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Miyamoto on retirement and the Wii's innovation
At age 57, you might think Shigeru Miyamoto would be taking it easy -- maybe plunking a few coins into his 401k, or taking to the garden to plant a few Fire Flowers. But not Shiggy, who tells gamesTM that retirement isn't an option quite yet. While Nintendo "has to retire me some time," he says, "I look around and see how aged cartoonists continue to work on their manga and how movie directors create new movies all the time, I understand that they would never retire. And by the same token, I guess I will still be making games somehow." Miyamoto also mentions Super Mario Galaxy 2, and says that the first numbered sequel in years was supposed to be version 1.5, but "we noticed that there were too many new experiences for it to be merely an incremental update." He gracefully refuses to comment on others' work, but affirms that Nintendo goal is "to provide fun and surprise" in video games, not merely to see "who can come up with the most violent depictions." Miyamoto says that the motion control mania going on with other consoles proves that Wii is "the de facto standard of the industry's control mechanisms," and new innovations, like the upcoming Vitality Sensor, are announced "only after being able to confirm internally that it is something that the general public will be able to appreciate." First we need to see just what the heck it does before we can start talking appreciation! And while almost every game developer out there has been influenced by Shigeru Miyamoto, who's impressed him? "Mr. Will Wright," he admits, "is a very unique person and someone very special." Maybe Miyamoto's taking notes on Wright's retirement, too: He's still having Stupid Fun after leaving the corporate life. [Via Industry Gamers]
Super Mario Galaxy 2 introduces 'Cloud' power-up
No, this new power-up won't give Mario spiky blond hair and a giant sword. Instead, the Cloud power-up from Super Mario Galaxy 2 appears to give Mario the magical ability to walk on clouds. Judging by this image from the Official Nintendo Magazine, these are the happiest clouds ever. They love being stepped on! It's clear that Mario's return trip to the stars will have no shortage of new (and returning) gameplay gimmicks. In addition to floating in the sky, it seems Mario can also turn into a boulder, ride dinosaurs, and drill through planets. The only thing he can't seem to do is his job. What happened to that plumbing gig you had, huh? This leaky pipe isn't going to fix itself, you know. [Thanks, Fernando!]
Be a Luma in Super Mario Galaxy 2 multiplayer
Famitsu has released some new information on Super Mario Galaxy 2, dealing with the game's gripping story. As translated by NeoGAF, the story sees Peach once again inviting Mario to enjoy watching stardust fall from the sky, which only happens once every 100 years. Of course, that means the game would have to take place at least 100 years after the original Super Mario Galaxy, but it's probably best not to think about it. Anyway, on his way to the castle, Mario happens upon a lost baby star named "Baby Chico," who journeys to the castle with Mario. And then something happens -- we're going to guess Bowser. In other spacefaring plumber news, the Japanese website for Super Mario Galaxy 2 has been updated with some new information about the game, including its two-player mode. It seems the second player will control a Luma (Baby Chico, as it turns out). Hopefully it will amount to more than just collecting Star Bits this time around. Be sure to check out the Japanese site for some new video and images. [Via GoNintendo] Source -- Nintendo Japan -- Super Mario Galaxy 2 Source -- NeoGAF
Hands-on: Super Mario Galaxy 2
A short time ago, in a galaxy far, far away ... I was sitting on a couch at Nintendo HQ, facing a large television. On it, a planetoid shaped like Mario's head stared back at me. It was Starship Mario, the interstellar plumber's preferred means of travel between the many galaxies that make up Super Mario Galaxy 2. This small world serves as transportation and a mini-sandbox within which Mario can practice moves. It also evolves as the game progresses, gaining new features, such as a "blemish" on its nose -- actually a Yoshi egg that appears after players have met the dutiful dinosaur. As we've already talked about, the game's designers have tossed out the full-on hub level of Super Mario Galaxy in favor of a more classic, straightforward branching level menu. (Think: the overworld screen from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and you get the idea.) Moving from galaxy to galaxy is a snap, as is seeing how many worlds you've discovered in each galaxy, as well as the number yet to be found. My first stop was the Puzzle Plank Galaxy, which turned out to be just as clever as it sounds. %Gallery-89359%
Miyamoto explains Super Mario Galaxy 2's new world map
Super Mario Galaxy 2 drops the hub world from the first game for a much simpler map interface; even simpler than New Super Mario Bros.' map. Speaking to Game Informer, Shigeru Miyamoto explained the change. "We want players to focus on the joy of the action instead of getting to each game course," he said. "We wanted to make it as accessible as possible and as easy as possible for the players." That's not to say the game is being made easier in general. It's just now easier to get to the levels. "Also, because we're going to incorporate a number of different stars, and conquering all the stars is going to be one of the most challenging missions for the player," Miyamoto added, "we want [players] to understand as easy as possible where they should go next and which places they should go back to in order to get access to the remaining stars." In addition, the new starship mechanic necessitates a streamlined navigation interface. Game Informer also managed to ask Miyamoto about 3D right before the announcement of the 3DS, so the discussion was all about 3D televisions (and not entirely transferable to 3DS). "We're at the stage right now where it's very difficult to tell whether 3D televisions are going to cater to our needs to make better 3D experiences," he said. "For one thing, our video games are made for as many people as possible, and the number of people who can play those types of games, who can afford to buy the 3D televisions at home, aren't going to be very good." A hint of where Nintendo might be going with 3D followed: "It is also true that certain types of three-dimensional games utilize 3D televisions might help people navigate more freely. Right now we're at the stage where it's very hard for us to determine whether it's very good or bad." %Gallery-86430%
Super Mario Galaxy 2 box art has your Yoshi needs covered
Click to see full cover art In just under two months, Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be on shelves. Today, Nintendo released the final North American box art so you can print it out, stick it in an empty Wii game case and pretend you have the plumber's latest platformer right now. Okay, so that's probably not what the Big N had in mind, but really, who doesn't do that? Not you? Well then, you can at least use the art to help you spot the game at the store. Although, now that we look at it side-by-side with the original Super Mario Galaxy's box art, they appear strikingly similar. We've placed both after the break so you can study the subtle differences and not end up with the wrong game on May 23. We're slated to play the latest build of SMG2 next week, so we'll have updated hands-on impressions of Nintendo's next big platformer soon.
