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Nintendo continues to flourish with strong Switch sales
With the Switch riding high and the beleaguered Wii U all but retired, Nintendo's accounts are looking a little brighter than usual. The Japanese console maker posted some strong financial earnings today for the three-month period ending on June 30th, with 64.73 billion yen ($578 million) in gross profit and, with the usual operating expenses deducted, 16.21 billion yen ($145 million) in operating profit. That's in stark contrast to a year ago, when Nintendo posted a pretty dismal 30.5 billion yen ($272 million) in operating profit and lost 5.13 billion yen ($46 million) overall.
The Wii U revisited: Looking back on a forward-thinking console
Engadget is re-reviewing the current generation of game consoles, each of which has benefited from firmware updates, price drops and an improved selection of games. We've already revisited the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. Now, at last, it's Nintendo's turn. Though we've raised our Wii U score to 74 from 70, you can still find our original review here, if you're curious to read what we said at launch. It's hard to believe that the Wii U is only 4 years old. In the time since Nintendo released its last flagship console, we've seen four iPhones, as many Galaxy S handsets from Samsung, two models of the Xbox One and, of course, the PlayStation 4. All of which is to say, it feels like it's been much longer since the quirky console came out. Compared with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the Wii U has changed the least. Nintendo didn't release a slimmed-down version, nor has it offered additional storage options beyond the launch model's 32GB. Firmware updates have slightly changed the UI as well as delivered performance improvements, but there otherwise hasn't been a massive overhaul.
Rhapsody's music-streaming service comes to the Wii U
Rhapsody doesn't often beat Spotify to the punch, but today it did. The streaming service has announced that its music catalog, which features over 30 million songs, is now available on Nintendo's console. While the app is free to download from the eShop, you'll need a Rhapsody account to get access to any tracks. That said, people who don't have a subscription can sign up for a 30-day trial directly from the Wii U. This includes those of you who live outside the US, too, where Rhapsody operates under the Napster brand.
The Wii U finally has its own shadow puppet simulator
After more than a year of being available on Steam, Shadow Puppeteer is ready to take its adventure over to the Wii U. The award-winning independent title, developed by Sarepta studio, will be hitting Nintendo's console on January 28th for $15. Shadow Puppeteer brings with it what's described as a strange but beautiful world, which you can explore on your own or through a local co-op mode. Above all, Shadow Puppeteer's arrival on Wii U is a great sign for indie gamers, a community we know Nintendo's trying really hard to reach.
'Minecraft: Story Mode' comes to the Wii U on January 21st
Those of you with a Wii U have been missing out on Minecraft: Story Mode, created by Mojang and Telltale Games, the indie developer behind The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones titles. But that's changing soon. Today, Telltale announced that Minecraft's narrative-based series is coming to Nintendo's console in just a few days, on January 21st.
Nintendo revamps Miiverse site with more social features
The MiiVerse website is about bringing Nintendo's online community together, among other things. But up until today, the virtual hub was missing features that could have made it even more useful. Thankfully, Nintendo has revamped the site (again), adding a handful of social tidbits that users are bound to appreciate. Along with now being able to see what's trending on MiiVerse, you can also get a quick glimpse at how other players across the network are doing on their games -- via the Play Journal feed. And in case you've never visited it, you can check out the refreshed site at miiverse.nintendo.net.
'Super Mario Maker' crushed my dreams of making video games
"Isn't this supposed to be fun?" I asked myself over and over again. I knew the answer was "yes," but I still wasn't having any. I'd been playing Super Mario Maker, a video game that lets you make your own Super Mario Bros. levels and play them on a real Nintendo console, and I was completely miserable. It didn't make any sense. I'd dreamed about making Nintendo games since I was 6 years old, but when the company gave me the chance to prove a game design genius lived under my skin, I flopped. It was then that a shocking and heartbreaking realization washed over me: I hate making video games.
New in our buyer's guide: the Galaxy Note 5, OnePlus 2 and Moto G
Phones and gaming. Gaming and phones. That's about all we're adding to our buyer's guide this month. Since we last checked in, we've inducted a trio of new handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Moto G and the OnePlus 2. (And yes, we'll soon have to update the iPhone part of the guide too.) Meanwhile, we also decided that the Wii U and the New 3DS XL deserved spots in our gaming guide, along with a nod to toys-to-life products like Amiibo, Skylanders and Disney's Infinity series. We'll be back next month, but until then, feel free to poke around our complete guide to see our top picks.
