Most Recent: 3DS

Nintendo will release New 2DS XL handheld on July 28

Posted on April 27, 2017 by John Scalzo

It’s 11:00, do you know what Nintendo is doing? The answer, of course, is that NO ONE ever knows what Nintendo is doing.

In the middle of the night (though to be fair, it’s only 8:00 PM on the west coast), Nintendo has decided to announce a new addition to their handheld line… the New 2DS XL. The New 2DS XL includes all the improvements that Nintendo added to the XL line (the C-Stick, built-in Amiibo functionality, XL screens, more processing power, a slicker overall presentation), but removed the glasses-free 3D that originally gave the handheld its name. The new handheld is still a few months away, but all this will be available for just $149.99 on July 28.

Also on July 28, Nintendo has announced plans to launch two new 2DS/3DS games… Hey! Pikmin and Miitopia:

Hey! Pikmin – In this brand-new style of Pikmin game, players guide Captain Olimar through 2D side-scrolling levels and collect Sparklium to refuel his crashed ship, the S.S. Dolphin 2, so he can escape the planet. The touch-screen controls let players choose the right Pikmin to toss at enemies and objects, which is critical to defeating foes and solving the many puzzles Olimar encounters during his adventure.

Miitopia – Band together with your Mii and Mii friends to explore your own personalized world of Miitopia. Cast Mii characters into various roles and watch hilarious scenes unfold as they work together to defeat the Dark Lord who has stolen the faces of townspeople of Miitopia. Players can bring in their created Mii characters from the Miitomo or Tomodachi Life games, or create their own Mii team in the game. This game has a lighthearted tone with traditional and strategic RPG-like elements, including customization, relationship building and team management.

You can get a closer look at the New 2DS XL in the trailer embedded above.

Posted in 3DS, News | Tagged ,

Nintendo’s 2016-2017 Annual Report: Big sales for Switch, Zelda BotW, Pokemon + Fall release dates for Xenoblade 2, Mario Odyssey, more

Posted on April 27, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo published their annual financial report this morning, and the company gave us our best look yet at the Switch’s retail prospects, as well as reconfirmed several 2017 releases.

The big announcement today is that Nintendo has sold 2.74 million Switch consoles around the world as of March 31. Nintendo originally predicted that they’d sell two million around Switch consoles in March, so it’s safe to say they surpassed their goal. The consolemaker expects to sell ten million more Switch consoles before the start of their next fiscal year. If this prediction proves accurate, the Switch will have matched the total sales of the Wii U in a single year.

Moving on to games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has proven to be fairly popular, with total sales of 3.84 million copies sold (2.76 on the Switch and 1.08 on the Wii U). And don’t count out the 3DS just yet. According to Nintendo, Pokemon Sun and Moon combined to sell 15.44 million copies since they were released in November.

Nintendo closed out their report with the promise of a bright future, reiterating that all of their upcoming Switch and 3DS game are still on track to be released in 2017. Super Mario Odyssey and Fire Emblem Warriors are both still set for the Fall, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is still penciled in for a “TBA 2017” launch date.

Other titles scheduled to be released this Fall include Monster Hunter Stories, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters, Kirby‘s next 3DS game, and Miitopia. Ever Oasis (June 23), Hey Pikmin (July 28), Splatoon 2 (July 21), and Arms (June 16) are set for this Summer.

Nintendo will most likely reveal a lot more about all of these games at this year’s E3 Expo… unless they get delayed, of course.

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nintendo Download: Wonder Boy The Dragon’s Trap, Rayman 3, Rayman Advance, more

Posted on April 20, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo’s Switch continues to be a home for interesting retro-themed titles, as two more are now available to purchase through the Nintendo eShop.

Developed by Lizardcube, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is a remake of 1989’s Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap, and the side-scrolling platformer has been updated with a hand-drawn visual style and a re-orchestrated soundtrack for its Switch debut. Also available to download this week is Fatal Fury, a re-release of one of SNK’s earliest fighting games.

Nintendo’s other platforms will receive a handful of new downloadable titles this week, including Urban Trial Freestyle 2 for the 3DS. Developed by Teyon, the stunt racer asks players to “pull off insane stunts on top of skyscrapers, speed down busy highways, and take intense rides through the suburbs.” There’s even a few new games available for the Wii U this week, including Virtual Console re-releases of Rayman Advance and Rayman 3.

You can learn more about all of these games (and a few other new releases) after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U |

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment campaign update dated for 3DS and Wii U

Posted on April 19, 2017 by John Scalzo

Yacht Club Games has announced that Shovel Knight fans will soon be able to play the Specter of Torment campaign on the Wii U and 3DS.

