease the pain. Of course,...

  • News Wii U Controller Gets Intriguing New Wireless Technology

    Near Field Communication is go

    Satoru Iwata revealed to investors that the Wii U controller will feature Near Field Communication (NFC) functions. The wireless technology is commonly used in non-contact transactions such as swiping travel cards and making credit or debit card payments. It's Iwata's description of the technology's applications,...

  • News Nintendo Considering Retail Downloads on 3DS and Wii U

    That'd be handy

    Nintendo has the infrastructure in place to allow full retail games to be downloaded to 3DS, but is still considering when and if to deploy it. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed at an investor briefing that Wii U will also share the same infrastructure — impressive considering Wii U uses 25GB discs — but the company is not...

  • News Wii U to Get Online User Accounts

    About time

    While Xbox 360's Gamertag and PlayStation Network's PSN ID systems have allowed unique online identifiers for some time, Nintendo's 3DS, Wii and DS have lagged behind in the online space. Speaking to investors, president Satoru Iwata revealed Wii U will get individual user accounts for online services. Iwata said: Also for the Wii U, we...

  • News Nintendo Network Will Get Competitions and User Communication

    And much more

    The mysterious Nintendo Network logo that surfaced last week has been explained at an investor meeting by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. As expected, the Nintendo Network is the company's new online infrastructure, but it spans far further than simply online matchmaking and eshopping. As Iwata tells it, Nintendo Network — which...

  • News Iwata: "Wii U Will Be At its Best at Launch"

    No waiting here

    As we reported yesterday, Wii U will launch in time for Christmas, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealing to investors the company has learnt from the 3DS launch. Iwata told investors: For the launch of new hardware, it is, of course, regarded as a sort of requisite not to miss the critical year-end sales season. The company...

  • Rumour Nintendo Considering Alternative Names for Wii U

    Who remembers the Revolution?

    According to rumours that have surfaced online, Nintendo is considering the possibility of rebranding its next home console, potentially leaving Wii U behind. As reported by CVG, staff at the top level in both Japan and North America are apparently discussing a name change, though whether this would affect the console's...

  • News Ono: "Wii U More Capable Than We Saw at E3"

    O yes

    Super Street Fighter IV producer Yoshinori Ono has hinted there's far more to Wii U than we've seen so far. Speaking to 3D Juegos (translated by NeoGAF, so you have been warned), Ono spoke vaguely about the console development kits: What we saw last E3 is not a reflection of everything this console is able to offe

  • News Crystal Dynamics Explains Tomb Raider Wii U No-Show

    A simple port wouldn't cut it

    Crystal Dynamics' big budget Tomb Raider is coming to HD consoles later this year, but it won't make it onto Wii or Wii U. In a recent podcast (as posted in the Eidos forums) the developer explained why Lara's latest won't come to Wii U: When we started developing the game we made a conscious decision that it was all...

  • News Wii U to Launch Just in Time for Christmas

    Will you find it under your tree?

    We already know that Nintendo will release Wii U before the year's out, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has dropped a pretty big hint that the machine will land close to Christmas. According to several sources including Reuters and Bloomberg Japan, Iwata revealed during an investors' briefing that Wii U will hit...

  • Rumour UK Racing Studio Makes Big Wii U Commitment

    Who could it be?

    Tucked away in Develop's story about the Wii U's graphical power is this little nugget of information: Develop also understands that a prominent UK racing studio has committed to support Wii U with one project each year. We reported earlier this week that Slightly Mad Studios

  • Rumour Wii U "Twice as Powerful as Xbox 360"

    Anonymous source speaks up

    An anonymous developer speaking to Develop has claimed Wii U has twice the power of Microsoft's Xbox 360. The source said Nintendo's next console boasts twice the processing and graphical output of Microsoft's 6-year old console. Of course there are no statistics to back this up, but if true, it would represent an enormous...

  • News Need for Speed: Shift Dev Creating Project CARS for Wii U

    Step on it

    Slightly Mad Studios has confirmed it's bringing Project CARS to Wii U in 2012. The studio behind Need for Speed: Shift and Shift 2: Unleashed confirmed its latest racing project is on the way to Nintendo's next home console alongside PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. The game's description mentions several features Nintendo fans have been...

