nintendowiiu
Latest
Zelda producer on Nintendo's current woes: 'If we don't change, we might die'
It's cool to be different. That's the message we typically feed our children when they come up against peer opposition. It's also an attitude Nintendo's adopted time and time again when its penchant for innovation, aversion to hardcore gameplay and reliance on classic franchises have put the company in a perceived last place position. But, as it's continually proven -- and most successfully with the Wii -- you can't ever definitively count the Mario hitmaker out. There always seems to be an ace in the company's IP sleeve that keeps bringing gamers and its diehard fanbase back to the fold. But we have to wonder: how long will that last? It's a question we posed directly to Eiji Aonuma, Nintendo's Most Valuable Player #2 and Zelda mastermind, this week at E3. And his answer might surprise you: "If we don't change we might die. We need to evolve. Things need to change. Things need to grow." It's a sobering admission, especially considering the source. "If we don't change we might die. We need to evolve. Things need to change. Things need to grow." The IP ace this time around falls upon the Zelda franchises' shoulders, except not in the way we've come to expect. The two newest titles in the series, headed to the 3DS and Wii U, also happen to be recycled efforts: a reimagining of A Link to the Past and an HD reboot of the Wind Waker, both headed up by Aonuma. Perhaps it's just a consequence of franchise fatigue and player familiarity, but there's something more alarming, more distressing about this back catalog mining; something Aonuma's all too aware of. It's also something he's actively steering his production teams away from, while at the same time attempting to take it all in as a greater lesson for a company so tethered to video gaming past. So to catch some deeper perspective on Nintendo's next-gen leanings, its level of self-awareness and the future of Zelda, we sat down with Aonuma for what turned out to be an honest and refreshing chat.
Mario Kart 8 launching on Wii U in spring 2014 (video)
At Nintendo's E3 presentation that's not actually happening at E3, we've heard the next installment of the Mario Kart series is coming to the Wii U sometime in spring 2014. Mario Kart 8 doesn't stray too far from what fans expect of the casual racer, but there is one new twist. Courses now have 3D aspects to them, allowing you to "defy gravity, racing up vertical walls and upside down." Features like air gliding, underwater racing and the option to ride motorcycles have been included from previous games, but apart from that, it's standard red-shelling carnage. We didn't hear much about online multiplayer, but we're told it "will have deep integration with Miiverse." Head past the break for the E3 trailer. Follow all of our E3 2013 coverage at our event hub. %Gallery-191042%
Six months out, Nintendo's Wii U is a harder sell than ever
Nintendo's Wii U launched at retail just over six months ago to a lukewarm reception from critics. An even more tepid response from consumers followed, with week-one sales trailing behind those of its predecessor. A massive day-one patch, missing functionality (Nintendo TVii, anyone?) and an ever-expanding launch window for games, some of which still aren't available (Pikmin 3, anyone?) are just a few of the many issues that overwhelmed the discussion last November. Company head Satoru Iwata even publicly apologized. In the past six months, things have only gotten worse, with slumping sales, next-gen competition and a lack of Wii U-centric games on the horizon. As E3 2013 nears -- where Nintendo usually has a big press conference and won't this year -- we're revisiting the Wii U for an update, six months out. We're not delving back into how the hardware works (surprise, it's identical to last year!) so much as looking at the console's early promise in contrast with its current predicament. Join us after the break.
Call of Duty: Ghosts is this year's CoD entry, headed to 360, PS3, PC and 'next-gen consoles' on November 5 (video)
Like Punxsutawney Phil's shadowgazing, we can rightfully expect a new Call of Duty game to be announced annually and available at the holidays. Also like our groundhog friend, the only annual questions we must ask are in the details -- what is this year's Call of Duty about, and who's making it? It turns out that this year's Duty development, unsurprisingly, falls on Infinity Ward's shoulders -- the folks who created the much lauded Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare -- and it's named "Call of Duty: Ghosts." The first-person shooter is arriving on a whole mess of platforms this November 5th, including Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, but also PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox -- given that we don't know release dates for the PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox, it stands to reason that Ghosts will arrive on a different date for those platforms. It's also likely we'll see a handheld version on Nintendo's 3DS made by someone other than Infinity Ward, but we've got no direct word on that just yet. More ambiguous, Nintendo's Wii U isn't listed, but it stands to reason it'll head that way as well (the last series entry, Black Ops 2, got a Wii U version). The "Ghosts" in the title references ... well, we're not entirely sure. Previous CoD games featured a character named "Ghost" fairly prominently, though the plurality indicates a game about more than one individual. Infinity Ward head Mark Rubin calls Ghosts "a new sub-brand" in the CoD franchise, and it's getting a new (unnamed) game engine to boot -- another indicator that previous characters aren't involved. We're holding out hope that the often overserious, dramatic tone of previous CoD games is being completely thrown out in favor of a goofy game about hunting ghosts. The bullets pass right through their ethereal form! Run for your life! We'll hear more about Call of Duty: Ghosts at Microsoft's big next-gen console unveiling on May 21st, so hold tight. The first teaser video is just below the jump.
