Most Recent: Wii U

Rodea: The Sky Soldier will be released for 3DS, Wii U on September 22

Posted on April 6, 2015 by John Scalzo

NIS America has announced that Rodea: The Sky Soldier, the next game from Yuji Naka (the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog and Nights Into Dreams), will be released for the 3DS and Wii U on September 22. Naka teamed up with Zin Hasegawa (Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly) to develop the game and both collaborated with Kadokawa Games to realize their vision of an action platformer in the sky.

Players who purchase the Wii U version of Rodea: The Sky Soldier will also receive a copy of the unreleased Wii version as well. In the Wii version, players will be able to control Rodea with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, which won’t be possible in the Wii U edition. But if you also want to try out the Wii version, you better act fast, NIS America has said it’ll only be included with Rodea: The Sky Soldier’s first print run.

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Nintendo is holding a fan vote to add new characters to Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U

Posted on April 2, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Who do you want to see added to Super Smash Bros. For 3DS and Super Smash Bros. For Wii U? No, really, Nintendo wants to know and they plan to take a few of these fan suggestions and actually put those characters into the game.

While announcing the upcoming inclusion of Mewtwo and Lucas to the latest Smash Bros. games, Nintendo also revealed the Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot. Fans are encouraged to suggest a character, list the game they’re best known for, and write up to 500 words about why you think they belong in Smash. Nintendo will continue accepting suggestions until October 3, so it might be a while before we find out who made the cut.

At least one developer has decided to use this opportunity to get one of their characters into Smash Bros. Yacht Club Games has launched the #ShovelKnightForSmash campaign on Twitter to gather votes for Shovel Knight. I don’t know if it’ll work, but they can definitely count on my vote.

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

Mewtwo joins Smash Bros Wii U/3DS on April 28; Mother 3’s Lucas to follow in June

Posted on April 2, 2015 by John Scalzo

Nintendo has announced that Mewtwo will be available to download as a bonus fighter in Super Smash Bros. For 3DS and Super Smash Bros. For Wii U on April 28. Players who registered both Smash Bros. games through Club Nintendo will receive the 150th Pokemon for free. The rest of us will be able to add him to either version of the game for $3.99. A 4.99 3DS/Wii U bundle pack will also be available.

Nintendo has a second downloadable character planned for release June. Lucas, from Mother 3/Earthbound 2, will be available to download on the 3DS and Wii U. Lucas previously appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl alongside Earthbound star Ness. Pricing has yet to be announced, but a Lucas trailer is available after the break.

As with any Mother 3/Earthbound 2-related announcement, it’s important to note that this does not mean Nintendo plans to finally bring the oft-requested RPG to America. But it won’t hurt if we all cross our fingers… one of these days, it might just work. (more…)

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Splatoon gets May 29 release date, Amiibo support, and two new gameplay modes

Posted on April 2, 2015 by John Scalzo

With few other releases planned for the first half of 2015, Nintendo has been pushing Splatoon hard. It was the centerpiece of their PAX East 2015 booth and a slew of new trailers have explored nearly every corner of the game. But the publisher is still putting out new information, so there must be a few nooks and crannies that have yet to be uncovered.

The latest trailer shines a spotlight on three never-before-seen maps: “Walleye Warehouse,” “Saltspray Rig,” and “Blackbelly Skatepark.” Each of the levels offers new locations for the Inklings to battle it out, but it’s likely that Nintendo’s other Splatoon announcements will overshadow these arenas.

Yesterday, Nintendo also revealed two new gameplay modes for the game: Ranked Battle and Battle Dojo. Ranked Battle is a much more intense online multiplayer mode while Battle Dojo is a local 1-on-1 match where the player who pops the most balloons wins. Like Hyrule Warriors, the 1-on-1 mode will require one player to use the television and the other to use the Wii U GamePad.

Finally, Nintendo announced that three Splatoon Amiibo figures (Inkling Boy, Inking Girl, and Inkling Squid) will be available alongside the game’s launch. The Inkling Squid will only be available in a special three-pack, but the Inkling Boy and Inking Girl will also be sold individually. Tapping these Amiibo to the GamePad will unlock special missions that contain Amiibo-exclusive weapons and gear for your in-game characters.