  • Rumour Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Sequel for 3DS and Wii U

    Wheelie?

    Some dismissed Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing as a SEGA-themed Mario Kart wannabe, but was obviously superior for including Shenmue protagonist Ryo Hazuki as a playable character (wait, what?). According to a new rumour, there could be a follow-up in the works at developer Sumo Digital. The Sonic Stadium received a tip that claims the...

  • News THQ Has Two Secret Wii U Titles In the Works

    Maybe more

    THQ's Danny Bilson was one of the first talking heads pictured when the Wii U's third-party games were confirmed, announcing that Darksiders II and Metro: Last Light are both coming to Wii U. They may not be the publisher's only games for the console in the works, though. The LinkedIn profile of THQ senior producer Evan Icenbice lists two...

  • News Sakurai: Next Smash Bros. "May Take a While"

    Who knew?

    Super Smash Bros. helmsman Masahiro Sakurai has told Nintendo Power (via Nintendo Everything) that the next instalments are a long way off yet. Satoru Iwata announced Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS at E3 last year, but with Kid Icarus: Uprising on Sakurai's plate it seems development on the fight

  • Feature Nintendo in 2011 - Part Two

    Disaster and redemption

    Following on from Nintendo in 2011 — Part One, it's time to look at the latter half of the year. The gaming world quickly moves on, as the 3DS enjoys positive sales and the Wii U hype begins to build. It’s easy to forget that the tail-end of 2011 was particularly dramatic and eventful for Nintendo, leaving us with plenty...

  • News Wii U Panorama View Demo is Awesome

    How do they do that?

    We all saw the Shield Pose, Chase Mii, Battle Mii and Zelda HD Experience Wii U demos from E3, but one we didn't get to see was Panorama View, recently shown off at CES. The 360º video experience shown below is unlike anything Nintendo showed off before. Using the Wii U controller you can look around the space as you like, even...

  • News Gaijin Games Explains Why RUNNER2 Won't Reach Wii

    Talks Wii U too

    Gaijin Games' BIT.TRIP series started life on Wii and has appeared on 3DS in the form of BIT.TRIP SAGA, but the next instalment, RUNNER2, won't come to WiiWare. Why not? Artist Chris Meyer explained: This game is too big and too detailed to work on Wii. We need the Xbox power in order for it to work. If you actually think about it,...

  • News Nintendo Reconfirms Wii U Will Not Make Wii Games Sharper

    Hopes dashed

    With the Wii U boasting HDMI output and full backwards compatibility with Wii games and accessories, some had hoped the new console would be able to make existing Wii games sharper, but Nintendo has reconfirmed to Wired that it won't. During a hands-on session at CES, Ben Kuchera was told that the Wii U "will not be able to improve...

  • News Tiger Woods, Your Time on Wii is Over

    Wii can't play PGA Tour 13

    After several excellent outings on Wii, EA Sports has confirmed upcoming Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 won't release on Nintendo's current home console. While Xbox 360 owners can play Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 on Kinect, and PlayStation Move fans have been enjoying motion controls since 2010, Wii is being passed over for this...

  • News Reggie: Wii U Information Could Hit Before E3

    Keep 'em peeled

    Wii U will boast a full range of entertainment says Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, but must we really wait until Nintendo's E3 press conference on 5th June at 9am Pacific time to hear more? Perhaps not. Fils-Aime told Spike TV that there'll be new details spread over the course of 2012: We will be sharing...

  • News Reggie: Wii U to Boast a "Full Range of Entertainment"

    The big man speaks

    Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime's CES "interview" with Spike TV didn't give anything major away — games and dates remain a mystery — but he did speak in very broad terms about Nintendo's vision for its upcoming console. Talking about the plan to continue broadening the Wii install base, Fils-Aime...

  • News Miyamoto Working On Secret, Original Game

    A lot on his plate

    According to an interview with Zoomin.TV, Shigeru Miyamoto is currently at work on an unannounced, original game. Miyamoto himself didn't say anything about the game, so we have nothing else to go on: no format, no genre and no hint at which of his hobbies it'll be based on. Miyamoto is still working on Luigi's Mansion 2 for 3DS...