Specter of Torment won’t be released as a standalone download on either platform, but the campaign will be available to download as a free update on April 21 (on the Wii U) and April 25 (on the 3DS):

Yacht Club Games previously broke ground on Shovel Knight’s Specter of Torment campaign for Nintendo’s Switch (March 3) and the PC (April 5). It’ll also be available later this month for the PS4 and Xbox One (as a standalone download), and the PS3, PS4, Xbox One, and Vita (as a free update to Shovel Knight).

Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U | Tagged

Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy available for mobile devices on July 20; 3DS launch coming this Fall

Posted on April 18, 2017 by John Scalzo

Level-5 has announced that the next game in the Professor Layton series, Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy, will be available to download for iOS and Android devices on July 20. The game is also in development for the 3DS, and launch on Nintendo’s handheld this Fall.

Previously known as Lady Layton: The Millionaire Ariadne’s Conspiracy, the latest game in the series will feature smaller bite-size puzzles that players must solve to uncover the details of a larger mystery.

“This is the seventh entry in the Professor Layton series and we are excited that Katrielle Layton is taking center stage in this new iteration of the game,” said Akihiro Hino, the of CEO Level-5. “Professor Layton fans will enjoy the mystery and fantasy adventure play that they have come to love and appreciate throughout the series.”

A Japanese-language trailer for Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News | Tagged

Culdcept Revolt will be released for 3DS on August 29

Posted on April 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

NIS America got a few minutes to talk about their upcoming 3DS and Switch releases during Nintendo’s most recent Nintendo Direct presentation. Skipping right to the point, the niche publisher confirmed that Culdcept Revolt, a card-battling RPG that mixes concepts from Magic: The Gathering and Monopoly, will be released for the 3DS on August 29.

In case you missed it, NIS America unveiled an Announcement Trailer for Culdcept Revolt back in February.

Posted in 3DS, News | Tagged

Nintendo Download: Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, Mr. Shifty, Bye-Bye BoxBoy!, more

Posted on April 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo added two surprising new 3DS games to the Nintendo eShop this morning…

Team Kirby Clash Deluxe is a standalone expansion of the “Team Kirby Clash” minigame included with Kirby: Planet Robobot. The game is free-to-start and features four different Kirbys battling it out with a series of giant boss monsters.

Also available to download for the 3DS today is Bye-Bye BoxBoy!, the conclusion to the black-and-white BoxBoy trilogy. This time around, Qbby has to overcome obstacles and rescue the Qbabies in this new side-scrolling platformer from developer HAL Laboratory.

Switch owners will get the chance to purchase several new games this week as well, and TinyBuild and Team Shifty added Mr. Shifty to their side of the eShop today. The overhead action game mixes will look familiar to fans of Hotline Miami, but Mr. Shifty is a thief with superheroic teleportation abilities and a penchant for “distraction and trickery.”

Finally today, Jackbox launched The Jackbox Party Pack 3 for the Switch, and it includes five new party-friendly games… “Quiplash,” “Trivia Murder Party,” “Guesspionage,” “Tee K.O.,” and “Fakin’ It.”

You can learn more about all of these games (and a few more new additions to the Nintendo eShop) after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U | Tagged

Blaster Master Zero Review: Tanks for the Memories

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Mike Ryan

The Nintendo Entertainment System was my first foray into real gaming. Granted, I played a lot of Atari and Intellivision back when I was a young ‘un, but the NES was a huge part of my childhood, and helped shape me into the gamer that I am today.

As a young hardcore gamer (did that term exist back in the day?), one of the things I loved doing was signing up for video game magazines. At Doc Lewis’s behest, I joined the Nintendo Fun Club. When I would get my allowance, I would head over to the local Woolworth and pick up the newest GamePro magazine. And yes, I was a subscriber to the short-lived Sunsoft Game Time News. I loved reading about their newest games, learning tips and tricks, and bugging my mom for $5.00 to order that Xenophobe T-shirt (I never did get it, though). One of the games that always piqued my interest in the Sunsoft newsletter was Blaster Master. It looked like a fun game, with lots of action and adventure.

Unfortunately, my only experience with the title was renting it once at the local movie rental shop. While it was a somewhat fun experience, I was pretty much lost and didn’t know what to do. I also never played it again, because I was knee deep in Mega Man, The Legend of Zelda, and Dragon Warrior. But I always regretted that decision, because Blaster Master has a reputation as one of the great games from the NES era. Well, fate as smiled upon me, as now I am able to play a new Blaster Master… and I don’t even have to hook up my old system! (more…)

Posted in 3DS, Reviews, Switch, Top Story | Tagged