News - 2012, Week 04
Sunday29th Jan 2012
Hardware Review 3DS Circle Pad Pro
A thin line between love and hate
It says a lot about the absurdity of the Circle Pad Pro that when its existence was leaked last year, some hardcore Nintendo supporters refused to believe it was real. The concept of adding an additional analogue stick to the machine by the way of a chunky add-on seemed almost unbelievable; surely Nintendo...
Review Newton Vs The Horde (WiiWare)
An experiment to be ab-horde
We're going to say this up front because there won't be much room to say nice things later on in the review: Newton Vs The Horde has an utterly fantastic concept. The idea is to destroy approaching zombie-like creatures by using physics puzzles either found in your environment or created by you. That's an interesting...
Review Lola's Alphabet Train (DSiWare)
On the right track
Lola's Alphabet Train is both a learning tool and a game, but it's quite clearly more the former than the latter. This isn't a bad thing at all, but it's important to know that when setting your expectations. Lola is a chirpy panda bear who, aboard her titular train, presents children with a series of spelling and vocabulary based...
Saturday28th Jan 2012
Review Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit (Wii)
Winter blunderland
Another month, and yet another collection of motion controlled recreations of various sports rears its head on Wii, a console that already has sports-based minigame collections in unparalleled abundance. The latest contender to make a foolish bid to overthrow Wii Sports Resort as the undisputed champion of must-have titles 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,...
Review Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit (3DS)
Take to the snow... on the go!
Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit on Wii is, to put it bluntly, catastrophically bad; so bad, in fact, that we “awarded” it a measly 2/10, so there’s obviously absolutely no reason you should be rushing out to pick that travesty up. There is, however, a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel for Nintendo fans...
Friday27th Jan 2012
News Nintendo Announces 2D Super Mario Title for 3DS
Coming soon
Nintendo will release a new 2D side-scrolling Super Mario title for 3DS in the next financial year, president Satoru Iwata has announced. Speaking to investors about the upcoming titles for the console, Iwata said: Although there is no logo here, we are planning to release a totally new side-scrolling action Super Mario in 2D as a key...
Fancy that
The original Crush on PSP was a commercial failure, despite very positive reviews and praise for its ingenious concept. Developer Zoë Mode's returned for a second attempt with CRUSH3D, out now in Europe and heading Stateside in February. CRUSH's central concept is simple: its 3D stages can be "crushed" to become two...
News Big 3DS Release Dates Still to Be Determined
TBD strikes again
The latest Nintendo release schedule doesn't narrow the release windows for many highly anticipated 3DS games. Mario Tennis and Luigi's Mansion 2 are both labelled up as 2012 releases. Animal Crossing and Paper Mario are down for 2012 in Japan but are both listed as "to be determined" for North America and E
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 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 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 Mario Kart Wii Races Past 30 Million Sales Milestone
No brakes
Mario Kart Wii has sold a whopping 31.9 million units around the world. The Wii racer has shifted 4.9m copies worldwide since April, standing as the biggest-selling Wii game of the financial year so far. It's not the only Mario game hitting milestones: perhaps due to its inclusion in the Nintendo Selects range, Super Mario Galaxy has...
News Super Mario 3D Land is 3DS's First 5 Million Seller
Just can't get enough
Super Mario 3D Land is the first 3DS game to sell over 5 million copies worldwide. According to Nintendo's latest figures, the game sits at 5.03m units sold around the world, just ahead of Mario Kart 7's 4.54m sales. Both have easily trumped the previous best-seller, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, whi
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...
News Hironobu Sakaguchi Tours UK to Promote The Last Story
BAFTA be there
The Last Story is one month from launch, and creator Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming to the UK to promote it. Sakaguchi will address the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on Thursday 16th February, discussing his lengthy career and demonstrating his latest title. The event is open to the public and press, with tickets costing...
Thursday26th Jan 2012
Review Resident Evil Revelations (3DS)
An evolution of evil
Resident Evil Revelations arrives on 3DS with a weight of expectation, both of the franchise it represents and as a major release on the revitalised handheld. Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D may have landed first, but this is the one that fans have been anticipating. In a series renowned for its significant transformation and...
News Mewtwo to Psyche Out Pokémon Black and White
Put the spoons away
Legendary psychic Pokémon Mewtwo is joining the ranks of Pokémon Black & White from next month. Starting 12th February, DS owners can download Mewtwo via a wireless broadband connection, adding its fearsome psychic powers to their line-up. Full details are below. POWERFUL MEWTWO MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN FOR A SPECIAL...
News North American Resident Evil Packaging is Wrong
Scary spelling error
Update: A Capcom spokesperson has acknowledged the error in a statement to Eurogamer: It has come to our attention that there was a misspelling on the Resident Evil: Revelations packaging. We apologise for the mistake, which will be corrected for subsequent productions of the game. We are working on a solution to provide...