  • News Nintendo Working On New Zelda Game

    What will it be?

    Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma and team are working on a new Zelda game. The producer's statement in the final pages of Hyrule Historia, as translated by Patas at GlitterBerri, sneakily confirms a new game is in development: The long sailing time of creating Skyward Sword, a game to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Zelda...

  • Round Table Looking Ahead to Nintendo in 2012

    Should be a good 'un

    It's a new year, with a recovering 3DS and a fresh home console on the way from Nintendo: these are certainly interesting times. We decided to have a chat about the prospects for Nintendo in 2012, including our thoughts on the company's prospects, as well as our hopes, dreams and fears. Joining features editor Thomas Whitehead...

  • Rumour Wii U Heading for E3 Face-Off with PS4 and Xbox 720

    New console trinity rumoured

    Hold onto your tinfoil hats, people: we could be in for a wild ride this year. According to UK retail and trade site MCV, there will be new PlayStation and Xbox consoles revealed at this year's E3. Nintendo has already confirmed it will show off the final Wii U form at E3 2012, potentially leading to a three-way scrap...

  • Rumour Wii U and 3DS to Get E-Reader Capabilities

    Don't read too much into it

    Nintendo showed off the Wii U's new controller reading the web, but surely it's got far greater potential when it comes to giving you something to read. According to Forget the Box, Nintendo is prepping full-on e-reader software for its new console. The site's anonymous developer source claims Nintendo is getting ready to...

  • Feature Nintendo in 2011 - Part One

    An important year begins

    It’s now 2012, which promises to be an eventful year for Nintendo. We’ll be giving our thoughts soon on what to expect in the coming year, but it's now time to look back at a dramatic 2011. There were plenty of major headlines and game releases, and we’ll pinpoint some of the key moments that defined the year. We'll...

December2011

  • Rumour New App Store in Development for Wii U

    We're not stating the obvious, promise

    Though we're yet to receive an exact release date, we know the Wii U will hit during the second half of 2012. One guarantee as release approaches is that wild speculation and rumour will run rampant. Today's contender: a Wii U 'App Store'. It goes without saying that there'll be an equivalent to the current Wii...

  • News Wii U Hands-On for Media Only at CES 2012

    Bubble burst

    Yesterday's rumour that Nintendo would show off Wii U at CES in January has turned exactly as expected: it just ain't so. 1UP has a statement from Nintendo that confirms the publisher's showing is behind closed doors, with nothing new to reveal over and above what we learnt at E3: Nintendo of America, working with the 2012...

  • News Nintendo Narrows Wii U Release Date Window

    Early 2012 goes right out of it

    Nintendo's always said Wii U will be launched between April 2012 and the end of next year, but kiss goodbye to dreams of getting the machine before June. Nintendo of America now states the console will be available between the beginning of E3 and the end of 2012, giving us a six month period during which Wii U could...

  • Rumour Nintendo to Show Off Wii U at CES in January

    Getting out there early

    The Wii U hasn't been seen since E3 in June, but according to CNET it's about to get a run-out at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. CNET claims Nintendo is taking the Wii U to CES in January, though the CES website doesn't list Nintendo as an exhibitor. Last year Nintendo held meetings at CES but didn't have any...

  • News Aonuma: "Future Zelda Games Will Use Motion Controls"

    Buttons undone

    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword's motion controls are here to stay, according to series supremo Eiji Aonuma. Speaking to Official Nintendo Magazine, Aonuma believes using buttons would be a step back: I honestly think we cannot go back to button controls now, so I think that these controls will be used in future Zelda titles, too...

  • News Ubisoft Recruiting for Triple-A Wii U Online Game

    What could it be?

    We already know Ubisoft is one of the many third-party Wii U developers — it announced Killer Freaks From Outer Space at E3 2011 after all. The company's throwing more weight behind the platform though, now recruiting for a "AAA Wii U game" at its Quebec studio. Two positions are available: senior engine programmer and,...