Mario Galaxy 2 nets $20 credit from Amazon
Not to be outdone by the brick-and-mortar antics of Wal-Mart, Amazon is offering a $20 credit toward future game purchases for pre-ordering Super Mario Galaxy 2. It's like you're saving money on video games from the future. The news follows the discovery that Wal-Mart is offering the same deal for both Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Halo: Reach. As we reported earlier this morning, Amazon has also countered the Reach offer. With Mario being discounted as well, it's pretty clear that Amazon doesn't want to be undercut on either potential blockbuster. [Via Slickdeals.net]
Walmart handing out $20 gift card with Halo: Reach or Super Mario Galaxy 2
If you're planning to buy either Halo: Reach or Super Mario Galaxy 2 -- and it seems statistically likely that you'll want at least one of those -- then Walmart has a deal you may consider interesting. Right now, you can pre-order Halo or Galaxy and receive $20 in credit from the retailer. And, of course, since it's Walmart, the prices end in .96, saving you an additional three cents. We don't even know when Halo: Reach will be released beyond "fall," but we already have a pretty good idea of what the best deal for it will be. Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be available May 23. [Via GoNintendo]
This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Media Summit 2010 redux
This week's Nintendo Channel update features a lot of trailers for all of the big news items out of Nintendo Media Summit last week. If you haven't had a chance to check out the new trailers and our hands-on impressions, hit up this post here. Otherwise, boot up your Wii and enjoy all of the new videos for Super Mario Galaxy 2, Sin and Punishment: Star Successor and Disney Guilty Party! %Gallery-86430%
Mario, Metroid, Sin and Punishment, more dated in Europe
Here's some great news for those of you in Europe interested in playing Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Sin and Punishment: Star Successor. Nintendo announced that Galaxy will be available in Europe on June 11, not long after America's May 23 date. And Sin and Punishment will be out in Europe (under the slightly altered title Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies) on May 7, exactly one month before North America gets its hands on that Treasure. The bad news is that Metroid: Other M is dated simply "Q3." It's due June 27 in North America. We've collected all the European release dates for Wii and DS (including a "summer" date for Dragon Quest IX!) after the break. [Via Eurogamer]
Welcome, new Super Mario Galaxy 2 trailer!
Nintendo has released a brand new trailer for Super Mario Galaxy 2, showing the exploits of the portly plumber and ... okay, look. We can't do this anymore. The dude's obviously not just a plumber these days. Try astronaut. Try dinosaur wrangler. Try planetoid driller. And just try not to get excited for the game's launch on May 23rd. %Gallery-86430%
Super Mario Galaxy 2 flies into retail space May 23
Those of you eagerly awaiting more exploration of tiny, gimmick-filled planetoids don't have long to wait. At its Media Summit event today, Nintendo announced the May 23 release date of Super Mario Galaxy 2 in North America. Last night, news from Nintendo of Australia suggested that Galaxy 2 would see a summer release, and we're delighted that the wait for a more specific date -- one that applied to America, as well -- wasn't long at all. Speaking of delight, we'll now get to see just how high Mario can jump when he ditches Yoshi mid-air ... in space! %Gallery-64834%
Nintendo Australia: Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid Other M out this summer
IGN reports that Nintendo of Australia released some big news about two upcoming Wii titles at its media summit. Metroid: Other M and Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be released between June and August. Other M was previously named as a summer release by Nintendo of Japan, but Galaxy has only ever been specified as "2010." Those dates are presumably for Australia, but at least set a rough time frame for the rest of the world. We'll find out more tomorrow during Nintendo's US media summit. Nintendo Australia also dated the black Wii console (March 11) and the DSi XL (April 15, in burgundy and bronze). %Gallery-64834% [Thanks, Caleb Schowalter!]