Nintendo Download 26th January 2012 (North America)
Mutant Mudds invade
Renegade Kid's much-anticipated platformer comes to the 3DS eShop alongside some quality DSiWare releases. Let's jump in and see what's available today. 3DS Download Software: Mutant Mudds (Renegade Kid, $8.99) — This cutesy 2D platformer is a bit of a belter, netting a 9/10 in our Mutant Mudds review. Don't be put off by the...
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 PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond Gets European Release Date
Quick, March
Pikachu's next adventure reaches Europe on 23rd March. PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond reaches the continent nearly a month after its North American release of 27th February, landing in Europe on the same day as Kid Icarus: Uprising. We weren't terribly impressed by the original, as our PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure review makes clear,...
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...
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
Is the Prince of Persia the chart king?
The biggest 3DS release on 19th January was Ubisoft's first-ever foray into the world of Virtual Console, but how did the Game Boy Color game fare? denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All Downloads: Prince of Persia barely scrapes into...
News Hulu Plus Still On the Way to 3DS
Apparently
It was way back in October that we first heard about Hulu Plus for Nintendo 3DS, but it's gone quiet since then, leading some to believe the service has been surreptitiously dropped. According to the latest video from Nintendo, it's still very much in the works. The video below crows about the advantages of connecting 3DS to the 'net,...
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 Nintendo 3DS Hits 15 Million Sold Worldwide
Back on track
Nintendo has revealed it's sold over 15 million 3DS consoles around the world since it launched in February 2011. The console had a strong three months from October to December, selling over 4.6m units around the world, its most successful quarter of sales to date. In this financial year — i.e. from April 2011 to date — Nintendo...
News New Trailer for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Released
Off-beat footage
The release of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy on 3DS isn't far away: in Japan. The rhythm game based on one of the most famous RPG series of all time is still only confirmed for the Land of the Rising Sun, with no indications from Square Enix that it intends to release the title elsewhere. Fans of the series can only hope, and the newly...
News Wii Sales Take Serious Year-on-Year Fall
Systems and software both tumble
While 3DS is in the ascendancy, Wii's certainly showing its age now, with sales for the year down 35% on the previous year. Globally, Nintendo sold 5.61 million Wii consoles in the months of October to December, taking the system's total financial year sales to 8.96m. At the same point in the previous financial year,...
Charts 26th January 2012 (North America)
Lock'd in
Let's see how the eShop releases for 19th January 2012 did in this week's 3DS charts. denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All Downloads: Kirby's still top but Pushmo drops a place under significant medical pressure from Dr. Mario. Is that ethical? 1. Kirby's Dream...
News Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa's Revenge Rated for VC
Slice of the action
The Australian classifications board has rated Neo Geo scrapper Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa's Revenge for Wii's Virtual Console service. Amakusa's Revenge introduced brothers Sogetsu and Kazuki Kazama, an "honorable death" move and even featured fatalities under certain conditions. We've already got Samurai Shodown,...
News DS Sales Hit 151m Consoles and 890m Games
Happy days
The venerable old grandfather of touch screen gaming, the Nintendo DS, isn't quite ready to roll over and go quietly just yet. In the past financial quarter Nintendo sold just over 2m consoles in the DS family, with 1.3m of those sales in the Americas. Financial year to date DS sales stand at 4.64m units around the world, with Nintendo...
News Nintendo Expects To Make a Loss in FY 2011
It's tough out there
Even though the 3DS has hit 15 million sales worldwide, it's not been enough to help Nintendo post a profit, with the company expecting to post an operating loss of 45,000 million Yen in this financial year. Nintendo revised its financial expectations this morning as follows: Net sales — revised down from 790,000m Yen to...
News Rising Star Games To Open American Office
Rising in the West
Popular European publisher Rising Star Games has revealed it's to open an office in California. The company has also formed Rising Star Games Digital, a — wait for it — digital publishing division for the ever-growing download market. RSG hasn't revealed any digital plans for Nintendo formats, but said recently it will...
Wednesday25th Jan 2012
Review Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors (WiiWare)
Rock-solid or balderdash?
Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors, a remake of Interplay's mid-90's first-person dungeon crawler, sounds pretty good on paper. The Wii is a bit short on quality RPGs — especially on WiiWare — and Stonekeep was a decent-looking, competent RPG back in its day. But pre-rendered 2D environments and FMV characters are no...
Leaving you smitten or just flea-bitten?
Nintendo certainly struck gold with Nintendogs on the DS back in 2005, winning the hearts of millions of gamers the world over with its blend of training, walking and generally caring for a band of virtual puppies so convincingly animated that you’d swear Battersea Dogs Home had dumped a truckload of actual...