  • News Nintendo Doesn't Want a 3DS Price Situation on Wii U

    Of course

    The 3DS price drop has had an extremely positive effect on the system's sales, but it left some early birds wary of buying a Nintendo console at launch in case the same thing happens again. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime knows this, touching on it briefly in an interview with Fox Business. The Wii was priced for profit at...

  • News Aonuma: Wii U Zelda Will Challenge Series Conventions

    "Expect big things"

    We've only had a few weeks of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, but already series producer Eiji Aonuma is thinking about Zelda on Wii U. Speaking to Nintendo Power (via GoNintendo), Aonuma touched on what users can expect from the next home console entry in the 25-year old series: Skyward Sword is a title where we took aim at...

November2011

  • News Vigil Games Talks Darksiders II for Wii U

    Dark days ahead

    One of the many third-party games revealed for Wii U at E3 2011 was Darksiders II, and now developers Vigil Games have given Game Informer an insight into the game's development and how the team will use that new controller. General manager David Adams and technical director Colin Bonstead revealed in a video interview that the team...

  • News Peter Moore Bigs Up Wii U's Online Functions Again

    But won't say what they are

    EA's chief operating officer Peter Moore has been a vocal supporter of the Wii U already: back in August he appeared totally confident in the console's online features, and in a recent interview with Famitsu he reaffirmed this commitment with some glowing words. Most intriguing are the hints at the Wii U's online...

  • News THQ: uDraw and Wii U Can Co-Exist

    Quick on the draw

    THQ's art tablet uDraw was a big hit on Wii, but once Nintendo unveiled the Wii U controller it started to lose a little of its sheen. The publisher isn't about to let Nintendo run away with the art market though, revealing to Eurogamer its plans to keep the brand going. THQ's global VP for uDraw Andy Hodgson said: We have some...

  • News Wii U's First Launch Title Announced Already

    Bit early, though

    We don't even know when the Wii U will launch other than a vague "between April and December 2012" guideline, but we already know one of the games you'll be able to pick up with the console on day one: Tecmo Koei's Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge. The publisher's financial reports (via Andriasang) peg the game for release...

  • News Abandoned Skyward Sword Ideas May Head to Wii U

    Not done yet

    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword might be one of Nintendo's biggest-ever undertakings — just read the Iwata Asks about its mammoth audio visual design teams — but that doesn't mean it includes everything Nintendo wanted to put in. Series producer Eiji Aonuma spoke to The Guardian about what may happen to ideas th

  • News Hideki Konno Talks Mario Kart Wii U Ideas

    It'll be "unique"

    Hold onto your hats: Nintendo is investigating bringing Mario Kart to Wii U. Series producer Hideki Konno spoke to Nintendo Power recently about the potential for the flagship multiplayer racer to come to Nintendo's next home console, saying: I can't get into specifics, but I do want to create a new and enjoyable Mario Kart that...

  • News Nintendo Working On Two Controller Support for Wii U

    That's a lot of screens

    When the Wii U was unveiled at E3 2011, we only saw it working with one touch screen controller, but according to an anonymous source speaking to Develop Nintendo is beavering away on supporting a second controller. Citing a "trusted game development executive", Develop says the Wii U codebase indicates that...

  • News Ubisoft Believes in Wii U for Core and Casual Customers

    But which will prevail?

    Ubisoft is always a big supporter of new hardware — it had six titles out for the 3DS launch, for example — and the publishing giant will be there on Wii U day one. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has spoken to Gamasutra about the upcoming console's potential to appeal to the casual and core customers that could help it...

  • News Silicon Knights Working on "Most Requested Title" for Next Gen

    What could it be?

    Silicon Knights has had a torrid time in recent years: after years of development, its first Xbox 360 game Too Human met a tepid critical and commercial reaction, and its most recent release X-Men Destiny didn't fare much better. Things weren't always like this, though: the studio did a great job with Konami revamp Metal Gear...

  • News Iwata Unsure if Nintendo Will Sell Wii U At a Loss

    At a loss for words

    In stark contrast to Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo generally sells hardware at a profit, but the recent 3DS price drop has clearly caused the company to reconsider that stance. At a recent investor Q&A, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed he's not yet sure if Nintendo will sell Wii U at a profit from day one. I have no...

