Cipher

@Algorhythm People have been complaining that they want a handheld Virtual Console service since the DSi launched in 2009 and now we have it you're complaining that you just want new games? I don't get it. =/

So, Wednesday?

@RadioShadow No, the article's simply pointing out that the original was called Lylat Wars in Europe when it was released. The revamp will be called Star Fox 64 3D worldwide.

Nintendo of Europe said the Nintendo DSiWare games would be "coming soon" to eShop - don't know what the holdup is but I'm sure they'll launch on eShop in North America at the same time.

@Stuffgamer1 I'm simply assuming what you're saying - the developers are being told that their titles are being stockpiled. In a sense, we know this is the case already because SEGA's said on several occasions that they know the Game Gear is launching this summer and they know which games are launching with it. Even back when Capcom said Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version was going to be a launch title, that at the very least means Nintendo is on some level telling developers when their games are going to launch.

I know their track record with downloadable services is poor so I understand your concern, and that of others, but Iwata has said on several occasions now that eShop is a new start with which Nintendo has a completely new outlook on downloadable content. I don't see any reason to doubt that.

@Stuffgamer1 If Nintendo were to do with the 3DS's Virtual Console what they did with the Wii's Virtual Console and release three or four titles a week, the same thing would happen - after a year or so the pool would start to run dry.

Don't forget that the 3DS VC only supports two systems right now whereas the Wii VC initially supported five (now nine/ten) - releasing four games every week would mean two per system on average on the 3DS. The only developers we know for a fact are supporting the 3DS VC are Nintendo, Capcom, Jaleco, Arc System Works and SEGA - that simply wouldn't produce a big enough pool of games to sustain the Virtual Console, at three or four games a week, for as long as it needs to be sustained.

I don't doubt that the majority of games on Japan's 3DS VC service will eventually launch worldwide - there's no reason why they shouldn't - and I'm sure once more developers get their games released, we'll start to get two or maybe even three games on the Virtual Console each week.

And I'm sure Capcom have more important things to worry about than an old Virtual Console game taking more than a week to leave Japan.

@PALgamer - Last week's North American update was the last to take place on a Monday. All downloadable services are updated on Thursday worldwide as of this week. We get our update later today or tonight.

@DF2506 Look at it this way - for the first year or so of VC, WiiWare and DSiWare, we got three or four titles every week. Sometimes more in the case of DSiWare. Look at them now: VC and WiiWare are hardly ever updated and DSiWare gets really weak content most of the time.

I can understand the disappointment of only one new game on eShop but, if Nintendo carries on with this strategy of one or two games every week, it'll guarantee that eShop isn't in the same sorry state as the Wii Shop Channel and the Nintendo DSi Shop a year from now.

@cheapogamer4life It's Thursday worldwide. North America is no different any more: you get your games with the rest of us. It's not like the games are going to be any poorer quality on a Thursday than they would be on a Monday.

@11 - Nintendo's already confirmed it has four USB slots. The other two are probably at the front with the SD card slot.

Chances are this isn't the final version (design-wise yes, tech-wise probably not) - it wouldn't surprise me if this one includes only the ports it needed for its E3 showing.

Now, let me first say that I want the E3 trailers as much as anyone, but I think a lot of people are being harsh toward NOE without knowing the full details. For all we know, NOA could just not have provided them with the 3D versions of those trailers. Or perhaps NOE's waiting until Thursday to launch them all on eShop. Or perhaps they've been (sensibly) concentrating on getting the Nintendo.co.uk website back online before Zelda launches on Friday.

eShop is one week old and we've been promised great things by Nintendo's higher-ups. To say it's been ruined after seven days just because we didn't get a few trailers is a mighty exaggeration and highly unfair.

To everyone complaining about the apparent lack of titles - this list is confirmed titles ONLY. This is not necessarily - and very likely is NOT - the full list of titles that will be released this week. I highly, highly doubt Nintendo would fail to release any eShop-specific titles in its second week of availability.

NOE is the subject of a phishing scam - it hasn't been hacked. There's a difference.

@TikiTong Anonymous are hackers, I highly doubt they have any interest in phishing because there's a much lower chance of actually getting any meaningful data.

It wouldn't surprise me if Nintendo were putting their current services "on hold" for the time being to somehow act as a build-up to the eShop launch. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it's still a possibility.

I'm looking forward to trying it out once the price drops. Would have been a perfect Nintendo 3DSWare title, though.

The newest edition of the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine apparently published a Chrono Trigger review, so I reckon it'll launch here soon as well. Can't wait for this one.

@Tech101 It was coming to Europe regardless of who was distributing it, but Nintendo and Capcom have done this a few times before - particularly with Ghost Trick and Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition - and it's given them that little extra boost, particularly in the UK.

True, but the fact that Internet's missing and this is supposedly the "3DS May firmware update like the source says - so not just limited to eShop - does make me highly skeptical of this. Especially since SML is listed as a GBC game, Link's Awakening DX is supposedly only a demo and third-party systems are listed, which Iwata already said won't be available from the off.

Where will I be? I will be there.

Zelda isn't part of the European range, only the North American range.

Do we have any idea if the other console bundles (black Mario Kart Wii, black Wii Fit Plus etc.) will be kept in production or are we just going to have a white Mario Kart Wii bundle and a black Wii Sports Resort bundle now?