Splatoon, and the Splatoon Amiibo figures, will be released for the Wii U on May 29.

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Fatal Frame 5 will be released in the US this year

Posted on April 1, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Wii U owners looking for a scare will be happy to know that Fatal Frame 5 will be released by Nintendo in North America later this year. Jointly developed by Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, Fatal Frame 5 will include three playable characters, who are each exploring Mount Hikami, a “cursed tourist destination.”

Available in Japan (where it’s known as Fatal Frame: Oracle of the Sodden Raven) since September, Fatal Frame 5 will be the first game in the series released in the US since 2005’s Fatal Frame III: The Tormented.

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Mario Maker to launch in September as part of Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary celebration

Posted on April 1, 2015 by John Scalzo

mario-saluteAfter missing its original early 2015 release date, Nintendo has announced that Mario Maker will be released exclusively for the Wii U in September.

Mario Maker will allow players to create their own side-scrolling courses using a design template from four different Mario games: Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U. Best of all, switching between each style is simply a button press away.

Mario Maker’s release will be part of Nintendo’s celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the release of the original Super Mario Bros. To help get players in the mood, the publisher has launched a special 30th Anniversary website and plans to roll out various other celebratory activities throughout the year.

And if you’re interested in taking another look at Mario Maker, be sure to view the new footage from the game available at the replay of today’s Nintendo Direct presentation.

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Nintendo adds 200cc Class, more Amiibo Racing Suits to Mario Kart 8

Posted on April 1, 2015 by John Scalzo

After a relatively low-key April Fool’s Day, Nintendo has capped the day with a huge new Nintendo Direct, detailing part of the publisher’s plan for 2015. But before they dig into some of the new stuff, Nintendo announced continued support for Mario Kart 8, including a new 200cc Class and support for more Amiibo figures.

The much more difficult 200cc Class will be available as a free download beginning April 23. The 200cc Class offers even more speed and trickier drivers for all tracks. Think you can handle it, Nintendo says braking will be more important than ever. In addition to a new kart class, Nintendo has also added support for nine more Amiibo figures to Mario Kart 8. Starting today, players will be able to outfit their Mii in racing suits featuring the following characters:

  • Bowser
  • Mega Man
  • Olimar and the Pikmin
  • Pac-Man
  • Rosalina
  • Sonic
  • Toad
  • Villager
  • Wario

You can get a look at the Amiibo-enhanced duds in a new trailer available after the break. (more…)

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4/1: The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth IS coming to New 3DS, Wii U, Xbox One

Posted on April 1, 2015 by John Scalzo

bindingofisaac-announcementI hate April Fool’s Day… I have no idea if this is real or just a joke. Nicalis sent out an absolutely deranged “press release” this morning, that quite honestly, scares me a little. According to the handwritten note (which is overly concerned with clenched anuses), the developer will bring The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth to the New 3DS XL (not the original 3DS or the 2DS), Wii U, and Xbox One in May. but I suppose that doesn’t mean it can’t be real.

For a while now, it was assumed that Nintendo’s content restrictions would prevent The Binding of Isaac from ever launching on the 3DS or Wii U. However, a post on the official Binding of Isaac blog from creator Edmund McMillen lists a number of increasingly absurd required to make it acceptable to Nintendo’s Standards and Practices department.

Is that part of the announcement a joke and the game really is coming to the New 3DS XL, Wii U, and Xbox One in May? Or is the whole thing just a big gag? I don’t know? Do you?

I repeat, I hate April Fool’s Day.

UPDATE: It’s no joke! Creator Edmund McMillen has confirmed (via Twitter) that The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is indeed coming to the New 3DS XL, Wii U, and Xbox One “soonish.” A spokesman from Nicalis added (also via Twitter) that the game will be uncensored on all platforms, contrary to the claims made in McMillen’s April Fool’s Day post.

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