Wii U spring update now live, promises to speed up software load times
<p class="image-container" style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/25/wii-u-spring-update-now-live-promises-to-speed-up-software-load/"><img alt="Wii U spring update now live, promises to speed up software load times" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/11/wiiuupdate620pxhedimgwmed-1353204596.jpg"/> </a></p><p><a href="http://www.engadget.com/wii-u-review/nintendo-wii-u-review/">Owning a Wii U</a> can feel like an exercise in patience: games and apps can take up to 30 seconds to load, and downloaded software needs to be manually installed. Thankfully, Nintendo heard its fans lamentations, and has issued the first of <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/23/wii-u-system-updates/">two major updates</a> designed to mitigate the problem. In addition to <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/26/nintendo-video-shows-off-wii-u-speed-improvement-coming-in-april/">dramatically speeding up</a> software load times, the update revises how the Wii U handles downloads and installs. Rather than manually having to install software, the system will automatically update, download and unwrap patches in the background, even if the console is powered down. The system update also puts the finishing touches on the <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/23/wii-u-virtual-console-hands-on/">Wii U Virtual Console</a>, which is promised to launch officially in the coming days. Nintendo's <em>old</em> VC can be accessed a little quicker now, too, as the update now allows users to jump directly into the <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/08/nintendo-digital-content-problem-wii-u-ecosystem/">sandboxed Wii ecosystem</a> by holding the B button during start up. All in all, a pretty solid update to a system that needs a little fixing. Check out the full list of changes after the break.</p>
Nintendo Wii U's spring update, Panorama View arrive next week
Nintendo's Wii U game console is getting its promised spring update next week, said company president Satoru Iwata in a Luigi-filled video presentation this morning. The update is said to launch software dramatically faster than before, as Nintendo demonstrated in a video last month. Iwata also said the update adds continuable downloads while the console is off, and that Virtual Console won't arrive until the following week -- should you wish to directly launch into the Wii menu, you'll be able to hold down the B button as the console is starting up. That said, if you wanna play those VC games directly from the Wii U menu, you'll need to re-buy them for $1 apiece for NES games and $1.50 for SNES games. A variety of games were shown off as available at the Virtual Console's launch, including classics like Super Mario World and Punch-Out! Apparently GameBoy Advance and Nintendo 64 games are planned for inclusion on the VC in the coming months, but no definitive date was given. He also said Panorama View will arrive next week for free, and it sounds like it'll be a separate download from the software update.
Nintendo European eShop restriction lifted, get your 18+ games at any hour
Nintendo's European arm worked out a deal with Germany's video game regulation body, USK, and its 18+ eShop games are now available at any hour on the 3DS and Wii U. In a missive issued to European Nintendo console users, the company said "adults can browse and buy all games at any time of day" from now on. Said agreement was only reached after "analysis of the Parental Controls system on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS" by USK, which found the parental control systems "in practice" with standards. The bizarre restriction, which originally allowed sales of 18+ games through the European eShop only between 11PM and 3AM, was caused by USK's decency and violence standards. As Nintendo's European branch is based out of Germany, the German laws impacted the entire region's eShop access. But no longer! Assassin's Creed 3 at 10AM? You bet! ZombiU at 2:13PM? Why not! Of course, with download / install times topping four hours, you may wanna get started sooner than later on downloading the bigger games.
