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Rumor: Wal-mart flier features Smash Bros. 3DS XL
Americans might not have to glare jealously across the Atlantic when Nintendo of Europe releases a special 3DS XL bundle alongside Super Smash Bros.: A supposed scan of a Wal-Mart flier has been posted to NeoGAF (not shown above, click through to see), which features Europe's red Smash 3DS XL beside a blue counterpart. With no mention of an included Smash download like the European bundle, the flier prices both red and blue versions at $199.96 and features a "Get it First!" logo that dates the hardware for September 19. If you're particular about your special edition handhelds, the Japanese Smash 3DS XL swaps the series' name for a larger, lighter Smash Ball logo. Regardless of your 3DS XL preference, even if the special edition reaches the States, you'd still need to decide whether you're holding off for the new, Xenoblade-compatible 3DS and 3DS XL models. [Image: NeoGAF/Wal-Mart]
Joystiq Weekly: Amazon buys Twitch, Madden 15 review, Early Access feature and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. PAX Prime 2014 is already underway, but as fun as joining a swarm of people buzzing around video game displays can be, you don't even have to leave the house to get this weekend's highlights. Well, unless your house is a black hole for Internet and phone reception ... The point is, Joystiq is on the front lines of PAX Prime, ignoring sensible limitations to bring you a slew of news and previews. With this morning's proof that survival in numbers is a relative concept in Don't Starve Together and a reminder that thinking every MOBA is interchangeable is a mistake when it comes to Gigantic, the good stuff is already underway. There's always yesterday's reveal of Xbox One and PS4 versions of Saints Row 4 too, as well as a new, standalone expansion called Saints Row: Gat out of Hell. Stick with us until PAX Prime's conclusion on Monday, September 1, and in return we'll tell you all about the show's highlights without subjecting you to the dreaded PAX Pox. For now though, we've got a full recap of this week's news, reviews and features. Amazon's surprise acquisition of Twitch, Nintendo's new 3DS models, reviews of Madden NFL 15 and The Walking Dead's season finale, an examination of what makes Early Access such a valuable space to developers ... it's all arranged neat and orderly-like for you after the break!
Nintendo reveals first Amiibo figures and prices, but no release date
Nintendo revealed an initial line up of Amiibo toys on Thursday. The near-field communication-equipped action figures compatible with Nintendo Wii U and 3DS games like Super Smash Bros. will cost $12.99 each when they launch, but Nintendo has yet to announce an official release date for the line beyond 2014. The first wave includes 12 figures, among them many that were initially unveiled at E3 2014. Metroid's Samus, The Legend of Zelda's Link, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Star Fox, Pikachu, the Animal Crossing boy villager, and Super Mario Bros.' Mario, Princess Peach, and Yoshi populate the line. There are also figures of Marth from the Fire Emblem series and the Wii Fit trainer. Some figures shown in prototype form at E3 2014, including Princess Zelda and Kid Icarus, are not included in the first wave. While Nintendo still hasn't confirmed a release date for its Amiibo, it did announce additional games that will support the figures, including Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Yoshi's Wooly World, Mario Party 10, and Mario Kart 8. Show full PR text SUPER SMASH BROS., AMIIBO, POKÉMON AND NEW HARDWARE BUNDLES STAR IN NINTENDO'S HOLIDAY LINEUP Pre-Orders for First 12 amiibo Figures Kick off Nintendo's Holiday Season REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 29, 2014 – Nintendo has prepared a massive lineup of new games and products for the 2014 holiday season. The lineup includes new entries from some of the biggest franchises in gaming, new hardware bundles for Wii U and Nintendo 2DS, and new amiibo interactive figures featuring some of the most iconic characters in the world of video games. The holiday shopping season begins today for Nintendo fans, as the first 12 amiibo interactive figures become available for pre-order at a suggested retail price of just $12.99 each. The first dozen characters available for pre-order at select retailers are Mario, Peach, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Pikachu, Kirby, Fox, Marth, Villager and Wii Fit Trainer, with more on the way in the future. "Nintendo's holiday offerings demonstrate a combination of fun franchises and great value," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "With Wii U and Nintendo 2DS hardware bundles, classic names like Super Smash Bros., Bayonetta and Pokémon, new IP like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and amiibo, everyone will find something to love about Nintendo this holiday season. Whether people are shopping for themselves or they're prepping their gift lists, Nintendo has them covered." Interactive amiibo Figures: Nintendo's foray into the toys-to-life category starts today, with the first 12 amiibo figures available to pre-order from select retailers. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, which launches this holiday season, will be the first game with full integration of amiibo functionality. Other games that will support amiibo include Mario Kart 8, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Mario Party 10 and Yoshi's Woolly World, with more to come. More details on amiibo functionality with the various games and a launch date will be revealed shortly.