'Star Fox Zero' swoops onto Wii U on November 20
Nintendo Wii U owners, mark your calendars. The Japanese console maker will be launching Star Fox Zero, the next space adventure from Shigeru Miyamoto, on November 20th in the US and Europe. It's one of the biggest titles headed to Nintendo's home console this fall, alongside Super Mario Maker, JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles X and the adorable Yoshi's Woolly World. Of the three, Star Fox Zero is arguably the most anticipated. It's been over a decade since Star Fox: Assault graced the Gamecube, but with the 3DS port of Star Fox 64, as well as the crew's appearances in Super Smash Bros., the series has stayed fresh in people's minds. Can Miyamoto and PlatinumGames deliver with the anthropomorphic space animals again? We'll be able to find out in just a few months.
This is what happens when Facebook hacks Nintendo
When I entered the doors of the building, an approximately 7-foot Piranha Plant greeted me. Inside, I saw large question block cushions scattered throughout and 25 Wii U stations. Off in the corner was a Mario mascot, posing for photos in front of a big green pipe. If you thought I was in Nintendo Land, you'd be wrong. I was in Facebook's Menlo Park, California, offices. It was the second day of a two-day hackathon collaboration with Nintendo, where employees had the opportunity to create levels with the upcoming game Super Mario Maker. And the ultimate prize? The winning level design would be available to download when the game launches.
Nintendo's adorable shooter 'Splatoon' sells 1 million copies
For the most part, Nintendo kept quiet during E3 2015 -- at least in comparison to PlayStation and Xbox. But today the company's celebrating a huge milestone for Splatoon, the magical third-person shooter that was recently launched on the Wii U. Nintendo announced the game has sold over 1 million copies since being released, making it one of the most successful Wii U titles to date. In a press statement, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said, "This milestone puts us in a nice position as we prepare to launch 11 more exclusive Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games before the end of the year, plus amiibo, digital offerings and games from our third-party partners." So, if you don't have a Wii U or a 3DS, now might be the time to reconsider.
Nintendo reveals a flood of new games ahead of E3 2015
The NX console isn't the only product Nintendo's working on behind the scenes, naturally. Via a Direct Micro video session, the company has now shared an outlook of its game plan for this year and beyond -- though we're sure it's not telling us everything. Most notably, Nintendo revealed the Dr. Mario franchise is making a comeback with Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure, which will be launching for the 3DS on June 11th (exclusively in the eShop). But there's more: Bravely Second is finally coming to North America, where it's going to be available on the 3DS sometime in 2016.
BBC iPlayer comes to the Wii U with GamePad viewing
These days, it's pretty hard to find anything electronic that doesn't have access to BBC iPlayer already. Nintendo's Wii U is one of the most notable exceptions, but if you've been quietly jonesing for an iPlayer client to hit the quirky console, then jones no more. With zero fanfare marking its launch, BBC iPlayer is now available to download in the Nintendo eShop. The Wii U's GamePad is fully supported, too, so you're not tied to the TV screen if, you know, your tablet's run out of battery.
Here's how Nintendo's Amiibo toys work in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Nintendo was dropping Smash Brothers info-bombs left and right last night, but the company also felt compelled to dive a little deeper into how the Wii U version of the game will play with those curious little Amiibos. You know, the Nintendo character-themed figurines that both look adorable and store game information via NFC? Now, thanks to the marketing wizards in Redmond, we've got a four-minute chronicle of young love, combat and tiny figures that explains just about everything. Key takeaways? You're not actually playing as your Amiibo character -- instead, the little avatar springs to life as a support character, getting in people's faces and generally having a grand ol' time once you tap the figure to your Wii U's gamepad.
Playdate: We're livestreaming Mario Kart 8 for Wii U! (update: game over!)
