Tag: Japan - Page 65
News 3DS Stays on Top in Japan, but Wii U Falls Behind Vita
Like two bald men fighting over a comb...
Some things seem to be ever-lasting in the Japanese video game charts, one of which is continued dominance for the 3DS. It goes like this — the two models outsell every other platform combined, and rivals or those not inclined to like the system curse the skies and wonder how it came to such a position of...
News Japanese Wii U eShop Still Waiting for its First Download-Only Game
Those of us in the West are rather fortunate
It's a common refrain among gamers in the West, especially with 3DS games, to bemoan a number of rather interesting titles that either don't come out of Japan or, alternatively, take an age to do so. When you also take into account the number of attractive hardware revisions of the handheld, particularly,...
News Shiny Blue and Pink 3DS Models Coming to Japan
Making the move from Taiwan and Hong Kong
Over the past 25 years or more Nintendo's liked to give consumers a lot of choices with handhelds, with colours and design variations to keep almost anyone happy. It's now emerged that the pictured light blue and pink 3DS models — not XL — will arrive in Japan on 20th March; not that Japan has a shortage...
News Digimon World Re:Digitize Decode Coming To 3DS in Japan
Going head to head with Pokémon X & Y
Last year Digimon World Re:Digitize was released on the PSP in Japan, but it never made it to the 3DS — or to the West for that matter. Well, Namco Bandai has now revealed that an updated version of the game called Digimon World Re:Digitize Decode is on its way to the 3DS in Japan. Digimon World Re:Digitize...
News You, Me, and the Cubes Designer Dies Ages 42
Kenji Eno passes away
Respected game designer and musician Kenji Eno passed away yesterday. Cause of death was heart failure induced by high blood pressure. He was 42 years old. Best known for founding the game studio WARP, Inc. and creating the Sega Saturn RPG adventure D, Eno was also involved in the WiiWare title You, Me, and the Cubes. He also...
News Guild02 Coming To Japan As Three Separate eShop Downloads
Trio of treats
It has been confirmed during today's Japanese Nintendo Direct that Guild01 is being followed up by Guild02 - a trio of 3DS eShop titles developed by some of Japan's leading designers. Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune is contributing a tank shooter with insect-sized enemies. Mini Kitchen's Kazu Ayabe is working on The Friday When The...
News The Legend of Zelda Oracle Titles Coming to Japanese 3DS Virtual Console
We'd be amazed if the same doesn't happen in the West
Nintendo has hosted a Japanese 3DS Direct, focused on titles on the way in the big N's homeland. While a number of games on show may never make it to the West, two upcoming Virtual Console titles seem inevitable for worldwide appearances. It was confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages...
Nintendo Direct Watch the Japanese 3DS Direct - Live!
Focused on third party games
Last week we told you about a planned Japanese 3DS Direct with a focus on third-party games, and rather late last night Nintendo confirmed a time for this latest extravaganza. Naturally we're interested to see what's on the way, even if there's a danger of it featuring some games that won't make it West. It all kicks...
News Shin Megami Tensei IV Special Edition 3DS XL Coming To Japan
Sure looks pretty
Shin Megami Tensei IV is coming out in Japan this May, and to mark the event lucky Japanese fans will also have the chance to pick up a rather fetching limited edition 3DS XL (or LL as it is known in that part of the world). The release date is May 23rd, to coincide with the stand-alone game. People who pick up the first-print...
News Dragon Quest X Release Date Announced For Japan
The quest begins in the east
Square Enix has revealed today that it is set to release Dragon Quest X in Japan on 30th March. Boasting the same content as the Wii release, the Wii U version has enhanced graphics and the option to play the game entirely on the Wii U GamePad. The MMO RPG will retail at 6,980 yen (that's around €55 / £48 / $75) and...
Hardware Classics Nintendo AV Famicom
Give the dog a bone
The Nintendo Entertainment System — or NES, for short — is arguably the console on which Nintendo's current lofty status was built. Launched in Japan as the Famicom, the 8-bit platform is home to an almost endless list of solid-gold classics, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid
News Nintendo Direct Set For Japan Next Week, 3DS Third-Party Content Only
It's not over yet, it seems
We've only just gotten over one Nintendo Direct, and now there's another on the horizon. Yes, you read that right. This broadcast, however, will be Japanese only, and will focus directly on third-party content. Details are scarce at the moment, so it's unclear if European and North American announcements will unfold at...