  • Feature What About Pikmin 3?

    The future of Captain Olimar's intergalactic journeys

    Last week marked ten years since the original Pikmin released in Japan. In the decade since we've had just a single sequel, but Olimar's adventures are far from over. The story of an alien who crash lands on a mysterious planet and must recruit tiny plants to work for him, like many of Shigeru...

  • News Machinarium Finally, Officially Cancelled

    Guess why

    Last September, XGen Studios announced Machinarium was coming to WiiWare, but since then we've heard not anything else about the game, leading many to assume it would never see the light of say. Sadly, those folks were right. Developer Amanita Design's founder Jakub Dvorský finally sealed the game's coffin in an interview with Eurogamer,...

October2011

  • News Final Wii U Form to Be Shown At E3 2012

    Changes planned?

    The Wii U reveal at E3 2011 probably didn't go quite as Nintendo had hoped, with some confusion over exactly what the console is and how it works. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is keen not to make that mistake again though, and has revealed the console will be shown off in its "final format" at next year's E3. That could...

  • Feature Resident Evil's Nintendo History

    Undead on the big N, past, present and future

    The claustrophobic darkness. The creeping undead. The hideous monsters. The Resident Evil series has brought such thrills and chills to our TVs since 1996, and it’s taken quite a unique path when it comes to Nintendo consoles. With the month of All Hallows’ Eve upon us, we decided to take a look at...

  • Rumour The Darkness II Planned for Wii U

    Going bump in the night

    The third-party software line-up for Wii U looks pretty good already, especially if you like shooting, and now according to VG247 another decidedly hardcore shooter is on its way to the system. 2K's comic book adaptation is on the way to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in February 2012, but VG247 also reports the publisher is...

  • News EA Pledges "Key Franchises" to Wii U

    FIFA, Madden, Battlefield?

    With a release date way off in the misty distance of 2012, there's not a huge amount of Wii U information to go around at the moment, but EA chief operating officer Peter Moore is confident the mega-publisher will be there with all its big titles. Speaking to Reuters, Moore revealed he's heading over to Nintendo's Japanese...

September2011

  • News Skyrim on Wii U a "Definite Possibility" Says Bethesda

    A long road ahead, though

    Wii owners missed out on a huge number of high-profile high definition games, but with Wii U around the corner everybody's hoping history won't repeat itself and the console will see the same kind of experience that are available on other formats. One such game many Nintendo fans would love to play is The Elder Scrolls V:...

  • Rumour Next Smash Bros. Could Be Called 'Universe'

    Game not actually in development, though

    After the peculiar 'unveiling' of a new Smash Bros. title at E3 2011, after which it was hastily shot down, we've become wary of any so-called news about the next entry in the series. Nevertheless, a rumour is worth sharing, even if the actual game is still, potentially, years away. There have been leaked...

  • Interview Tanukii Studios - Go! Go! Kokopolo and Beyond

    We sit down with the sole member of the young DSiWare dev

    Here at Nintendo Life, two things we love are creative independent developers and unique game designs. One great example of the latter is the recently released Go! Go! Kokopolo, a quirky, challenging downloadable title that hit the DSi Shop a little while ago and scored an 8/10 in our Go! Go!...

  • News Dragon Quest X Requires Online Connection

    Subscription confirmed too

    The revelation of Dragon Quest X for Wii and Wii U came with some uncertainty: will the game be fully playable offline, and will it require a subscription fee to play online? Now a Square Enix FAQ has answered the questions, with mixed results. According to AndriaSang, the document claims that you'll need an Internet...

  • News Dragon Quest X Goes Online for Wii and Wii U

    New game revealed

    Square Enix's press conference in Japan has been and gone, and now we finally have information about Dragon Quest X. Officially titled Dragon Quest X Mezameshi Itsutsu no Shuzoku Online — roughly meaning Dragon Quest X: The Wake of the Five Tribes Online — the game will see release on Wii in 2012, with an enhanced Wii U version...

August2011

  • News Could the Wii U Controller Do Full Body-Tracking?