Google Maps and TiVo integration on Nintendo Wii U delayed beyond January
Nintendo's Wii U was supposed to get TVii when the console launched back in late November. That did not happen. Then, when it did launch in late December, two key features were missing: TiVo and Netflix. Despite insistence that the former would arrive in January 2013, Nintendo tells us that both are delayed beyond January to an unknown point in "early 2013." The company specifically notes that said integration is planned for the United States. Google Maps and Street View, custom-tailored for the Wii U's tablet-like GamePad, were also given a January 2013 launch window when we first heard back in early December that they were headed to the Wii U. As it turns out, those are also delayed, albeit to a more precise "first quarter of 2013." This news comes on the heels of below expectation Wii U console sales, and word of not one, but two console updates coming later this year aimed at optimizing the hardware -- an issue we struggled with during our review of the console last year. Update: Nintendo added the following statements: "Mr. Iwata recently confirmed that NCL [Nintendo Company Limited] will delay the release date of Wii Street U in Japan from late January to mid-February to spend some more time on final development work. As NOA announced in a Nintendo Direct on 12/5/2012, Wii Street U will be available for download from the Nintendo eShop in the United States in the first quarter of 2013." Per Netflix / TiVo: "Further integration with Netflix subscriptions and TiVo are expected in early 2013 in the United States."
Re-watch this morning's Nintendo Direct right here, right now
Nothing says, "Nintendo news" quite like watching Nintendo president Satoru Iwata gesticulate in a featureless white room for nearly an hour. This morning's Nintendo Direct presentation didn't disappoint in that respect, with Iwata moving his hands this way and that, all the while detailing upcoming system updates to the Wii U, new features and mobile access for the Miiverse social network, and Virtual Console finally heading to Nintendo's latest console. That's to say nothing of a new yarn-based game starring Yoshi and the HD remake of Wind Waker. But you're not here for that, are you? You just wanna watch Iwata make silly arm movements? Done and done -- head past the break for your fix.
Nintendo's Wii U Miiverse getting user communities, mobile access
Nintendo's Wii U-based Miiverse social network is also getting a big update later this year, including user-created communities, more than one community per title, updated usability, and a more advanced filtering system. That's in addition to a mobile phone-based application, all arriving in 2013 -- you'll be able to access the Miiverse via mobile phone a bit earlier. "Initially the experience will be browser-based, but Nintendo plans to create a dedicated Miiverse app in the future," the official PR reads. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced the updates during a Nintendo Direct video presentation this morning, though he didn't give a concrete date for the Miiverse updates or the mobile app ("spring" was the closest he got, and that's only applicable to mobile access, not the app). He did say that you'll sign into the mobile app using your Nintendo Network ID, and be able to access (and interact) with the Miiverse on-the-go.
Nintendo Wii U getting two system updates in spring and summer to optimize UI speed
Nintendo's Wii U is getting two title updates in the coming months, both aimed at optimizing the sluggish speed of the console. The first of the two, launching in spring, will make software load more quickly, as well as adding Virtual Console directly to the Wii U (rather than accessed through the virtual Wii). The second, launching in summer, will get users back to the Wii U main menu more quickly. Both additions are more than welcome -- the Wii U's greatest flaw is its unbelievably slow user interface. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed the news this morning during a Nintendo Direct broadcast, where he also unveiled news about Virtual Console heading to the Wii U, and an upcoming Miiverse update giving users access via smart devices.
Nintendo introduces a fountain pen for your Wii U GamePad, as well as a screen jacket
Nintendo's worried about your Wii U GamePad. So much so, in fact, that the company's releasing a full on "Accessory Set" aimed specifically at bolstering your screen's HP (sorry, we couldn't help it) -- not only do you get a screen protector, but also a cleaning cloth for keeping it in tip top shape. And you'll need all that protection with the increased scribbling the GamePad will assuredly see when employing your new fountain pen-esque stylus, also included in the set. The whole thing runs $12.99 when it arrives at retailers on February 4th (at least in the US and Canada).
