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New 3DS themes invade Japan in October firmware update
Do you hate the staid, utilitarian aesthetic of the Nintendo 3DS' Home screen? Do you live in Japan? Come next month, Nintendo may have a solution for your woes. When the handheld's next firmware update rolls out, it will include access to a selection of 50 themes designed to alter the appearance of the 3DS' Home screen. Prices on these themes range from 100 to 200 yen (roughly $0.90 to $1.80) and alongside various color-coordinated designs, the themes also feature standout Nintendo characters, such as Mario and the anthropomorphic critters of Animal Crossing. It's currently unknown if Nintendo has plans to launch the themes outside of Japan, and our attempts to pry further information from the company's representatives was met with a boilerplate "no comment." However, if you can contain your jealousy, you can visit Nintendo's Japanese website to view the themes for yourself. [Image: Nintendo]
2DS sells 2.1 million, Animal Crossing: New Leaf gets 7.38 million
The Nintendo 2DS has made it into the tiny hands of 2.1 million customers worldwide since its launch on October 12, according to Nintendo's financial highlights (PDF link). The 3DS, which launched in February 2011, has shipped 42.7 million units, while the DS family has shipped 154 million units in total. Nintendo has sold 7.38 million copies of Animal Crossing: New Leaf worldwide since its initial Japan release in November 2012. New Leaf launched in North America, Europe and Australia in June 2013: From April 2013 to December 2013, the game sold 2.79 million units outside of Japan, and 730,000 copies in the country. Nintendo posted a year-over-year net profit decline of 30 percent in the nine months leading to December 2013, with numbers dragged down by weaker-than-expected Wii U sales and console price cuts. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata and board members are taking smaller salaries for a temporary period, French news outlet AFP reported.
Cast your Animal Crossing character in resin, never feel lonely again
Animal Crossing enthusiasts who want to pluck their characters from the game world and transport them to our physical dimension can now do so for a small fee, as Etsy user RezArmy is now offering custom-made resin figures of Animal Crossing: New Leaf's human characters. The examples above are pre-built based on New Leaf's template options, and are priced starting at $40. RezArmy is also taking custom-painted orders, allowing you to fully recreate your character's roguish good looks and tousled hair at an added cost.
3DS StreetPass relay points upgraded, content distribution events planned
Nintendo's 3DS StreetPass relay point functionality will soon be improved, allowing players to access data at Nintendo Zone locations from more 3DS owners at once, Nintendo announced during today's Nintendo Direct presentation. "Starting in a few days," players that pass through Nintendo Zone locations with their 3DS systems in sleep mode will access data from up to six other passers-by instead of the usual one, greatly improving their chances at completing puzzles and other StreetPass games. Additionally, Nintendo noted plans for special StreetPass distribution events for game content in October and November, starting with an Animal Crossing: New Leaf fedora chair on October 1, then a sushi platter on October 15. Other 3DS games receiving bonus content via StreetPass include Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus: Uprising and Super Mario 3D Land. Relay points were added to the system in an August firmware update, though numerous reports indicated that it didn't function properly in early September. Nintendo's paid StreetPass games made $4 million in one month, so the relay point update seems appropriate enough.
UK celebrates National StreetPass Day on September 28
3DS aficionados in the UK looking to gorge themselves on the StreetPasses of strangers will find a veritable smorgasbord later this month. Nintendo has declared Saturday, September 28 to be National StreetPass Day in the UK, and will host a couple of gatherings for folks to come and exchange Miis. The two meet-ups will be held at Waterloo Station in London and Manchester Piccadilly. There, Nintendo representatives will set up games, give out prizes and generally attempt to keep the rambunctious lot corralled. The Eurogamer Expo, which will be held that weekend in Earls Court, London, will also have special StreetPass Day stands to celebrate the new national holiday. 3DS Streetpass is a built-in feature of the 3DS that allows users, when in close proximity to one another, to exchange content while the handheld is in sleep mode. Game-specific Streetpass functionality also exists – for example, in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Streetpasses allow you to visit strangers' homes in a specific part of town, through which you can then order furniture.
Toys R Us buy one, get one 40% off sale on hundreds of games
Toys R Us is holding a massive game sale, spanning 3DS, Xbox 360 and PS3. Simply buy one game at full price, add another game from this list to your order and a 40% discount will be applied to the second game. Eligible games include Saints Row 4, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Splinter Cell Blacklist, The Last of Us and hundreds of others. Toys R Us is even including pre-orders in the promotion, so you can add upcoming games like GTA 5, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Madden NFL 25 and Destiny to the list of what's on offer. The only exclusions are Disney Infinity starter packs, Skylanders, and Kid Icarus: Uprising and Star Fox 64 3D on the 3DS. This deal can't be combined with any other ongoing discounts.