    Miyamoto drops an intriguing hint

    Nintendo of Europe has just published the Iwata Asks Wii U discussion first made available just after E3, and while it's the same discussion as before something intriguing stood out on a second reading. Shigeru Miyamoto touches on Wii Fit's future when enhanced by the new controller. Although the original created...

  • News What Are Aonuma's Controller Ideas for Wii U Zelda?

    The controller is U

    The demo of Zelda HD at this year's E3 was stunning, and showed the Wii U controller used as a virtual rucksack for Link, but Zelda boss Eiji Aonuma has bigger ambitions for the touch screen controller than just holding bombs and Deku sticks. Aonuma spoke to Nintendo Power about potential uses for the controller, though nothing...

  • Talking Point What If Nintendo Became a Third Party?

    And would it prove a wise move to embrace the smartphone?

    It's no secret that the 3DS sold far below expectations, even after Nintendo wowed us at E3 and promised to clean up its online act. Many are going as far as to suggest that the Ambassador programme and slashed pricing is as good as a death knell, while investors argue that Ninty should do...

  • News Wii U Controller Patent Reveals Interesting Features

    Fingers crossed for a mini George Foreman grill

    At this stage in the game, Nintendo has officially revealed relatively little about the specifics behind the upcoming Wii U and its controller technology. Apart from the standard features one would come to expect from any brand of console controller, we know the Wii U's will also sport a 6.2-inch touch...

  • Talking Point The Future of Metroid

    Where next, Samus?

    It’s a big anniversary for Metroid, joining Mario and Zelda in the 25 year club. It’s interesting to note that there hasn’t been much fanfare from Nintendo, with the upcoming 3DS ‘Ambassador’ release of GBA classic Metroid Fusion being the only sign of Samus this year. It seems that as a franchise, Metroid is very much...

  • News EA Totally Confident in Wii U Online Functions

    Digs controller too

    Electronic Arts' chief operating officer Peter Moore has been around the block once or twice in this industry. He first came to gamers' attention at SEGA of America before he moved to spearhead Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360, and he was recently promoted to COO of the company after being president of its EA Sports division. He's...

  • News Codemasters Lining Up Formula 1 for Wii U Grid

    Push Button's buttons

    Codemasters is known for its racing games, and while it was announced at E3 that the studio's well-respected Dirt rally franchise is on the way to Wii U, its flashier equivalent F1 is racing to the new console too. CEO Rod Cousens told MCV that both its flagship racers will be making the move to Wii U, and gave his support to...

  • Feature The Future of Nintendo Gaming - 2D or Not 2D?

    That is the question

    It’s been a busy year for Nintendo as it seeks to move onto a new generation of consoles. The 3DS is already here and, despite a sluggish start, has some big releases ahead. Then of course there is the Wii U, boasting a unique touch screen controller and the promise of much greater processing power than the Wii. Both devices...

  • News Nintendo Will Announce Wii U Release Date Next Year

    So don't hold your breath

    Since the Wii U's unveiling at E3 in June and the vague announcement of a 2012 release date, we've all been hanging on to find out exactly when Nintendo's next console will be available. We'll all have to keep hanging on though, as that information won't arrive until next year. Just as the 3DS release date was only...

  • News Iwata Admits E3 Wii U Reveal was Earlier Than Planned

    A necessary evil

    Rumours of Nintendo's new console started circulating before E3, and the system's basic concept leaked out long before Reggie Fils-Aime rolled the tape. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata spoke to investors recently and admitted that the console's big reveal E3 was a little earlier than then company would have liked. Iwata revealed...

  • News Koizumi has "Too Many Ideas" for Mario on Wii U

    What a problem to have...

    Mario's new master, Super Mario Galaxy director Yoshiaki Koizumi, is already brainstorming ideas for how to bring the famous mascot to Wii U. He's been so busy, in fact, that he's already come up too many ideas to put into practice, according to a recent interview with Official Nintendo Magazine. Koizumi — who was kept in...

  • News Iwata: We Will Do Paid Download Content for Wii U and 3DS

    But no word on what

    Extra downloadable content is a fertile field for developers, allowing them to extend the appeal of their game long after it's left the charts. While some Wii games allowed for paid DLC under the system's "Pay and Play" feature, it was never really a big focus for the console, something Nintendo president Satoru Iwata...