Gamescom Awards evolve, favor 2K's monstrous game
The votes are in, and the winner of the Gamescom 2014 Awards is ... *drumroll* Oh, you saw the headline and figured out the pun already? Well, you're right; it's Evolve, the 4v1 monster-on-human huntfest from Left 4 Dead developer Turtle Rock Studios. The game took home not only the award for "Best of Gamescom," but also the awards for "Best Console Game Microsoft Xbox," "Best PC Game," "Best Action Game" and "Best Online Multiplayer Game." Other highlights include Super Smash Bros. taking home the "Best Mobile Game" award for its 3DS iteration, while its console counterpart took home the "Most Wanted Consumer Award," a title that premiered at this year's ceremony. LittleBigPlanet 3 also won multiple awards, specifically the "Best Social / Casual / Online Game" award and the "Best Family Game" award. We're relatively sure that Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call won the award for "Best Simulation Game" due to its simulation of music, but we can pretend it won because it simulates being an adorable JRPG character singing along to catchy tunes, too. Check out the full list of winners after the break.
Super Smash Bros raises its 'Special Flag,' waves in Meta Knight
Among the growing list of playable characters in Super Smash Bros. is Meta Knight, the Kirby character that first enrolled in the series' battles in 2008's Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Director Masahiro Sakurai revealed the character's inclusion in a recent Miiverse post, adding that the developer "didn't forget the Battleship Halberd either," Meta Knight's ship. Sakurai also noted that Meta Knight's "up special" move, Shuttle Loop, has been changed for the upcoming Smash Bros. "The glide is gone, and the attack slashes opponents twice while spinning in a large loop," he wrote. Sakurai also discussed the new Special Flag item in the game in a separate update. Should players raise the flag above their heads without interruption long enough, they'll receive an addition KO count in time matches or an extra stock in stock matches, which can make all the difference in those game modes. As a result, Sakurai expects that players will fight for the flag once it appears, similar to series' Smash Ball. He also detailed the 3DS version's single player offerings today, which will receive a special 3DS XL bundle once Super Smash Bros. launches on October 3 before the Wii U version hits this winter. [Image: Nintendo]
Ba-Ding! Game Boy stage joins the Super Smash Bros. 3DS fight
Super Smash Bros. on the 3DS will feature a stage inspired by Nintendo's famous handheld, the Game Boy - AKA that "old DS" where you have to actually press buttons. Game director Masahiro Sakurai posted a picture of the stage to Miiverse earlier this week, noting that, "If you turn on the 3D effect, it really looks like there's a Game Boy inside the screen." It's hard to tell exactly how the stage will function, but if we were to make a guess, we'd say it might behave similar to Flat Zone from Super Smash Bros. Melee. In that level - which is inspired by Game & Watch devices - players would have to battle one another as backgrounds changed to various Game & Watch games. Similar to the newly-unveiled Game Boy stage, Flat Zone featured walls around the stage designed to look like the edges of a handheld device. Hopefully the experience doesn't get too authentic, or we'll find ourselves unable to play unless we have a bright light shining on our 3DS systems. Guess we'll find out on October 3. [Image: Nintendo]
Buy Super Smash Bros trophies with 3DS play coins