PSA: Nintendo TVii now live on Wii U in North America, no download required
Nintendo TVii is now available on Wii Us in North America, arriving right on time with Nintendo's 24-hour window of "December 20." The service -- which promises to unify the console's disparate media services under a single application, dubbed "TVii" -- doesn't yet support the promised TiVo or Netflix integration it was announced with, but the former is said to arrive in January, while the latter is expected in "early 2013." To start using it, just turn on your Wii U and select Nintendo TVii -- if you're already all up in Acorn Plains with your Raccoon Suit on, just head into the Home menu. Also, maybe take off that Raccoon Suit you're wearing before the family gets home.
Nintendo TVii app launches on Wii U in US and Canada on December 20
Nintendo of America announced this morning that its delayed Nintendo TVii service for the Wii U will launch on December 20. Nintendo TVii, first introduced back in September, intends to tie all of your currently balkanized media services on the Wii U -- various streaming services, your cable box, and your DVR -- into a single, cross-searchable application. At launch, the service will tie in Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video, but Netflix and TiVo are skipping the party until some time in "early 2013" (January for TiVo). Nintendo TVii was given a December 8th launch date in Nintendo's home country of Japan, lining up with the launch of the company's new console; the TVii service notoriously missed the launch of the console everywhere else in the world, remaining absent ever after its various support services were added (Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant, etc.) as individual apps. Like those apps, Nintendo TVii wasn't built by Nintendo itself, but in a partnership with i.TV. It's unclear what lead to the delay of the TVii service, but we're glad to see it arrive ahead of the various big present-giving days.
Next Wii U system update due late December, will improve software loading times (update: PR folks say 'no')
The Wii U launch didn't go quite as smoothly as consumers would've liked, with a major update to sit through right after unboxing, and support for various video streaming services absent on day one. Well, head honcho at Nintendo Satoru Iwata has taken to YouTube and announced from his cream studio that the next system update is due late December. It's primarily being pushed out to improve the frustratingly slow software loading times on the new console -- an issue we highlighted in our review. Iwata only makes a fleeting appearance at the beginning of the video before it moves on to talking up the latest Dragon Quest iteration, but if you've got a decent knowledge of Japanese, the embed awaits you below. Update: Nintendo's PR people have been in touch and we've had one of our bilingual editors take a look at the video. Unfortunately, something was lost in translation and our source was mistaken -- the update in question is for Dragon Quest X, not the Wii U system.
Nintendo Wii U eShop sells 18+ games only between 11PM and 3AM in Europe (update)
Nintendo's Wii U console doesn't trust you, Europe. At least not with your digital purchases, as European Wii U owners are reporting that various "Mature" titles (18+ per Europe's PEGI ratings) are unable to be purchased outside of a late-night window (11PM to 3AM). Trailers for said titles can't even be watched. Of course, Nintendo's not known for publishing many "Mature" first-party titles -- it leaves that to its third-party support -- meaning this issue seemingly only affects Nintendo's partners. Blockbuster multiplatform game Assassin's Creed 3, for instance, is only purchasable during the aforementioned four hour window, as is Wii U-exclusive ZombiU. The Wii U does have parental controls, and separate user accounts (tied to passwords if you so choose), and the eShop can be cut off entirely from any one particular user, so it's a bit baffling why this extra barrier is necessary. Update: Nintendo of America tells us, "This is a European policy and does not impact Nintendo of America." Update 2: Nintendo of Europe confirms the restriction, saying it affects the entire European Union, but it's Germany's restrictive USK guidelines that are steering this mess. Nintendo's European branch is based out of Germany. "At Nintendo we always aim to provide a safe gaming experience for fans of all ages and ensure that we comply with applicable legal age restriction requirements across Europe," Nintendo customer service reps are saying. "Legal age restriction requirements vary across a number of European countries. Since Nintendo of Europe is based in Germany, Nintendo eShop is complying with German youth protection regulation which therefore applies to all our European markets. Under German law, content rated 18+ must be made available only at night. Therefore the accessibility of 18+ content in Nintendo eShop is limited to [USK: 22:00 UTC until 4:00 UTC] [PEGI: 23:00 UTC until 3:00 UTC]."