July2011

  • News EA Sports Working Closely with Nintendo on Wii U's Online

    Vice president happy with Nintendo's attitude

    Nintendo has expressed its own dissatisfaction with its online efforts and it's clearly one area that will need to be tackled with the upcoming Wii U. When Nintendo of America's president Reggie Fils-Aime spoke to Forbes, he talked about implementing a more flexible online system that will appeal to...

  • News Level-5 May Consider Wii U Professor Layton Ports

    Staff members talk Wii U

    This week's issue of Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu features a section where game developers and producers talk about Nintendo's next home console the Wii U, and among those that took part were Level-5 president and CEO Akihiro Hino and Jiro Ishii, who's working on the upcoming 3DS title Time Travelers. As reported by...

  • News What Would You Want in a Potential El Shaddai Wii U Game?

    Asks creative director Sawaki Takeyasu

    The upcoming Wii U console has sparked the interest of many third-party developers, some of whom have never even developed for a Nintendo platform before. While Ignition is no stranger to Nintendo hardware, the creative director of its upcoming third-person action game El Shaddai: Ascension Of The Metatron has...

  • News Harvest Moon Creator Looking at 3DS, Wii U Development

    Wada piece of good news

    Yasuhiro Wada created the very first Harvest Moon before going on to work on Little King's Story and No More Heroes, among other games. So when Wada says he's developing a 3DS game, it's most definitely Good News. Wada confirmed to Official Nintendo Magazine that he's currently working on a 3DS game, though wouldn't say...

  • News Nudge Nudge, Marvel Pinball Rolls Towards Wii U and 3DS

    Let the inner pinball wizard out

    The Marvel Video Games panel revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2011 that Marvel Pinball will be pinging its way to the Wii U and 3DS. Already available on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network, Marvel Pinball stars numerous superheroes from the Marvel universe and features a number of highly detailed tables on...

  • News Nintendo Refuses to Confirm GameCube Downloads on Wii U

    No denying either

    Yesterday we reported that GameCube games could come to Wii U via WiiWare, and Nintendo has now released an official (and very carefully worded) statement to Destructoid: To clarify the capabilities of the Wii U system: As correctly stated, Wii U will not play Nintendo GameCube discs, however Nintendo has not made any...

  • News Nintendo Trademarks Mii U, WiiWare U, Wii U Music and More

    Oh, the possibilities...

    A smorgasbord of trademarks that Nintendo of Japan reserved approaching the unveiling of the Wii U at E3 has just been revealed. Most of these are likely to end up as unused protective placeholders, a usual practice for the Big N, but it's still neat to see what the company might have up its sleeves. It's also worth noting...

  • News GameCube to See New Downloadable Life on Wii U

    WiiWare just got more interesting

    Many have wondered whether the Wii U will include a Virtual Console service updated with GameCube games, and now NOA executive Amber McCollom has revealed that the answer is yes – through WiiWare. In an interview with NintendoGal, she is quoted as saying: GameCube discs will not be compatible with Wii U, but a...

  • News Vigil Games Talks Darksiders II and Tricky Wii U Development

    Staff members have high opinions of the console

    The action adventure game Darksiders II for the Wii U won't look any better than the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions, but not because it is unable to do so. Jay Fitzloff, marketing manager at THQ's Vigil Games spoke to Video Gamer about how relatively easy it was to get the the visuals to match the...

  • News Miyamoto: "Wii U is an Attractive Environment for Developers"

    Nintendo's duty to create new ways to play

    With the Wii U poised to setting a new paradigm in the way a controller is related to its console, Nintendo is clearly keen on setting itself apart from its competitors once again. In an interview conducted by French newspaper Libération, Shigeru Miyamoto explained that if a generation of consoles are...

  • News Miyamoto Talks the New Generation Behind the Wii U

    Expect new heroes on the console

    General manager at Nintendo EAD Shigeru Miyamoto spoke to French newspaper Libération after the events of E3 and gave a little insight into the development of the Wii U and how there's a new generation of designers emerging. When Libération asked Miyamoto if he was the brains behind the Wii U's hardware design, he...

