Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: 3DS
Nintendo Download: Axiom Verge, Zelda Skyward Sword, Picross 3D Round 2, more
After looking to NES classics like Metroid and Contra for inspiration, Thomas Happ is finally ready to bring his retro-flavored side-scroller, Axiom Verge, to the Wii U this week. As the first game in Nintendo’s “Nindies Summer Jam” promotion on the eShop, Axiom Verge’s Wii U debut will offer Off-TV Play, Leaderboards, and a Speedrun Mode.
Two other games unveiled by Nintendo during this morning’s Nintendo Direct presentation are also now available to download through the Nintendo eShop. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Link’s only full-length adventure developed exclusively for the Wii, is now available to download through the Wii U eShop. And over on the 3DS, players can chip away at a three-dimensional block puzzle in Picross 3D Round 2.
More information on all of these games (and a huge number of other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Axiom Verge, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Nintendo will release Super Mario Maker for 3DS on December 2
Super Mario Maker is coming to the 3DS this Fall! Announced during Nintendo’s newest Nintendo Direct presentation this morning, Super Mario Maker For Nintendo 3DS will be available on December 2, and it’ll be nearly identical to its Wii U sibling.
Super Mario Maker For Nintendo 3DS players won’t be able to upload their creations to the Internet, but they will be able to share courses locally with friends through a wireless connection or StreetPass. To make up for this missing feature, Nintendo has added a collaborative level-editing mode for two players to Super Mario Maker For Nintendo 3DS.
In addition to building their own courses, players will also be able to take on 100 Nintendo-designed courses (with added 3DS-exclusive objectives) and download “select” courses from the Wii U version in 100 Mario Challenge.
You can get your first glimpse at Super Mario Maker For Nintendo 3DS by viewing its first trailer, embedded above.
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged Super Mario Maker
Nintendo Download: Super Mario 64 DS, a trio of Street Fighter games, Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice demo, more
Welcome to this week’s Nintendo eShop update, where Wii U owners can now download the handheld remake of Mario’s first foray into the 3D space, Super Mario 64 DS. I’ve never thought about it before, but the Virtual Console can get weird sometimes.
Speaking of weird, 3DS owners will be able to download a Demo Version of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice beginning today. The game, which will be available exclusively through the 3DS eShop on September 8, features a section from the game’s first courtroom clash between Phoenix Wright and his new adversary, Royal Priestess Rayfa.
Capcom is tripling down on the 3DS eShop with a trio of Street Fighter games that were originally released for the Super NES back in the go-go 90s.
First up is Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, the first update to the original Street Fighter II. Capcom exponentially increased the speed of the game and fans were finally able to play as M. Bison and the other bosses. Next, we’ve got Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers, the final update to Street Fighter II on the Super NES, and the game that added Cammy to the franchise. Finally, the Super NES adaptation of the second game in the “Alpha” prequel series, Street Fighter Alpha 2, comes to the Virtual Console this week.
More information on all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Super Mario 64
Nintendo eShop’s Nindies Summer Jam kicks off on September 1
The Nindies are coming! The Nindies are coming!
Nintendo has announced that they’re ending this Summer with a bang… or more specifically, a Jam. The Nindies Summer Jam will kick off on September 1 and that means that Nintendo fans will find a new “Nindie” game on the eShop for the 3DS or Wii U (or sometimes both) every Thursday. All Nindie Summer Jam titles will receive a 10% discount during their first week of availability, and you can find the full lineup right here:
September 1
Axiom Verge (Wii U)
In this retro-style action-platform-exploration game, use the Wii U GamePad as your map, a way to easily swap between weapons or for Off-TV Play. A failed scientist dies in an accident, only to awaken in a mysterious, alien world. Where is he? How did he get here? And why do the fundamental laws of reality appear broken? Life. Afterlife. Real. Virtual. Dream. Nightmare. It’s a thin line. It’s Axiom Verge.September 8
Jotun: Valhalla Edition (Wii U)
Jotun is a hand-drawn action-exploration game set in Norse mythology. In Jotun, you play Thora, a Norse warrior who died an inglorious death and must prove herself to the Gods to enter Valhalla. Jotun: Valhalla Edition features Valhalla Mode, a boss rush mode with even fiercer versions of the already challenging jotun. Exclusive to the Wii U version, the map is always displayed on the GamePad and God Powers can be activated using the touch screen. Impress the Gods!September 15
Noitu Love: Devolution (3DS and Wii U)
The year is 2288. The city is protected by an organization called “The Peacekeepers League” and everything is swell except that it’s under attack by a robot army lead by professor Darnacus Damnation! Or is it… ?September 22
Severed (Wii U)
Take control of a one-armed warrior named Sasha, who wields a living sword on her journey through a nightmare world in search of her family. Features include Cross-Buy between Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, Wii U Off-TV Play, in-game Achievements, HD graphical optimizations.September 30
Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 (3DS)
Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 is a 2D action-platforming game in the style of the Japanese classics of yesteryear. The great controls, crisp graphics, unique play mechanics and epic boss battles from the first installment are all here, along with a host of new features.
