Archive for the ‘Nintendo’ Category

This is pretty awesome.  Hyperkin has made a device that can be considered your all-in-one classic gaming console.  The RetroN3 is a combination classic Nintendo, SEGA Genesis, and Super Nintendo all in one!  Not only that, but it has ports to allow you the use of your classic controllers if you still have them around (if you don’t the unit comes with two wireless all-purpose controllers). 

So dig out those classic cartridges you have in storage and get ready to blow the dust out of them, because the RetroN3 is ready to play them once again for $70!  Available in red or black!

Check out the device for yourself, or order one here!

If you’re a Platinum member with Nintendo, you’ve got something special coming… a collectible figurine collection of Super Mario Bros!  Check out the details below!

If you’re only a Gold member, don’t fret… you’ll get a reward as well, and that will be in the form of a 2011 calendar similar to the 2010 design.  (Images shown are of the 2010 calendar, Nintendo promises all new designs for 2011).

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Nintendo has filed for a patent for a process that will transfer Wii games to a hard drive, which has lead many to believe that a hard drive is in the works for the Wii.

With this hard drive that Nintendo is looking to develop, when you store a Wii game to it, it creates a separate partition for that game (so that all games have their own partition).  This allows for a menu system to be designed that will display the game cover art, ESRB ratings, parental controls, and more.

Could we be looking at a possible device to allow for full game digital downloads similar to Playstation 3, and Xbox 360?  So far, all signs are pointing to yes… check out the diagram below from the patent submission.

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At E3 2010, Nintendo had a projection wall that displayed some of the titles that will be available upon the release of the 3DS.  Take a look below and watch the video to see the titles!

• Paper Mario
• Pilotwings Resort
• Kid Icarus Uprising
• Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D
• Kingdom Hearts 3D
• Nintendogs + Cats
• Mario Kart
• Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle
• Animal Crossing
• Star Fox 64 3D
• Resident Evil Revelations
• Steel Diver
• Dead or Alive 3D
• DJ Hero 3D
• Samurai Warriors 3D
• Ridge Racer
• The Sims 3
• Codename Hollywood 61
• Battle of Giants: Dinosaur Strike

The Nintendo 3DS is expected to arrive March 2011.

At E3 2010, Nintendo had several demonstrations going on and curiously enough, many of them were on the Nintendo 3DS.  What some seemed to notice more so though was the reveal of classic titles on the 3DS… in 3D! 

That’s right!  Mega Man 2, Castlevania, Urban Champion, Kid Icarus, Yoshi’s Island, Smash Ping Pong, Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros, Tennis, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and more all in glorious 3D!  Many described the games as having a “pop-up book feel”.

When Reggie Fils-Aime was asked if they were being planned for an eventual release on the 3DS, he replied “Yes… yes they are” and that many of them may be getting more than just ported over to the handheld.

The Nintendo 3DS will be available in March of 2011.

At E3, Nintendo 3DS was on display, and Pilotwings Resort 3DS was one of the many demos shown to the crowd!

“You can soar through the skies over the familiar island in a hang glider, jet pack or airplane, each with its own unique controls, its own distinct feel of flight and its own new game play in 3D. PilotWings Resort features a breadth and depth of field that can only be achieved with the 3D effects of the Nintendo 3DS system, offering a feel and style of play never before seen in a flight game.”

Enjoy the pics below!

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At E3, Nintendo 3DS was on display, and Mario Kart 3DS was one of the many demos shown to the crowd!

Enjoy the pics below!

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At E3, Nintendo 3DS was on display, and Star Fox 64 3DS was one of the many demos shown to the crowd!

It appears to be classic Star Fox 64 with new graphics and 3D added to the mix!

Enjoy the pics below!

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Nintendo’s E3 booth also showcased what the 3DS game cartridges will look like, and what the cases will look like.

Here’s the cartridge (pretty much looks the same as a DS cartridge, but with a small tab off the side):

Here’s the case that the games will come in (much slimmer than DS cases now) :

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Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime spoke to Kotaku and told them that the 3D technology in the Nintendo 3DS shouldn’t be used with younger children because their eye muscles aren’t fully developed yet.

"We will recommend that very young children not look at 3D images.  That’s because, [in] young children, the muscles for the eyes are not fully formed…  This is the same messaging that the industry is putting out with 3D movies, so it is a standard protocol.  We have the same type of messaging for the Virtual Boy, as an example."

I hope they specify the age range pretty soon, so we’ll know what the “very young children” age is exactly.