The previous two games in the Super Smash Bros. series featured collectible trophies. Back in our day, these were sometimes difficult to obtain thanks to steep challenges, but we persevered and our digital trophy cases were a little shinier for it. Nintendo is alleviating some of the stress induced by these tougher challenges by allowing players to purchase trophies for the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. with in-game and in-system currency. According to Miiverse posts by Super Smash Bros. Director Masahiro Sakurai, the game's trophy shop offers players the chance to buy the collectible items using in-game gold or 3DS Play Coins. "If you're having a hard time getting certain trophies, why not just buy them," Sakurai wrote, noting that trophies "sometimes go on sale, too." 3DS Play Coins are earned while players travel with their systems in sleep mode, with the 3DS acting as a pedometer of sorts. While Super Smash Bros. Brawl had a whopping 544 trophies, Sakurai also teased that the upcoming "3DS version alone may have more than Brawl." Super Smash Bros. will reach the 3DS on October 3, followed by the Wii U version (which we rather enjoyed at E3) this winter. [Image: Nintendo]
Joystiq Weekly: Doom reboot, Microsoft's layoffs, Sunless Sea and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. We're happy to hear that Doom is still brewing in the depths of iD Software, but if we're getting spoiled with updates to classics, we wonder if we could get anything else revived if we stir up enough demand. Remember how awesome Bubsy was? What about taking another crack at Altered Beast? What's that, you say? "No and your picks are garbage"? Well then. Lucky for you, this edition of the Joystiq Weekly carries no news of reboots for either series. It does offer a recap of the week's biggest non-fictional stories though, from Microsoft's plans to dismiss 18,000 workers to the latest fighters to take up arms in Super Smash Bros. There are also reviews for the stealth-focused Light and a spooky, exploration-driven journey on a boat called Sunless Sea, plus a WildStar postcard that digs into the MMO's PvP modes. It's all arranged neat and orderly-like for you after the break!
E3 2014 round-up: Weird tales from Los Angeles
Had you been on the floor of the Los Angeles Convention Center this year, you would have heard one question, echoing from journalist to journalist: "This year feels a little ... weird, don't you think?" It's hard to put a finger on exactly why E3 2014 gave off a strange vibe, but darn it all, we're gonna try. Here are some of the most eccentric, the most peculiar, most "hmm"-inducing stories of E3:
Nintendo Amiibo figurines look smashing at E3
Nintendo explained the Amiibo figures it revealed during its E3 2014 livestream earlier this week, but touching them involves smashing through a plexiglass case on the E3 showfloor. We aren't above doing that, but we still have to stay here at E3 for a few more hours, so we'll show you these pictures we took of the figurines instead. Nintendo emphasizes these figurines are prototypes and should not be considered final.
Co-Opinion: Super Smash Bros. (Wii U)
This is Co-Opinion, where two Joystiq editors play a game and discuss their experience. This edition focuses on an E3 2014 hands-on session of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, by Nintendo. .portal-left { padding: 10px; background: #CCC; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right { padding: 10px; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right img { padding-left: 5px; } .portal-left img { padding-right: 5px; } Mike Suszek: Sam and I took a moment to throw down in a few matches of Super Smash Bros. on Wii U at E3. Let's get this out of the way: It's definitely still Smash Bros. The controls aren't wildly different from Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the four-player action is still chaotic and I still manage to miss out on every Pokeball that appears. Sam Prell: Being "more Smash Bros." isn't necessarily bad, though. Fighting games aren't often torn down and rebuilt from the ground up - they're tweaked and tightened. Sometimes a surprise feature or two can sneak their way in and shake things up, though. I'm still not sure about how I feel about the addition of the Smash Ball in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, even six years after the fact. Based on our - admittedly short - time with the game this week though, I don't think we'll see a shift quite as dramatic as the one between Brawl and Melee.
Palutena from Kid Icarus joins the fight in Super Smash Bros.
Goddess Palutena joins the playable roster in Nintendo's upcoming Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS, launching later this year.