I'd be very surprised if Wii didn't show up at next year's E3, even if only for a few titles. It'll probably be its last, though, much like this year's will probably be the last for the dear old DS.

Kirby's bound to be localised and following Rhythm Paradise's success in Europe I'd expect that to get the same treatment. As for Pandora's Tower and The Last Story, we can but hope.

I've always expected Animal Crossing and Paper Mario to ship in the first half of 2012, so it wouldn't surprise me if they and the words "next year" went hand in hand at E3. Mario Kart really needs to ship at the end of this year to help the 3DS have a really successful holiday season. As for Super Mario, I know Miyamoto wants it out this year, but it would surprise me if that turned out to be the case. Still, what Miyamoto wants...!

I would have expected to see it at the end of 2012, so even if it launched in early 2012, that would surprise me. I honestly can't see it launching this year, though.

Yeah, the video is really bad quality. It's better on the Japanese site.

@armoredghor The copyright on the official Japanese website reveals the game is co-developed by Ganbarion, developers of One Piece and Jump Stars.

I can't disagree more. The third-party boost alone makes this one of the best launch lineups a Nintendo system's ever had, and even Nintendo's own offerings are pretty fresh. A new title in the form of Steel Diver, a new Pilotwings game (and to anyone who thinks it's too short, they've clearly never played Pilotwings before), and nintendogs + cats is genius.

Or do you lot want all the major titles on day one and nothing else for the next year? Nope, didn't think so.

Had an absolute blast with this when I tried it out a few weeks ago, already got it preordered.

I expect you'll probably have to beat the main game before you can play Master Quest. That, or could always try calling your save file ZELDA and see if that works...

I love the fact that, in other responses, people have said he's sour about WiiWare and Nintendo DSiWare being, as they put it, failures. I can only assume they went into a mild coma for the few seconds in which Iwata openly acknowledged the fact that the services had not lived up to Nintendo's own expectations.

Some people don't seem to realise that this man brought Nintendo back from near-certain doom and that he should be listened to. In my opinion, anyway...

Cynthia isn't 'replacing' Cammie Dunaway like some of the comments suggest. Reggie's the acting exec VP for sales and marketing at the moment as the role hasn't been filled since Cammie's departure in October. Like the article says, Cynthia's replacing Denise Kaigler, who left in November 2009.

I'd have bought it day one were it not for the 3DS coming out so soon after. For sure, though, this is a must-have later in the year.

EXCITEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~

How did Nintendo wait too long, as so many people think, to release these? There was no way they were going to be made available before the games and there was no way they were going to be available before March. Just be thankful Nintendo decides to release stuff like this internationally at all.

I'm picking up Okami very soon and Okamiden soon after that, so don't worry, it certainly won't get lost in this house.

We're getting Ocarina of Time 3D and Skyward Sword this year, which to me is all I need to celebrate the 25th anniversary. No doubt I'll be pulling out some other Zelda game soon as well, haven't played one in ages.

HOLY FUDGESTICKLES YES I'M A BIT HAPPY NOW

All I can say is, regarding Magic Destiny, it's a good thing the star signs have gone unchanged for the last few thousand years. They'd have really been screwed if someone had come along and said we'd been following the wrong lot, wouldn't they?

I have to agree with most other comments. I don't think we need another Collector's Edition, be it a new collection or a reissue of the original. The fact that we're getting two major Zelda titles this year is more than enough to keep me happy.

Essentially, the 3DS battery is powering three screens, isn't it? The touch screen and the two screens that make up the top screen. Plus the two backlights.

@uel - Yeah, by around two or three hours, as I recall?

@vonseuz - Well, that's what the AC adapter's for. It's either-or, that or the cradle.

I heard NOE was due to announce the launch list this week, so... fingers crossed. At least they can't leave it three-and-a-half months like NCL did in Japan.

With the amount that Konami's got on their plate, I'm not surprised there wasn't anything new for Metal Gear Solid. Same goes for Mario Kart, and I very much doubt we'll see either of them launch this year.

@18 - that £173 doesn't include tax. Add that on top and it's £209. So to be fair, what seems to be the standard price of £229 could have been an awful lot worse. There would have been nothing stopping retailers from putting an extra £30 or £40 on top.

Besides, there'll probably be a price war at some point given the lack of recommended retail price.

Konami Hudson? :3

I'm looking forward to the above comment changing without notice to "It's on like [Infringement of Nintendo of America Inc.’s Intellectual Property Rights]!"

I don't believe this for a second. It's received so much worldwide press, especially since Sakaguchi's behind it as you say, that not launching it worldwide makes no sense.

That DKCR song makes me turn to mush.
_{So does Jon's voice. Tru dat}

I don't even have a problem with the DSi's battery life, which is three or four hours tops with screen brightness all the way up, so this I can live with quite easily. Plus I've always got a charger nearby anyway.

@WaveBoy Yeah, well, you're not supposed to play Wii or DS (or any videogames) for more than an hour at a time without a 10- or 15-minute break, so I don't think this changes things. If you can play them for a couple of hours at a time, you can play 3DS for about the same, I reckon.

Well, I've never seen anything quite like that. I'm too gobsmacked to even think of something witty to say.

The BEAT demo is exactly the same - the shop's even telling me I've already downloaded it. Still a fun demo though.

I'm assuming this BEAT demo is gonna be the same as the one we got when demos first arrived? I'll download anyway to check, but I can't see 'em making two demos for the same game.