News Rayman Origins 3DS Has No Multiplayer
Confirmed
Rayman Origins on 3DS has no multiplayer modes, Ubisoft has confirmed to us. A fact sheet for the 3DS version of the game emerged the other day and didn't make any mention of multiplayer, and now we know why — there's no local or online co-op play in Rayman's 3DS outing, a shame as four-player was one of the best things about Rayman...
Review Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Case of the Crumbling Cathedral (WiiWare)
In Russia, game disappoints you
If you’re wondering where in the world Carmen Sandiego is this week, or what in the world she’s up to, look no further than Moscow, capital city of Russia. As is generally the case, Sandiego is busy using one of her goons from the criminal organization V.I.L.E. to abscond with with a precious landmark. This...
News Official Metal Gear Solid 3DS Accessories Grip Europe
Up your 3DS camo index
With Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D out in six weeks, your thoughts might be turning to how you can camouflage your console to get in the espionage spirit, and Hori has it covered. The official Metal Gear Solid 3D accessory set is out in Europe on 24th February, a few weeks before the game, and includes a military-style...
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 Nintendo Unlocks Kid Icarus: Uprising Multiplayer Details
Light or Dark?
Now we have worldwide release dates for Kid Icarus: Uprising, Nintendo is stepping up its pre-release information campaign with details about the game's multiplayer modes. Players will be able to unlock extra weapons from multiplayer skirmishes, taking these into the single player adventure or using them against human opponents...
Feature 3DS and the Trend of Colourful Handhelds
Who needs rainbows?
It’s been on the market for less than a year, yet the 3DS is already available in five distinct colours, with multiple limited edition console designs also in stores or on the way. The reaction to new colour announcements is always interesting: while some bemoan yet another ‘new’ 3DS hitting the market, many seem to accept...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Flies to Europe on 23rd March
New details inside
Kid Icarus: Uprising finally has a European release date — and it's the same day as North America. Nintendo's next big 3DS title lands on 23rd March, and will include the same 3DS stand as in Japan and North America. The publisher's also revealed more details about the Fiend's Cauldron mode, a new gameplay idea to keep committed...
News Operation Rainfall Takes Aim at The Last Story
Time for round two
Last year a fan-based group, Operation Rainfall, launched an online campaign to petition Nintendo of America to localise three major Japanese Wii releases: Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story and Pandora's Tower. The news that Xenoblade Chronicles will be released in North America is perhaps due to sales success in Europe, though...
News Punch-Out!! is Japan's Next NES 3DS VC Game
OK?
NES pugilist title Punch-Out!! is the next game coming to Japan's 3DS Virtual Console. Due next week for 500 Yen, it's the third NES game to join the service but the first that wasn't released to 3DS Ambassadors: both Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda are available to buy in Japan. Looks like hopes for a 3D Classics: Punch-Out!! just...
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
Monday23rd Jan 2012
Animal magic?
After looking at the box art you’d be forgiven for thinking Zoo Resort 3D was a cutesy zoo management sim; in fact, you’ll find it's the complete opposite. With a realistic aesthetic and set of mechanics that sets it apart from simulation titles in general, it certainly provides a unique experience on 3DS. Moreover it’s actually...
Tuesday24th Jan 2012
Review Prince of Persia (3DS eShop / GBC)
Lowly servant of Persia
There's no question the original Prince of Persia is a classic game, with its iconic realistic movements, precision platforming and time limit. It's been ported to many, many platforms over the years, but does this handheld version hold up as well as other versions? In the transition to Game Boy Color, most of the game has...
News Mario and Zelda Sheet Music Now Available
Ocarina of Tune
Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda are arguably Nintendo's most prominent and famous franchises. With a shared history spanning 25 years and a lot of games, fans have been treated to some glorious music, whether it's been chip-tune or orchestral. Now, thanks to Alfred Music Publishing, musical gamers have the opportunity to play...
News Wahoo, It's a Mario Party 9 Trailer
You can cry if you want to
The latest Mario Party 9 trailer is in and shows off some of the 80+ minigames you can expect when it launches in March. Long-time Mario fans will pick up on countless references: Super Mario Sunshine's Piantas make an appearance, but there's plenty more to see if you keep your eyes peeled. How many can you spot?
News Brighten Up Your Day with Colors! 3D Screenshots
Palette cleanser
While we wait for a release date for Colors! 3D, the developer Collecting Smiles has released the first 3D screenshots of the game online. The shots are available at 3DS Screenshot, though you'll find one 3D shot embedded in the post below: simply load up this page in your 3DS web browser and tap the image below to open it up in 3D...