Nintendo report hints at new Wii titles, Other M release
Nintendo is one of a few companies to release its earnings report earlier this week, and a supplemental report released today has some surprises and new information for Wii owners. Not only does it finally list a target date for Metroid: Other M (you can expect it as soon as summer of this year if all goes according to plan), but there are two brand new names in the list as well: Xenoblade and The Last Story. Xenoblade is listed for a Spring 2010 release, so we should be hearing about that one soon, and The Last Story is listed for sometime this year, with both slated for release on the Wii in Japan. There's reason to believe these are just new names, as both Monado: Beginning of the World and Cosmic Walker are missing from the report, and Monado was being developed by Monolith Soft, known most notably for another Xeno- title you may have heard of. But Monado is still listed for a release in the US this year, so who knows? Other than that, the report lists some titles we expected to see soon: A new Kirby Super Star title, Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Wii's Legend of Zelda, Golden Sun for DS, and a few other releases scheduled in 2010. Full list of Japanese Wii releases is after the break.
NPD: New Super Mario Bros. Wii sales have surpassed Super Mario Galaxy
New Old Mario is stomping all over the mark left by his globetrotting counterpart, with sales of New Super Mario Bros. Wii having already surpassed Super Mario Galaxy in the US. According to the NPD, Galaxy has sold approximately 4.1 million units in the two years since its November 2007 release, while NSMBW has amassed 4.2 million sales in about 45 days. As IGN notes, the Wii's install base is much higher now (26 million in the US), but that still doesn't explain why Galaxy, which has had far more time on retail shelves, was passed by so quickly. We'd posit that there's something nostalgic about NSMBW, which makes it stand apart from Galaxy and speak to the Wii's demographic. Of course, Super Mario Galaxy 2 will have the benefit of being quite familiar too ...
Miyamoto: Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be 'really difficult'
Much like he did for the just-launched New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Shigeru Miyamoto has announced that Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be "really difficult." But will it be so difficult as to require Nintendo's new in-game life preserver, the Super Guide? Miyamoto isn't so sure yet. "In general," Miyamoto told Official Nintendo Magazine, "wherever and whenever appropriate, I think we will want to incorporate that kind of thing, but I cannot commit to anything specific right now." Here's our absolutely ridiculous prediction: Miyamoto and crew are going to do with this sequel what they did with Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Since Galaxy 2 is basically another level pack for an existing game, the team is going to make it almost impossible to complete. Of course, that won't happen. More likely, Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be on par with the first game in terms of challenge, but will include the Super Guide to stay consistent with Nintendo's current strategy. %Gallery-64834%
Shock! Nintendo developing another 'new Mario game' says Martinet [update]
Ahh, the world of social networking services, where everyone from Joystiq to Charles Martinet (the voice of Mario and many other Nintendo characters) can coyly hint at things of interest to the world. Why just yesterday morning, Martinet dropped hints at an "Awesome new Mario game." Normally such a statement would provide us little in the way of excitement, except it came paired with "And it's not NSMB [New Super Mario Bros.] Wii, and it's not Galaxy 2," as well as assuring us "it's going to be crazy fun!" Considering the recent release of Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and the two he mentioned in his Tweet, we're fairly sure Mr. "It's a me, Mario!" is dropping his dulcet tones into an unannounced "new Mario game." We've shot Nintendo a note for some clarification and will update this post as soon as we know more. Update: Unfortunately, The Big N hasn't offered us much in the way of information, saying, "We're always working on new games and experiences, but we have nothing to announce at this time." [Via GamingTarget]
E3 2009 highlights: The Nintendo roundup
Nintendo E3 2009 checklist: Mario? *check* Zelda? *check* Metroid? *check* Are we missing something? Head past the break to find out!
Insights on Nintendo's new games from the Miyamoto developer event
Shigeru Miyamoto didn't appear at Nintendo's big E3 conference, but he did appear at what Nintendo called a "developer event" later that evening, in a "very relaxed mood" from his morning off. This discussion/Q&A event was the location of last year's Pikmin 3 reveal, and this year Miyamoto came prepared to surprise everyone again at the end, with art from the next Zelda game. "To be honest with you, I really wanted, at this E3, to announce a Zelda game for Wii," he said. "But, we've already shown you a Zelda on Wii, and rather than try to think of something to bring here to show you, we really wanted to focus on actual game development."However, I didn't want to come empty-handed, so I did bring the main illustration for the next Zelda title."
Marvel at this Super Mario Galaxy 2 gameplay trailer
The announcement of Super Mario Galaxy 2? Pretty much out of this world. Even better? Seeing for yourself what the game looks like in action. Yoshi swinging by his tongue, Mario making flowers grow -- it's all here on some truly fantastic-looking new worlds (along with some fresh takes on returning ones). Excited? You should bee (suit). Let's-a go!%Gallery-64834%