Super Smash Bros. gets NFC figures, Mii support
Super Smash Bros. on Wii U will include support for NFC (near-field communication) figurines called "Amiibo," as Nintendo demonstrated during its E3 2014 livestream today. Additionally, players will be able to bring their Mii characters into battle, lending their likeness to their fights. Mii fighters are divided into three classes: Mii gunner, Mii brawler and Mii sword-fighter. They will also get to pick four special moves among 12 different options. As for the NFC figures, the Skylanders-esque physical toys will summon characters to the battlefield and enhance your fighter. Nintendo noted that Amiibo will interact with multiple games, including the previously-released Mario Kart 8. [Image: Nintendo]
Joystiq Weekly: Battlefield Hardline, Watch Dogs review, Evil Within preview and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. With Sony upping PlayStation Plus to six games per month, we're pretty confident that the service is trying to ruin our lives. We're not obligated to tackle every single title, of course, but in the cycle of starting downloads for games "just in case" we ever feel an inkling to play them, we're losing track of which games we should feel guilty about not finishing and which games we should feel guilty about paying $60 for and not finishing. If not for the bills, assignments and the omnipresence of life's ever-ticking clock, we'd plop down in front of our TVs for a few years and knock out every game we ever felt intrigued by. To hell with "everything in moderation" - moderation wouldn't clear out our shelves of "yeah, maybe one day" RPGs, nor would it help us get the timing for our go-to Street Fighter combos down to the exact frame. Moderation is just a feeble admission that we can't control time (yet), and it ignores our potential to play all the video games, which we'll definitely get to. Eventually. Some day. Unfortunately, getting through every game we've ever wanted to play is still just a fantasy for now. Unless you find a way to break the laws of life's constants - if you do, you should totally let us know. We can do co-op or something. Until we reach that dream state, you can get a glimpse of Battlefield Hardline, read reviews for Watch Dogs and Among The Sleep, and dig into a neat feature on Watch Dogs that explains how legalities ruin everything. It's all waiting for you after the break!
Nintendo resurrects its best controller for Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U
Not only is one of Nintendo's most loved games soon to arrive on the Wii U, but you'll also be able to play it using one of the game company's best controllers. An officially licensed adapter will let you plug in up to four GameCube controllers when playing the next-gen iteration of Super Smash Bros. As Joystiq points out, we don't know if there'll also be support for Nintendo's wireless Wavebird via the same piece of kit, or whether GameCube controllers will work with other Wii U titles. Neither do we have any pricing. What we do know is that the adapter will be shown off during a tournament at E3 on June 10th (check out the video below at 2:20). It''ll then presumably go on sale in time for the launch of Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U this winter -- and, from Nintendo's perspective, it surely can't come soon enough.
Become the People's Champion, take on a Smash Bros. champ
Unlike a live stage presentation from Nintendo, The Super Smash Bros. Invitational tournament will take place in the Nokia Theater during E3. Up to 3,000 fans will be allowed to watch the brawls unfold in the upcoming Super Smash Bros., so the event is bound to have some energy to it. If you're eager to prove your Smash-based skill set and still haven't received your invitation, there's hope for you in the form of Instagram: Nintendo will fly the victor of its "People's Challenger" contest and a guest to E3, with the People's Challenger winning the right to duke it out with one of the Invitational's champions. People's Challenger entrants must convince Nintendo that they're worthy of the opportunity in a video under 15 seconds in length. We suggest you check out the full details before starting on your entry though, as one of the general guidelines advises against even pretending to harm others. That masterful, intense bout of choreographed fisticuffs you were daydreaming about is probably out, then. Judges will pick a winner based on three aspects: how well a video displays an entrant's enthusiasm, demonstrated creativity and the entry's overall artistic quality. Nintendo will accept entries until 10 AM PT on May 27, all of which must follow the title format of "My name is <FIRST NAME> and this is my submission for the Super Smash Bros. People's Challenger Contest. #SmashChallengerApproaching #NintendoContestEntry." Entrants must live in the United States or Canada (except for you, Quebec) and must be 18 or above their state or province's age of majority. Even if you get rocked by the Invitational champ, at least you'll have two three-day passes for the E3 show floor. No more living vicariously through E3 attendees for you! [Image: Nintendo]
Joystiq Weekly: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Child Of Light, Xbox Originals and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. We'll be able to get a social-oriented sci-fi fix in Destiny later this year, complete with flashy superpowers and an arsenal of weaponry that further convinces us of how awesome the future will be. And with Mass Effect undoubtedly coming along and the whole Star Wars thing, it feels like a pretty great time to be a sci-fi fan. Whether you want to watch a saga play out or guide its progression, you'll probably have some great choices consuming your life in the near future. Of course, it's possible that the collective sci-fi genre bores you, which is why we brought you this fresh edition of the Joystiq Weekly. Yes, there's a slew of Destiny-flavored video content, but there's also a glimpse of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, reviews for Child of Light and Mario Golf: World Tour, and an exploration of Microsoft's original content plans for Xbox. You can read up on these stories and more after the break!