News Nintendo Senior Managing Director Nobuo Nagai Passes Away
Sad times
Nintendo senior managing director Nobuo Nagai has died aged 66 after a battle with stomach cancer. Nagai joined Nintendo in 1967, becoming a director in 2000 before moving up to managing director, eventually becoming senior managing director and representative director in 2004. Among Nintendo's board of directors, Nagai had worked at...
News Mutant Mudds OST Tracks Now Available
A little Mudd mood music
For those of you who are gearing up for the Mudds invasion on Thursday in North America, Renegade Kid has just the thing to put you in the mood. The developer has already added 11 tracks from the official Mutant Mudds OST on its bandcamp page and the good news is that you get to choose the price you pay for the soundtrack...
News Rayman Origins 3DS Leaps the Atlantic on 20th March
Helicopter hair and all
Ubisoft has revealed Rayman Origins will release in North America on 20th March. The portable platformer is based on the critically acclaimed 2011 home console release, with StreetPass functionality thrown in for good measure. We've got some fresh screenshots below to get you all geared up for Rayman's upcoming adventure.
News Dawn Paine to Leave Nintendo UK
Fond farewell
Nintendo UK's long-serving marketing director Dawn Paine is leaving the company. Paine has served ten years at Nintendo, during which she oversaw the marketing campaigns for Wii, DS and 3DS, as well as games phenomena including Wii Fit Plus and Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training, among others. Paine leaves Nintendo to join Universal...
Monday23rd Jan 2012
Here's Mudd in your eye
Mutant Mudds started out as a 3D polygonal platformer called Maximillian and the Rise of the Mutant Mudds intended as a retail title for the DS. Sadly, this retail release and a pitched DSiWare rendition never got off the ground. Not ones to let a good concept die, Renegade Kid instead decided to morph and move the project...
News SoulCalibur V 3DS Appears on Retail Coming Soon List
Draw your weapon
3DS certainly isn't short of fighting games, but it may be getting one more added to its stable in the form of Namco Bandai's SoulCalibur V. A retail insider tipped us off that a pre-order listing for the game appears on tills at a major high street chain. Namco Bandai had not responded to our invitation to comment at the time of...
News Capcom Had Resident Evil 5 Running on 3DS
Now that's magic
Resident Evil Revelations's road to retail ends in Europe this week, and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata sat down with Capcom staff to discuss how the title came about. Before Revelations, of course, there was Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, but even before that Capcom had a very different game running on the machine, as director...
Nintendo Download 26th January 2012 (Europe)
Balloons and caterpillars
It's time to look ahead to Thursday and see what games lucky European residents can download, with Wii, 3DS Virtual Console and DSiWare all represented this week. 3DS Virtual Console: Balloon Kid (Game Boy, Nintendo, £2.70/€3) — A sequel to Balloon Fight, this hasn't aged particularly well, sadly: our Balloon Kid...
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 Ocarina of Time Project Underway in Minecraft
Not a typical remake
It seems that the gaming community just can't get enough of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time with yet another remake, of sorts, on the way. For those who aren't aware, Minecraft is a PC title with simplistic, sprite-based graphics that allows almost unhindered freedom and exploration. It's been a big hit with user...
News White and Pink 3DS Consoles Go Solo from 10th February
Heads up UK
Nintendo UK originally promised the Coral Pink and Ice White 3DS consoles would be available sans game in December, but due to unspecified delays the systems are now due to launch on 10th February. Amazon currently lists the colours at £159.99, significantly higher than the £139.99 or so it's asking for the Metallic Red, Aqua Blue and...
News Nintendo Zone Heading to UK Airports
It's taking off
Nintendo UK has confirmed an agreement with the curiously-named Boingo Wireless to provide free Wi-Fi access in a number of major British airports, a move that will also bring Nintendo Zone to the UK for the first time. This is ideal news for jet-setters who fancy a bit of eShop browsing while waiting for their flight. It's important...
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...
News Extended Resident Evil Revelations Trailer Released
Horrifying spoilers
Resident Evil Revelations has almost arrived, and is certainly the year's first blockbuster retail release on 3DS. The hype has been building, and Capcom has now released a five-minute trailer that reveals more about the title's story. The publisher may have taken the 'Revelations' part too seriously for some as this trailer...
News Code of Princess Takes the Fight Online
Getting better all the time
3DS action RPG Code of Princess — from the same team behind SEGA Saturn stunner Guardian Heroes — is set to get online multiplayer, according to 7net (via Andriasang). The site states up to four players — two fewer than on Saturn — can engage in the battle mode, with cooperative quests on offer for those who like...














































