News 3DS Remake Of Dragon Quest VII Sells 800,000 Copies In Just Four Days
3DS continues to dominate Japan
The Nintendo 3DS doesn't seem to be releasing its vice-like grip on the Japanese gaming public, with Square Enix's Dragon Quest VII proving to be the next in a long line of smash hit titles for the format in The Land of the Rising Sun. Square Enix's remake of the PlayStation original launched in Japan on February 7th...
News Nintendo Japan Is Joining The Nintendo Direct Love This Valentine's Day
Not one, not two, but three dates this Valentine's Day
Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe both have Nintendo Direct presentations happening today, and now the inevitable Japanese broadcast has been announced - with the presentation streaming at 9 AM ET / 6 AM PT. Similar to the European broadcast, the 3DS will be the star of the show in the...
News Dragon Quest VII Tweaks on 3DS Explained by Developers
Satoru Iwata interviews the team behind the 3DS remake
The Dragon Quest VII remake for 3DS is out now in Japan, so it seemed only right for Nintendo President Satoru Iwata to interview a few of the people involved with the making of the game in his Iwata Asks series. In the interview, helpfully translated by Siliconera, the series creator Yuuji...
News Pokémon Scramble U Confirmed For Spring Arrival in Japan
Download-only follow up to Pokémon Rumble
When it comes to the Pokémon industry, it's about more than the main series releases, with a variety of off-shoots and alternatives regularly gracing our gaming machines. One series that made its début on WiiWare was Pokémon Rumble, which we rather liked for its boggling premise and simple fun, and that...
News New Information on Pokémon X & Y Coming Soon
Soon? This week to be precise
The latest episode of Japanese TV show Pokémon Smash has confirmed that new information regarding Pokémon X & Y for the 3DS will be making its way to our needy little ears during next week's episode, as well as being featured in this week's CoroCoro magazine. CoroCoro — a Japanese manga magazine published by...
News Wii Street U App Finds Its Way to Wii U eShop in Japan
Nosiness from the comfort of the living room
Last year Satoru Iwata confirmed that the Google Maps Street View functionality would be coming to Wii U, an app that makes sense given the GamePad's screen and motion sensors. It may not be a big hit or a system seller, but this potentially fun app — called Wii Street U — has now arrived in Japan...
News 3DS Software and Hardware Still Leading Japanese Charts
Wii U momentum remains low
It's that time again, when the Japanese chart results emerge and show us that Nintendo's homeland is still in love with the 3DS. It's been a period of sustained success for the handheld in the region, and in light of the Q3 financial report listing 29.84 million sales — as of 30th December — we can be pretty confident...
News Here's What The Next Mario Kart Looks Like
Just one catch - it's the arcade version
Screenshots of the next entry in the popular Mario Kart series have hit the web - but before you get too excited about laying your eyes on the recently-announced Wii U sequel, we should point out that we're talking about Mario Kart: Arcade GP DX, developed by Namco Bandai. It's the third game in the coin-op...
Nintendo Direct Animal Crossing Developers Reply To Fan Feedback
Read our translation of events right here
Because of the overwhelming response to the Animal Crossing: New Leaf in Japan, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata and some of the game's staff decided to have a another special Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct to share some of the comments they've received about the game. We start with game producer Eguchi...
News Iwata Implies That He Could Step Down Over Sluggish Sales Performance
"We feel greatly accountable for this severe outlook"
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has hinted that he will step down if goals for the next fiscal year are not met. Speaking in a Corporate Management Policy Briefing, Iwata addressed the thorny issue of two consecutive years of losses and recent financial troubles: We feel greatly accountable...
News XSEED Talks Wii Support And Why It Isn't Touching Retro Game Challenge 2
"Our love for the game blinded our business reasoning"
XSEED Games has a reputation for localising great Japanese-only titles for the west. The publisher has been very successful with its choices, with The Last Story becoming its most successful title of all time. Another highly-regarded title is Pandora's Tower, a game that has already made it to...
News Charizard 3DS XL Will Be Available To Pokémon Daisuki Club Members
We'd choose it over Pikachu any day
In October we reported that Japan would be getting a very special treat in the form of a Charizard 3DS XL, but it would only be available through a lottery across Pokémon Centres in Japan. It has now been revealed that members of the Pokémon Daisuki Club in the Nintendo's homeland are being offered the...
News Pokémon Black and White 2 Claims Top Spot for Japan in 2012
A year to remember for Nintendo's handheld business
Media Create, the most trusted source for the weekly hardware and software charts in Japan, has released details of the top selling games in the region for the whole of 2012. As anyone who follows our regular posts on the weekly Japanese chart will know, Nintendo's been having a good time in its...