Nintendo kicked off their E3 2010 presentation with a video from Shigeru Miyamoto, talking about how the Wii’s play control has changed the way we experience video games.  Then he introduced their next biggest title:  The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. 

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Consumers will be motivated to ‘Get Informed, Get Empowered, and Get Active’ when Nintendo and the American Heart Association team up this year.

The AHA and Nintendo announced a one-of-a-kind, strategic relationship to help create games that will lead people to healthy lifestyles through active game playing.  The two organizations will work together to help customers find games that can help them with their journey toward healthy living.

Read the press release below!

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Japan’s trademark database is growing with several new entries from Nintendo, some of which revolve around the new Nintendo 3DS that should be announced at E3 in June 2010.

Recently, Nintendo has trademarked the terms: Nintendo 3DS, N3DS, 3DSPlay, and 3DSWare leading many to believe that this is the name that Nintendo is going to stick with for its next generation handheld device.

Nintendo CEO, Satoru Iwata, spoke recently at a Q&A session of an investors briefing last week and shed some light on the future of Nintendo.

On the successor to the Wii:

"As soon as a new system is complete — from the very moment it is complete — we’re thinking about the plan for the next game machine.  We believe there’s still more we can do with the Wii."

On social gaming:

"If you ask why we make game consoles, it’s because we believe that ‘offering experiences that cannot be done on other devices’ is our life line. With that meaning, offering software for a multi purpose multimedia device is, for us, an area of work that we have least interest in.  If we were to stop and do nothing, the current game system framework would probably become antiquated, but because we continue to offer new things, we don’t feel at all that this will happen. We’ve not once thought things like ‘we’ll be behind the times, so we should enter social games.’"

On turning off the 3D in the Nintendo 3DS:

"This isn’t limited to just kids, but we’re aware one in some tens of people, including adults, have difficulty with three dimensional visuals. So, while the 3D image is a special feature of the 3DS, we won’t force the player to use the 3D functionality. By making it so that the player can at all times play with [the 3D feature] off, we believe we can comply with those who have difficulty with the 3D view or those who are worried about their children’s eyes.”

On if the statement that the 3DS is for core gamers:

"I see no foundation for that statement.  We definitely do not feel that 3D targets heavy users. However, we have a feeling that, until you’ve seen something that makes you say ‘Of course, when used like that, it’s clearly a 3D game that anyone can play,’ you can’t be convinced, so we hope that you’ll make the decision in the future when you’ve seen something solid."

While speaking to Forbes magazine, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that you can turn off the 3D functionality of the Nintendo 3DS if you want.

Iwata understands the health concerns of 3D displays potentially harming children’s eyesight, and promised that it will be easy to turn off the 3D mode of the system. 

The Nintendo 3DS is due near the end of 2010.

IGN posted some new info on Super Mario Galaxy 2 that reveals the new mechanics of the game.  Check out the new features that will be included:

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Mario will get a new Cloud Suit power-up in the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy 2 that will enable him to create, and walk on clouds, to reach higher levels than ever before!

Also demonstrated in the video below is the “Super Guide” version of play in Super Mario Galaxy 2, where the Wii will take over and get you past more difficult parts of the game if you want it to.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 arrives May 23, 2010.

Pokemon: Black and White will be released for the DS later this Fall in Japan (US date still unknown), and the game is being promoted as being the rebirth of the Pokemon franchise.

So far, without actual video, it’s not hard to tell how this is different from the other Pokemon series.  The pictures below show some of the gameplay elements, like camera zooms, and the new Pokemon Zorua/Zoroark,

The official Nintendo website in Japan revealed a new feature coming to Super Mario Galaxy 2, which hints at a new way to co-operatively play the game.

The original Super Mario Galaxy allowed for co-operative play by having one user control Mario, and the second user collect the star bits.  With the sequel it looks like they’re taking it one step further, and allowing you to actually take control of the little star creatures that appear in the game.

Stay tuned for more details!

Super Mario Galaxy 2 comes to stores on May 23, 2010.

Recently, Nintendo of America’s President, Reggie Fils-Aime, revealed that movie studios are constantly asking to make movies about their gaming franchises like Mario, Link, and Metroid.

But Fils-Aime turns them away because they are wanting to avoid a repeat of 1993’s Super Mario Bros. movie that didn’t do so well.  Not only that, but they only want top-quality treatment of their franchises from this point on.

"There have been certain [people] that we have talked in more detail with.  But I think in the end, because we are a content company and are passionate about our franchises, it will be few and far between that actual deals are done to bring our franchises to life in a different way. These are our children."  – Reggie Fils-Aime

Whew!  Keep it up Nintendo!