Welcome, ladygeeks and gentlenerds, to the new era of gaming. The one where you get to watch, and comment, as other people livestream gameplay from next-gen consoles. Because games! They're fun! Mario Kart 8 isn't actually the eighth Mario Kart game. Disappointing as that may be, the game itself is a blast. Heck, we'd go as far as to say it's a good reason to buy a Wii U. The game launches today in North America and Europe, so we figure it's a good time to give people a thorough look at the Wii U's next big game. Join myself and everyone's favorite goomba, Tim Seppala, right here at 3PM ET (well, after the break), as we throw red shells, drop banana peels, and smear ink in each other's eyes -- all virtually of course. Oh, and the profanity and shouting definitely we're bound to do isn't serious. OR IS IT?
Nintendo bundling Wii U with two games and an extra controller for $330 on May 30th
You don't have a Wii U yet, right? You're forgiven, and far from unique (in that respect, anyway -- you're a unique snowflake otherwise). Should the eighth entry in the Mario Kart series pique your interest, Nintendo's got a pretty fantastic bundle arriving at the end of May with a copy of the game, an extra Wii Remote Plus gamepad, and a free download of one of four games. All that stuff comes together in one box for $329.99 -- a pretty great deal considering the Wii U system in the box costs $300 by itself! Head below for a new trailer for Mario Kart 8, as well as more on why Nintendo would offer a brand new game for free alongside its console.
One of Activision's top moneymakers gets a new entry in Skylanders: Trap Team
Like taxes, iPhones and, well, Madden, you can count on a new Skylanders game every year. If you're unfamiliar with the franchise, that may just be a symptom of not being around kids -- the toy / video game series is a dominant force in the kids gaming market, sharing responsibility with biggies like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft for bringing in 80 percent of Activision's earnings in 2013. Each new entry in the game series comes with a new physical device for reading toy figurines; when said figurines are placed on the device (called a "portal"), they're transported into the game world and playable in-game. Between the figures ($5 - $7 apiece, on average) and the games (anywhere from $7 to $60), it's easy to understand why the franchise is so profitable. Thankfully, the franchise is also lauded by most critics as a pretty decent game, too. The next entry, Skylanders: Trap Team, arrives this October and it's the largest game in the franchise to date.
Nintendo's got three new Wii U bundles for UK dance parties
You're hosting a dance/Italian plumber enthusiasts party at your United Kingdom-based flat and need entertainment -- we totally get it. And so does Nintendo, apparently, as the game maker is bringing three new bundles to the UK starting on November 8th with the release of a New Super Mario Bros. U/32GB deluxe edition Wii U game console (the pack also contains the Luigi-based expansion). Next, on November 15th, an 8GB Wii U model gets bundled with Wii Party U and NintendoLand; a third, also 8GB unit, arrives on November 22nd with Just Dance 4 and NintendoLand. Nintendo's got each console listed at £250 ($400) on its new store, and pins the Just Dance 4 and Wii Party U versions as "limited edition." So, uh, act now! Maybe not. Considering the console itself normally costs £250 without any games at all, it sounds like Nintendo may be encountering some sales slowdown in the UK (things certainly haven't been rosy sales-wise in the US market). Anyway, probably not a rush on these puppies at the market next month, but some good options if you're looking for a Wii U with a free game other than The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD.
Caption contest: Luigi puts the 'L' in Chicago's public transit system
Has Nintendo of America fallen on hard times? Why else would the company make one of its most beloved characters (or, at the very least, the brother of one of its most beloved characters) take Windy City public transit? Oh, that's right, the gaming giant has decked out the "L" train with ads for its new Super Luigi U title. The mustachioed plumber is riding the Brown Line in this Twitter shot, so be sure to be on the lookout for suspicious looking dinosaurs in the area (if you see something, say something). No word on whether he'll be making house calls today.
Wii U speed update delayed to fall, Nintendo placates users with minor stability fixes
Looking forward to that second Wii U speed update? Take a seat, son: Nintendo says it won't be here until fall. According to a statement given to The Verge, Nintendo has pushed it back to the end of the year, promising delivery sometime "between the end of September and beginning of October." Instead, Wii U owners are being offered a smaller patch, bringing the console's system menu to version 3.1 while providing minor stability fixes and tweaking the machine's standby download function. Good things, of course, but a small comfort to gamers who have been eagerly awaiting the performance update Nintendo president Satoru Iwata promised back in January. Then again, Nintendo fans are getting used to waiting.
