Tag: Nintendo - Page 137
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 Take a Look at These Nintendo DS Testing Machines
Plastic breach
Readers of a nervous disposition, turn away now — the following images of Nintendo DS testing may prove disturbing. Nintendo has published its 2012 Corporate Social Responsibility report, which contains several images of portable console torture. The report shows off some of the vigorous tests that Nintendo hardware goes through to...
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 Here's a Freakyforms Deluxe Launch Trailer
I told you I was freaky
If the mere idea of creating hilarious beasts doesn't entice you to try Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive!, maybe this launch trailer will help. The expanded retail version of the 3DS eShop game is arriving alongside 3DS XL on 28th July in Europe. Just like the download-only original, you'll be able to play at Dr...
News Nintendo Confirms Financial Loss for First Quarter
Not a surprise
As you may recall, Nintendo announced its first annual loss in 30 years in April, as the company faced the music for problems with the 3DS launch and a declining Wii. It's just announced its results for the first quarter of this current financial year and, as anticipated, it's a loss. In the three months that ended 30th June this...
News New Super Mario Bros. 2 was Once Called NSMB Gold
Gold digger
The latest edition of Iwata Asks is out now, and it focuses on 3DS's next goldmine: New Super Mario Bros. 2. This time Nintendo global president Satoru Iwata is joined by director Yusuke Amano, art director Masaaki Ishikawa and, arriving fashionably late, EAD general manager Takashi Tezuka. Apparently Mario's latest adventure is so...
Talking Point Nintendo's Digital Pricing
Is it persuasive enough?
This week we’ve been given a glimpse of Nintendo’s plans for retail download pricing and incentives, both for Japan and North America. It all begins with New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Demon Training in Japan on 28th July, with North America and Europe joining in with Mario’s title on 19th and 17th August respectively...
News Pokémon Orchestra is Suitably Epic
Gotta compose 'em all
The Pokémon franchise has always been home to some quality music, but one fan has taken it to another level. Over the last couple of years Braxton "Skotein" Burks has been putting together orchestral versions of some of the series' best loved tunes to super effect. Burks is currently working with Joypad Records to release a...
News Put Your Trivia Knowledge to the Test in Quiz Party
Let's get quizzical
Nintendo is encouraging Wii owners to party smartly with Quiz Party. It's out in the UK on 27th July and is hosted by none other than television quiz show legend Roy Walker of Catchphrase fame. Say what you see! Using just one Wii Remote, an unlimited number of competitors can take part and answer questions about history,...
News Nintendo Appoints New UK Marketing Director
Marketing leader
Nintendo has appointed Shelly Pearce as its UK marketing director. The role was vacated earlier this year when Dawn Paine left to become marketing vice president at Universal Pictures. Pearce joined Nintendo 14 years ago in 1998, and has been the head of European PR since 2002. Senior managers James Honeywell, Ben Taylor and Jo...
News Picross E Rated for Australian eShop
So you know what that means
Fans of numbers and colouring in boxes, rejoice: it looks like Picross E is finally leaving Japan. The Australian Classification Board has rated the eShop game, which says to us it'll come to PAL regions in the coming months or, if we're really lucky, weeks. The last we heard of the Jupiter-developed puzzle game was...
News Gold Boo and More in New Super Mario Bros. 2 Trailer
It's raining coins
New power-ups and freshly minted enemies make their appearances in this New Super Mario Bros. 2 trailer, straight from Nintendo. A gold Boo, gold Bullet and Banzai Bills and more all appear to dole out cash, helping you to your target of one million gold coins. The Mini and Mega Mushrooms return, and now we can finally answer...
News 3D Video of Plants to Soil 3DS
That's right. Plants.
3DS will get its best video series since Threediots at the end of this month when Nintendo and Atlantic Productions release a 90-second clip from Kingdom of Plants 3D. The time-lapse video was filmed over the course of a year and gives a "revealing and fascinating new look at plant life", apparently. You can check it out for...
Feature Another Dimension Opening Night
Nintendo warps into trendy East London
Nintendo continues to find ways of expanding the reach of 3DS to new audiences with events such as this month’s UK photo competition Another Dimension, which saw a group of photography enthusiasts get to grips with 3D picture-taking using the system in organised field trips hosted by a wide range of...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Cards Out Now in UK
Tasty Panini
Panini and Nintendo want to fuel your thirst for all things Pit with a big collection of collectible cards for Kid Icarus: Uprising. UK fans can pick up a Starter Pack, including a binder and three card packs, for £5.99. Individual packs of cards will set you back £1.50 each. With 404 cards to collect it's probably best not to do the...