Joystiq Weekly: PAX East, The Last Of Us: Remastered, Super Smash Bros. and more
This week's reveal of Charizard in Super Smash Bros.' roster is a bit of a blow to our argument that Squirtle is the best starter from Pokemon Red/Blue. Yes, both pocket monsters were in the Pokemon Trainer's arsenal in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but Charizard flying solo is a whole different level of awesome, one that's left us Squirtle enthusiasts drowning in envy. Playground rivalries aside, there's a lot more going on this week beyond Pokefeuds. Sony admitted that The Last Of Us is coming to the PS4, Borderlands fans are finally going to be able to play as Claptrap in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and we've got a faint glimmer of hope for the Xbox One to eventually be backwards compatible. This is also the weekend of PAX East, which you can treat as a source of news or, if you're attending, a giant game of "Where's Waldo?" Track down Joystiq's away team and say hi! Provided you can catch them between appointments, panels and the lone meal of their day, that is.
Next week's Nintendo Direct flings Super Smash Bros. at your screen
Nintendo Directs are always stuffed with an assortment of the company's characters, but next week's Super Smash Bros. Direct will pile tons of them into just one game. The Wii U and 3DS fighter will star in a livestream airing on April 8 at 3PM PT/6PM ET, and there are simultaneous broadcasts scheduled for Europe (11PM UK time) and Japan (7AM, April 9). Nintendo's been steadily pumping out the character reveals over the last year or so - we're up to 24 fighters now - but we've had no further news on a release date beyond the 2014 window. You'd have to think there's a good chance that'll be narrowed down in next week's broadcast, but we're also not so far away from E3, where Nintendo first unveiled the game. Whatever happens, you'll be able to watch next week's Direct right here on Joystiq, and we'll have all the news as and when it hits. In the meantime, I'll just say - with no evidence or basis in reality behind it - that in the year Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright are having a crossover, Capcom's lawyer and Level-5's scholar would be my top picks for new introductions to the roster. Behind Walter White, that is. [Image: Nintendo]
Joystiq Weekly: Titanfall, The Last of Us DLC and Mario Kart 8 rivals
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Did you see that the Koopalings are going to be new characters targets in Mario Kart 8? The Koopalings, the brats responsible for loads of deaths dealt to Mario and Luigi with lava, twirling hoops and rings of death from magic wands? Yup, we've got new rivals. You're annoying, Baby Mario, but you haven't stopped us from moving on to the next world of a Mario game before. Watch your back, Koopalings. There's something about family-friendly, inclusive Nintendo games that bring our most competitive spirit. Have you ever calmly congratulated a friend after their star thievery earned them the title of Party Champion in Mario Party 2? Have you nodded in admiration of your opponent's strategy in Mario Kart Wii, right after they steal your victory with a red shell a few feet away from the finish line? We have a feeling your dialogue might have been more ... "spirited" than civil. We're not judging though - heck, we just threatened a bunch of baby turtles one graf above this! Of course, a lot more happened this week beyond the Koopalings opening themselves up for a world of hurt. This week brought NPD data for January, a review of The Last of Us' "Left Behind" DLC and video previews for Titanfall and Evolve! There's lots more beyond that after the break though, so jump the break and dive into the biggest stories of the week!