Nintendo's Wii U GamePad prototype revealed: Two Wii remotes, a display and some tape
You have to start somewhere. In a group interview between its CEO and several software developers, Nintendo recently touched on how the Wii U's primary controller, the GamePad came into being. Initially, development focused on a "Wii Zapper" with a small screen and a gyroscope connected to a Wii remote and nunchuk, feeding movement data to the display. This was soon subsumed into the 3DS, which was nearing the end of its design process. In fact, Nintendo titan Shigeru Miyamoto recalled the original 3DS handheld plans to add the gyroscope, even though hardware features had been "set" internally. This early model, however, catalyzed the idea of a second screen for the players' hands and lead to the barebones hardware you can see above. Crafted from double-sided tape and two Wii remotes, the prototype brought forth ideas for Nintendo Land -- and if we're honest, is a fairly decent outline of what the final product resembled, with buttons and controls (including triggers) distributed across both sides of the screen. Interested in the full development story of both the GamePad and Nintendo Land? Then you'd best visit the source link.
Nintendo Wii U 'Deluxe Digital Promotion' website now live, cash out your free points
All those digital games you've purchased on your "Deluxe" 32GB Nintendo Wii U have been accruing virtual points, and now you can cash out those virtual points for some virtual currency, as Nintendo's "Deluxe Digital Promotion" website is now live. All you've gotta do is sign in with your Nintendo Network ID on this website, click through some terms of service agreement business, and you're in like Flynn. The breakdown of dollars to points is 1 to 10 -- a game that costs you $14.99, for instance, equates to 149 points. For every 500 points, you can cash out for $5 / £5 / €5, which spits out an activation code you can then apply directly on the Wii U's eShop. Might we suggest using those points for Little Inferno? As our superfriends at Joystiq point out, points won't collect for games downloaded through the original Wii Shop Channel (even when accessed via Wii U), nor on 3DS digital games, nor on season passes / digital subscriptions (such as Call of Duty Elite). Bummer! Of course, it seems likely that 3DS digital titles will eventually be added to that list when the handheld gets access to Nintendo Network IDs. Whether those points will retroactively apply is another question altogether; we're gonna go out on a limb here and call that possibility doubtful. Also, beware, the promotion is time-limited -- make sure to cash in your credits by March 2015. The promotion runs until December of 2014, and codes must be redeemed on the eShop by "the end of June 2015."
Nintendo moved more than 1.75 million consoles in November, hypes Black Friday sales
Kyoto's gaming giant isn't content with bragging about its Black Friday sales alone -- it wants the world to know how it did for the entire month of November. According to NPD data, Nintendo sold over 1.75 million hardware units last month, marking the company's 36th 30-day sales period since 2004 to breach the seven digit threshold. Although handheld consoles take up the lion's share of sales (910,000 units), the Wii U's 425,000 launch week accounts for almost a quarter of the total -- more than enough to secure its status as a "must-have" product, according Nintendo. Sure, the fledgling console didn't beat out its predecessor's first week, but Mario's alma mater optimistically notes that more than half of Wii U sales were accompanied by a copy of New Super Mario Bros. U. Slide on past the break for Nintendo's official November sales press release.
Nintendo Wii U North American sales top 400K in first week
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime says Wii U sales crested 400K units in its first week, according to internal sales data. That's just part of a 1.2 million hardware sales week that Nintendo's enjoyed across the past seven days -- which include the crucial Black Friday -- where the Wii saw 300K units sold, and portables dominated. Nintendo's 3DS sold 250K, while the aged DS moved 275K -- not too shabby for an eight-plus-year-old console! CNET snagged the data from Fils-Aime in a post-Wii U launch phone interview, where he characterized 3DS sales as continuing on a "record-setting pace" (now at more than 6 million units sold-in to North American retailers). As for the seemingly paltry launch sales of the Wii U console -- 200K units shy of the original Wii's launch week -- Fils-Aime says it's a question of his company's ability to keep it in stores and not of lacking demand. "Retailers are also doing their best to get the product to store shelves. But as soon as product hits retail, they're selling out immediately," Fils-Aime explains. Without giving any concrete promises or timetables, he adds, "We are looking to have as much product into retail as possible." Update: Nintendo tells us it, "actually sold approximately 475K Wii systems in the U.S. in the first 7 days back in 2006 (per NPD data). The 600K number is in reference to the Americas, not just the US." Of course, it's unclear how many Wii Us sold across "the Americas" in the same time, which we've asked Nintendo to clear up.