News 3DS XL and Upcoming Titles Head to Comic-Con
Mario and more
Nintendo will once again show off new games and hardware at Comic-Con International in San Diego this weekend. From 12th to 15th July attendees can try the new 3DS XL and upcoming titles like New Super Mario Bros. 2, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow — Mirror of Fate. There'll be no Wii U presence there,...
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...
Out Today Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise (Europe)
Skip to the beat
Nearly five months after it hit North America, Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise lands in Europe today. The European release lets you choose between the English and Japanese soundtracks, a feature exclusive to Europe, but is otherwise unchanged from its North American release. If you're interested in some Wii-based rhythm, check out...
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 3DS Sales Momentum in U.S. and Europe is 'Not so Good'
Post-Holiday slump
When it comes to sales in Japan, 3DS has been the undisputed number one for a number of months, finishing top of the hardware charts and often out-selling all other consoles combined. The story elsewhere, however, isn't as rosy, and while we're probably not looking at poor sales of the level that prompted a significant price-drop...
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 Wii Has Featured Fewer New IPs Than Rivals
Is anyone surprised?
It's a fairly common perception that Nintendo is typically happy to reproduce its existing IPs rather than develop new characters or franchises. That theory was put to the test over at Gamespot, where the numbers of new franchises per year were calculated for Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3, restricted to each company's own developed or...
Mario returns with an uncharacteristic greed
When Nintendo announced New Super Mario Bros. 2, reactions were certainly mixed. Many greeted the news with immediate excitement and anticipation, whereas others were less enthusiastic about what they felt to be underwhelming news of a predictable sequel. Whichever side of the argument you fall on,...
News New Documentary Tells The Last Story
Fan service
The Last Story finally hits North America this month, so it's a good time to learn a little more about the game's development. This documentary by French site Sidekick.fr explains more about Mistwalker's background, The Last Story's original concept as a much darker game called Lost World and more. It's well researched and slick, and...
Game of the Month June 2012 - Pokémon Conquest
Conquers all
June wasn't a great month for game releases it must be said, but the long-awaited arrival of Pokémon Conquest netted it our Game of the Month award in June. A blend of Japanese strategy series Nobunaga's Ambition and Nintendo's beloved pocket monsters, it straddles the middle ground between the two RPG approaches, creating something...
News Nintendo of America Appoints New Digital Strategy Executive
Meet Duncan Orrell-Jones
To show it's serious about a digital future, Nintendo of America has created a role — senior vice president of network business — and appointed Duncan Orrell-Jones to the new position. Orrell-Jones will lead the company's digital strategy for 3DS and Wii U in North America, reporting directly to Nintendo of America...
Talking Point 3DS XL - Why Now?
The timing is both predictable and strange
The upcoming release of 3DS XL, the sizeable update to the original model, is hardly a surprise. Nintendo has constantly iterated its handhelds in an effort to attract more consumers and, to put it bluntly, make a lot of money: we can’t even argue that the XL is arriving earlier than expected, as the gap...
News Nintendo Serves Up Mario Tennis History Infographic
One love
This week sees the start of Wimbledon, and with Mario Tennis Open only a month old Nintendo's combined the two in infographic format. The official series history starts from 3D sports game Mario's Tennis and ends with... 3D sports game Mario Tennis Open. Weird. It's a bit confusing, though: it mentions Mario Tennis in 2004, presumably...
News Reggie Fils-Aime: Fanbase Demands Are 'Insatiable'
Don't worry, he still loves you
Reggie Fils-Aime was a busy man during E3, leading Nintendo's main press conference and persistently spreading the word about Wii U and 3DS. As is expected, a lot of what was said was towing the company line, but in a more relaxed exchange with Kotaku, the Nintendo of America boss shared his views on the expectation...
News Official 3DS XL Japanese Website Launches
No blue in Nintendo's homeland
Now that the new 3DS XL has been announced, Nintendo has wasted little time in launching an official website in Japan. Interestingly, Japan has red + black and silver + black models, like Europe and North America, but doesn't have the blue + black version, opting instead for an all-white console. The all-white version...
News 3DS XL UK Prices Will be Decided by Retailers
Expect prices 'ASAP'
One of the interesting announcements in the 3DS XL reveal today was a price-point of $199 in the U.S., a fairly good price considering that the original model cost $250 in March 2011. Nintendo did have to learn a cruel lesson that the original launch price wouldn't sell enough units, prompting a major reduction just months after...
News Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Teaser Trailer
Hats off
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask is coming to Europe and North America later this year, and we have a teaser trailer to show more of Herschel and Luke's adventures. It's worth watching not just for the always impeccable animation quality and atmosphere, but because you get to see a young Herschel Layton without his trademark top hat...
News New Animal Crossing 3DS Trailer Straight from Japan
Serene mode engaged
Angry that Animal Crossing won't reach Europe until 2013 and North America until... well, who knows when? Watch this new Japanese trailer for the game and all your stress might just melt away or, perhaps, become more strongly amplified. The video shows tonnes of new touches like solar panels to install outside, new shops and...
News 3DS Virtual Console Gets Big Push in North America
Two new games every week
If you live in North America and you're fed up of getting the brown end of the 3DS Virtual Console stick, there's very good news on the way. From 5th July to 1st August, Nintendo will release two 3DS Virtual Console games in the eShop every week. That covers four Nintendo Downloads — 1st August is a Wednesday — so...
News Animal Crossing 3DS and Fire Emblem Hit Europe in 2013
Lazy days
Nintendo of Europe president Satoru Shibata just confirmed two much-anticipated Nintendo 3DS titles, Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem: Awakening, will not reach 3DS until next year. Nintendo had previously announced Fire Emblem for 2012, but Shibata said Nintendo wants to work hard on developing the best games possible. Animal Crossing and...
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 Nintendo and Square Enix Sign Kingdom Hearts Deal
Sales ahoy
Nintendo's signed an arrangement with Square Enix that means the Big N will handle sales, marketing and distribution for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. KH3D:DDD is released in PAL territories on 20th July, 11 days before North American players can sample its Disney delights. Nintendo has...
News Nintendo Takes Unleashed Tour to Manchester
Grin up north
Nintendo UK's Unleashed bandwagon rolls through Sheffield in July, but it's also trekking across the Pennines to take in Manchester this October. On 13th and 14th October, UK fans will be able to sample upcoming and recently released Nintendo titles at the Play Expo in Manchester's EventCity. Neither Nintendo nor event hosts Replay...
News Nintendo UK Boss David Yarnton to Leave Nintendo
Pastures new
Nintendo UK general manager David Yarnton is to leave the company after nearly 20 years of service. Yarnton took the position of general manager in September 2003, steering the UK ship during the successful Wii and DS eras and overseeing the launch of 3DS last year. Before taking up the UK position Yarnton served as director of sales...
News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Art Brings Back Old Favourites
Power-ups and Koopalings in tow
New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a real homage to Super Mario World, what with Reznor and everything, but there are more SMW nods in store. This artwork from Nintendo shows off the Koopalings in Bowser's clown car/copter combo, plus other released images reveal the return of the Mega Mushroom, Mini Mushroom and old staples...
News Photos from Nintendo UK's Another Dimension Events
Do not adjust your sets
Your eyes do not deceive you: the gallery below does indeed feature photographs of renowned birdwatcher Bill Oddie and pop group The Saturdays. No, we haven't finally lost it and decided to turn Nintendo Life into a celebrity gossip blog — the famous faces came out to support Nintendo UK's Another Dimension photography...
News Miyamoto: Nintendo Focused on Fun, Not Competition
Worried about reliance on guns in gaming
Shigeru Miyamoto's reputation and prominence in the gaming industry means that his opinion is sought on a large number of issues, not always those specific to Nintendo itself. As the recognisable face for Mario and the company, he often reflects the opinions and ideology shared by his colleagues, so it's not...
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...
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...
News 3DS Enjoys Sales Increase in U.S. Chart
Better than May 2011
Today saw the monthly NPD data release, which provides sales details for gaming software and hardware in the U.S. The results for May didn't feature any Nintendo titles in the software top ten, possibly due to a fairly heavy-hitting month of releases on other platforms. There was some positive news for Nintendo, as 3DS was the...
Talking Point Are E3 Conferences a Dying Breed?
E3 is changing
9am PDT, Tuesday, E3 week. For Nintendo fans, this time and date is akin to New Year's Day, ringing in the next big batch of games Nintendo has to offer and beginning a week-long celebration of all things gaming. Nintendo’s E3 press conference has created some magical moments over the years, from the reveal of The Legend of Zelda:...