  • News Capcom Could Show Wii U Creations at Tokyo Games Show

    Capcom COO cagey

    The third party Wii U games video shown at E3 had plenty of talking heads, but not all of them had games to show off. Some big names weren't present at all however, with Capcom a notable absentee from the jollity. That could all change in September though, according to Capcom COO David Reeves. In a recent interview with MEGamers,...

  • News Guillemot: "Assassin's Creed Wii U Won't Be Revelations"

    Ubisoft CEO teases what's in store

    With the recent news that Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy for the 3DS has been scrapped, we were left wondering if the Wii U instalment of the popular stealth, action series might follow the same route. In an interview with Swedish website Aftonbladet (as translated by the Swedish branch of

  • News Uncharted Studio: "Wii U is Full of Holes, Nothing Sony Can't Do"

    So not impressed so far, then..?

    Uncharted developer Naughty Dog has given its opinion on Wii U in an interview with NowGamer, and the studio isn't sold on Nintendo's innovation this time around. Game director Justin Richmond from Sony-owned Naughty Dog said the console looks interesting but is nothing that couldn't be done on Sony consoles: To be...

  • News Eiji Aonuma Talks Zelda Ideas and Development

    Pace of Zelda development "in some ways a problem"

    Having been an integral part of the Zelda series since The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Eiji Aonuma was naturally one of the key people Nintendo turned to in order to visualise how a Zelda "experience" might look on the Wii U. Speaking to IndustryGamers, Aonuma recalled being involved...

  • News Angry Birds Could Be Flocking to Wii U and 3DS

    Any guesses why?

    Rovio has recently told Eurogamer that it is "looking at every console" as a potential platform for its popular Angry Birds series, and with Nintendo platforms alone, the studio has been floating the idea of a handheld and a WiiWare release. With the recent hardware unveiling that took place at E3 2011, Rovio truly does...

  • News Crytek: Wii U Technology a Far Cry From Wii Hardware

    Investigating the new machine

    Crysis and Far Cry developer Crytek is looking at the Wii U quite closely, discussing the console's core future with NowGamer in a recent interview. The European developer told the site it was interested in the machine and is pleased with the technological leap over the present Wii hardware: We were unfortunately...

  • News Irrational Has No Plans for Wii U Games Yet

    Just likes the machine

    Ken Levine of Irrational Games appeared in the Wii U third party software video at E3 to wax lyrical about the console, but don't take that as a sign that the BioShock developer has something in the works for Wii U. Speaking to IGN, Levine was quick to explain that the team has no plans for anything on Wii U. While he didn't...

  • News Cliff Bleszinski Thinks Wii U Naysayers Will Still Buy It

    Gears of War creator sounds confident

    The Wii U has got a lot of people excited and Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski is no exception. Speaking to IndustryGamers, he spoke confidently on Nintendo's ability to sell the Wii U to gamers ― even the ones who aren't convinced with Nintendo's upcoming home console. Regarding the naysayers who dismiss...

  • Talking Point Wii U - Revolution or Evolution?

    Is the Wii U innovative enough, or just a big DS?

    When looked at logically, perhaps there is a valid point to be made about the Wii U. Admittedly, launch is a while away, and further details on the console and its capabilities will no doubt flow in the coming months, but the focus of this article is simple: will Wii U ‘disrupt’ the industry and...

  • News EA CEO Loves the Wii U

    "Transcends anything I’ve ever done before"

    Those sceptical of Wii U's ability to change gaming might want to heed the words of Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello, who recently gave the upcoming system a huge endorsement, complimenting its second screen setup, calling it cool, precise and powerful. He's quoted as saying: It's a high definition...

  • News The Thought of a Shooter-Only Future Makes Iwata Sad

    Don't make him cry

    Here in the West, lots of people like video games in which you shoot people. This is a fact. The war shooter genre, driven by the likes of Call of Duty and Battlefield, has become a huge industry in its own right, raking in countless millions of dollars worldwide every year. Don't tell Satoru Iwata this is the way all games are...

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