“Our Nindie partners have been hard at work creating amazing content for Nintendo fans,” said Nintendo of America’s Damon Baker. “The Nindies Summer Jam promotion not only makes it easy for fans to check out all the latest and greatest indie games on Nintendo eShop, but to also learn more about the developers that have worked so hard to create them.”
Nintendo also plans to add more than a dozen other Nindies to the Nintendo eShop throughout the Fall. That schedule is available after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Axiom Verge, Azure Striker Gunvolt 2
Nintendo is holding another Nindies@Night event at PAX West 2016
Nintendo is once again bringing their popular Nindies@Night pre-show event to PAX West this year. From 8:00 PM to midnight on Thursday, September 1, Nintendo will take over the EMP Museum on Fifth Ave to showcase more than a dozen “Nindies” for the 3DS and Wii U:
Games Scheduled to Appear At Nindies@Night
- Axiom Verge (Wii U)
- FAST Racing Neo: Neo Future Pack (Wii U)
- Jotun: Valhalla Edition (Wii U)
- Severed (Wii U)
- Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (Wii U)
- SteamWorld Heist (Wii U)
- World to the West (Wii U)
- Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 (3DS)
- Gurumin: A Monsterous Adventure (3DS)
- Noitu Love: Devolution (3DS)
- Punch Club (3DS)
- Runbow Pocket (3DS)
- Severed (3DS)
Nintendo will host playable demos of all their upcoming Nindies (along with visits from the developers) during the convention at the PAX West Indie Lounge in Room 612. Like always, this year’s PAX West convention will be held on the first weekend in September at Seattle’s Washington State Convention Center.
During the course of the convention, Nintendo will also operate a second booth in the South Hall (Booth 2335) with several other playable demos including Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past and Yo-Kai Watch 2, both of which will be released for the 3DS this September. For congoers looking to learn more, a Panel Discussion with the developers of Dragon Quest VII will be held on Sunday, September 4.
“Having [PAX West] essentially in Nintendo’s backyard and getting a chance to connect with our fans makes it all the more special for us,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s appropriately-named Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
Almost three years after its release, GTA5 was NPD’s best-selling game in July 2016
With a sweltering Summer in full swing, game publishers mostly skipped the month of July. And nowhere is this more evident than the monthly NPD ranking of best-selling games, which was topped by Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V, a game that was originally released almost three years ago. The only new release to crack the top ten in July was Capcom’s Monster Hunter Generations, which claimed the #4 spot.
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, NPD analyst Sam Naji said: “Lack of strong new titles for the month resulted with poor comparison with last July’s Batman: Arkham Knight with consumers spending 14 percent less year-on-year on hardware, software and accessories. However, the release of Monster Hunter: Generations and the price drop for the 2DS helped to bolster spending for 3DS and 2DS hardware by 44%”
While brand new titles were a rare sight in the NPD’s July 2016 top ten, new-ish titles like Overwatch (#2), Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (#3), and Doom (#8) continue to be popular with shoppers.
The NPD Group continued their foray into tracking sales of digital downloads last month, though Capcom, Mojang, Bethesda, and Blizzard (for Battle.net sales) chose not to participate.
A full look at July 2016’s best-selling games can be found after the break. (more…)
Dark Horse to publish Hyrule Historia sequel Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts in February 2017
After the massive success of The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia (including a series timeline that fans are still talking about), Dark Horse and Nintendo are teaming up again to publish The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts in Early 2017. Art & Artifacts will be packed with promotional artwork and interviews with the design team, along with exclusive artwork from the next game in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild:
Fans of The Legend of Zelda are in for a treat with The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts. Readers can peruse over four hundred pages of fully realized artistic masterpieces, exclusive interviews with the design team behind the beloved video game franchise, the official pixel art of the early series, and rare promotional art never before published in this format. The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts offers fans a sneak peek at art from the newest game in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, prior to its official release. This breathtaking volume is essential for any true Zelda fan!
The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts will be available in stores on February 21, 2017. And let’s hope that release date means we’ll get Breath of the Wild on the Wii U and NX sooner rather than later.
Posted in 3DS, DS, Etcetera, News, Retro, Switch, Wii, Wii U
Tagged The Legend of Zelda, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild wins 2016 “Best of Gamescom” Award
After winning a basketful of “Best of E3” awards earlier this year, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has similarly dominated the conversation at Gamescom. Link’s next adventure won two Gamescom Awards this year… “Best Wii U Game” and the coveted “Best of Gamescom.”
Several other games were also big winners at the European gaming convention including For Honor (“Best PlayStation 4 Game” and “Best PC Game”), Sea of Thieves (“Best Xbox One Game” and “Best Multiplayer Game”), and Battlefield 1 (“Best Action Game” and the “Most Wanted Consumer Award”).
The full list of winners and nominees can be found after the break. (more…)