News Game & Wario Is Hitting Japan March 28th
Mini game madness
Nintendo has confirmed that Wii U title Game & Wario will be coming to Japanese stores on March 28th. The US and European release dates have yet to be confirmed, but we'd imagine they won't be far behind. Game & Wario is the next instalment in the popular WarioWare series, and is made up of various mini games. You can...
News Capcom Reveals Resident Evil Revelations Special Edition Bundle For Japan
It's all kinds of expensive
This week, Capcom revealed that it is set to release a revamped version of the previously "3DS exclusive" Resident Evil Revelations - Biohazard Revelations in Japan - this year for the Wii U. The company is currently putting together a flashy bundle for gamers in Japan - with a flashy price tag to match. Feast your...
News Platinum Games Is Interested In Acquiring The Darksiders Franchise
A match made in heaven?
Yesterday, we reported that THQ's time was up and the company's studios were being sold off to the highest bidders. One of the shocks of the process has been the fact that nobody has come forward to purchase Darksiders II studio Vigil Games. However, it would seem that there are interested parties out there. Platinum Games...
News Prepare To Be Jealous At This Amazing Nintendo Collection
Japanese collector Isao Yamazaki shows off his stunning haul
As we move towards a totally digital age, the attraction of collecting physical gaming media is going to become even more unusual - pretty soon, there will be kids who don't understand the concept of actually buying a physical cartridge. Thankfully, so long as people like Isao Yamazaki...
Rumour Monster Hunter 4 Delay Is Due To PS Vita Port
We hope this isn't true
If we could give the "Rumour" prefix on this news story additional emphasis, then we would - because this one needs to be taken with a sizable pinch of salt. Japanese magazine GameLab is reporting that the delay of Monster Hunter 4 on the 3DS isn't due to quality improvements - as stated by Capcom - but because the game is...
News 3DS Maintains Dominance of the Japanese Charts
Wii U slips just behind PlayStation 3
The latest round of sales results from Japan, covering the period from 7th to 13th January, give us an early indication of sales levels in the region after the boosted business of the Holiday season. They tell a mixed tale, with 3DS still ruling the roost and Wii U scrapping it out within the main pack. In...
News Nintendo Maintains Momentum and Dominance in Japanese Charts
3DS still comfortably out-performing Wii U
It's a New Year, but the same old story in the Japanese hardware and software charts. In recent times it's not been a question of how dominant Nintendo (particularly 3DS) is, but the extent to which it's outperforming rival systems. The most recent results (covering the first week of the New Year) continue...
News Enhanced Version Of Professor Layton And The Miracle Mask Releasing In Japan
With added extra content
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask launched almost 2 years ago in Japan, and will finally be making its way to the 3DS eShop over there, which comes with a plus. We literally mean 'plus', as the game will be released on the eShop as Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask+ to distinguish between it and the original...
News 3DS RPG Fantasy Life Already Sold Out In Japan
Hopes of a Western release boosted
Level 5 has a few 3DS games out in Japan that are yet to be confirmed for Western release. Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney has been out since the end of November and just before the New Year the ultra-cute Fantasy Life was made available in both physical and digital form. Fantasy Life is actually developed by...
News 3DS Surpasses 10 Million Sales in Japan
It keeps on rolling
While worldwide performance and firm figures are either hard to find or occasionally shown to be modest, one thing is certain — the 3DS is emerging as a major sales success in Japan. Perhaps due to the power of franchises — Animal Crossing: New Leaf has been a monster hit — the handheld's performance is such that it's...
News New Pokémon Nintendo Direct Appearing On 8th January
Pokéballs on the ready
Last weekend we reported that Game Freak had promised new Pokémon information on the 8th January. Looks like the big announcement is set to be released, as both Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo of America have revealed via Twitter that a special Nintendo Direct focusing on Pokémon news will be hosted by Nintendo President...
Hardware Classics Game Boy Micro Famicom Edition
Micro Marvel
For more than a decade, the name "Game Boy" was as synonymous with handheld gaming as "iPod" is with portable music playback today. Following the launch of the original monochrome Game Boy console in the late '80s, Nintendo ruled the market with total dominance thanks to an incredibly popular line of million-selling systems. When the...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Has Been Downloaded Half A Million Times In Japan
Iwata reveals that smartphones have played a huge part in the game's success
Animal Crossing: New Leaf has become something of a smash hit in its native Japan; as of December, it has sold 2 million copies, becoming one of the most popular 3DS games yet and illustrating just how massive Nintendo's console is in the far east. Download sales haven't...
News Streets Of Rage 4 Almost Happened, But Sega Decided Otherwise
Series composer spills the beans
Sega's Streets of Rage franchise - known in Japan as Bare Knuckle - is arguably one of the most beloved 16-bit series of all time. It's not just popular with Sega fans, either; the legendary second outing is seen by many retro experts as the finest side-scrolling fighter ever conceived. Amazingly, the franchise has...
News Wii U Version Of Need For Speed: Most Wanted Will Feature Off-Screen Play
Japanese release date confirmed as 14th March
We know that Need For Speed: Most Wanted is coming to the Wii U in 2013, but up until recently there was no solid indication of when that would be. That's now changed as EA Japan has listed the release date as 14th March in that region - presumably North American and European dates will follow shortly...
News Project X Zone Suffers Massive Price Drop In Japan
3DS tactical role-player discounted by 85%
Namco Bandai's cross-over RPG Project X Zone has seen its price slashed by an incredible 85% by one Japanese retailer in what appears to be an effort to shift unsold stock. To make matters even more embarrassing, it would appear that the version of the game being discounted is the first-print limited...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Hits 2 Million Sales In Japan
Not even Mario or Monster Hunter could win the race
Animal Crossing: New Leaf has been doing extremely well in Japan since its release at the beginning of November this year. A couple of days after hitting stores the game had sold out across Japan, leaving many fans disappointed who never managed to grab a physical copy. Not long before the month...
News 3DS Continues To Dominate Sales In Japan
Not even Wii U can stop it
Last week Wii U launched in Japan and clocked up some impressive sales, so impressive that it even outsold the 3DS, which has been dominating hardware sales in Japan for a sustained period and outselling the competition by 2.5 times. However, the Wii U wasn't on top for long as this week the 3DS came back with a...
News Capcom's Projections Tumble As Monster Hunter 4 Is Delayed In Japan
3DS smash hit now set for summer debut
Capcom has confirmed that Monster Hunter 4 will miss its March 2013 release date in Japan. The company has revealed that the eagerly-awaited game will be pushed to a vague summer launch, and added that the delay was "based on the decision that further quality enhancements are needed in order to meet the...
News Space Harrier 3D Is Real, Hits Japanese 3DS eShop Next Week
Welcome to the fantasy zone
Back on November we reported on a rumour that stated SEGA was about to bring some of its classic arcade titles to the 3DS with fancy 3D visuals, and that Space Harrier was set to see release first. Turns out it was more than just a rumour, and SEGA is launching Space Harrier 3D on the Japanese 3DS eShop on December 26th...
News Riki Densetsu Footage Roughhouses Its Way Out Of Japan
River City Ransom sequel is now available on the Japanese 3DS eShop
Footage from Arc System Works' River City Ransom spin-off Riki Densetsu has appeared online, showing off some impressive old-school brawling action. The game is available in Japan now but there's no word on a western release at present. It features series antagonist Riki as the...
News Square Enix Working On 3DS Game Featuring Transforming Cars
Robots in disguise
Square Enix is working on a brand new 3DS title based on its shounen TV series, Gyrozetter. The game, titled Gyrozetter: Wings of the Albatross, is slated for a Spring 2013 release. The actual series itself features cars made from famous manufacturers - such as Toyota - transforming into robots. Sounds awful familiar, doesn't it?...
News Japanese 3DS Lifetime Sales Overtake PlayStation 3
Nintendo consoles dominating on home soil
Recently we learnt that the 3DS was dominating sales in Japan with the portable console shifting 2.5 times more units than all other platforms combined. It seems this momentum isn’t showing any signs of slowing down either, as this week’s impressive sales have seen it leapfrog a big rival in total sales...
News Here's A Special Edition 3DS XL And First Trailer For Super Robot Taisen UX
Robot rock
Namco Bandai has released the first trailer for its upcoming 3DS title, Super Robot Taisen UX. Due to hit the portable console on 14th March 2013, the game is classed as a 2D side-scrolling action game based on the popular Japanese series - featuring plenty of anime mech battles with notable characters from the show. To commemorate the...
News Nintendo Land Was Originally Going To Feature Star Fox And Excitebike
Developers reveal the ideas that didn't make it into the final game
In this week's issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu, the developers behind the Wii U title Nintendo Land have spoken about its creation in a roundtable interview. Interestingly, they revealed that ideas for potential mini-game settings had to be put aside as development progressed...