Animal Crossing Plaza community launches on Wii U
Nintendo announced an Animal Crossing-themed app for Wii U during its Nintendo Direct presentation this morning. The app, titled Animal Crossing Plaza, allows players to post messages with screenshots and QR codes from 3DS game Animal Crossing: New Leaf via SD card to the series' new Miiverse community. The plaza itself is similar to the Mii Plaza, except adorable critters from the Animal Crossing series now run around instead of Miis. The Animal Crossing Plaza is available now for free in the Wii U eShop. Nintendo says the service will be available through the end of 2014.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf sales surpass 500K in June
Nintendo announced this evening that Animal Crossing: New Leaf has sold over 505,000 copies between physical and digital versions in June. Nintendo says over 20 percent of sales (around 101,000 downloads) went through the Nintendo eShop, which it claims is the second-highest ratio of digital delivery "behind only Fire Emblem Awakening." The company says, "Nintendo's internal trackers show that sales of the game continue to be strong in July as well, indicating that Animal Crossing: New Leaf is poised to be one of the biggest games of the summer." The Tom Nook debt crisis, in other words, is nowhere near being abated.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf on sale for 26 bells on Amazon
For you crazy folks that own a 3DS but do not have Animal Crossing: New Leaf yet, the game is currently on sale for $26.59 on Amazon. This gives players a little more money to pay their real-life bills when not working hard to pay off Tom Nook's home loans in the game. It's a great deal, as we think pretty highly of the cute life simulation-style game. %Gallery-190164%
Tour Reggie Fils-Aime's house in Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime's house in Animal Crossing: New Leaf is pretty swank: Nintendo museum, storage basement – it even has a bed with a giant disturbing face on it. While he never explicitly says, we're assuming this is an exact replica of Fils-Aime's actual house.
New Nintendo eShop releases: Animal Crossing, Yoshi, Sengoku 3
The biggest news on the Nintendo eShop this week is definitely the release of Animal Crossing: New Leaf. It hits the eShop on June 9 and, in case you didn't hear, we really enjoyed it. Meanwhile, Wii U Virtual Console picks up Spelunker today, and it gets Yoshi – the NES puzzle game – on June 12. The Wii also gets some Virtual Console love with Sengoku 3. Trine 2: Directors Cut for Wii U is on sale for $9.99 until 9am Pacific on June 27. Finally, Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth has received a permanent price drop to $29.99.
Animal Crossing New Leaf review: Beardo's lament
I've developed a hatred for Beardo, a blue bear with a mustache and sideburns that built his house right next to mine in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. I had plans to surround my mansion-to-be with flower beds. While the line of cherry trees I planted set me apart from Beardo, it wasn't good enough. Even as the mayor of the town of Hayward, a title granted to me by mistake because I stepped off the train alone after the game's brief introduction, my power was limited. Sure, I could mosey over to the town hall to complain about how Beardo dresses or talks, which I did, but he only assured me he'll clean up his act. I couldn't just kick Beardo to the curb. As mayor, it's my responsibility to make the town sparkle with new public works projects. Beardo didn't fund the yellow bench or the fountain it sits in front of – I did. He didn't plant the assorted trees, build a campsite or a police station. While I'm paying for prime tourist attractions, Beardo is lumbering around town with a watering can, flooding the flowers I already watered. One Saturday afternoon, the town's citizens competed in a sea bass fishing derby. I devoted hours to luring in dozens of fish, and was determined to win a sweet gold trophy for the center of the main room of my house. I came in second, and you better believe I was bitter when Beardo stood above me on the winner's podium, holding the first place trophy that was meant for me. I then abandoned my duties as mayor to dig holes around his house, plant trees in front of his doorway, send him vulgar letters and shove him around until he stormed off in anger. It may be my job to make Hayward heaven for its citizens, but it became my personal mission to make it hell for Beardo.%Gallery-190164%
Best Buy taking Animal Crossing 3DS XL bundle pre-orders
If the thought of going to a store and purchasing something the day it comes out only fills you with panic (what if they're sold out?!) then we have some reassuring news for you. Best Buy is taking pre-orders for the Animal Crossing 3DS XL bundle, launching on June 9 in North America. The $219.99 bundle comes with a 4GB card, pre-loaded with Animal Crossing: New Leaf. In this latest entry in series, players assume the role of Mayor.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf has new ways to spend money
The latest "tourism" trailer for Animal Crossing: New Leaf shows potential new mayors some of the shopping options available in the latest game. For the first time, you can actually choose how you'd like your house to be renovated, instead of having Tom Nook demolish your house based on his own assumptions.The result is the same, however: You owe Tom Nook crazy Bells.
Mayor for a day in Animal Crossing: New Leaf
As I stepped off the train to embark on my new life in my new Animal Crossing: New Leaf town, I was greeted by a party of citizens who immediately proclaimed me the mayor.Did I kill the old mayor on the train before arriving and assume their identity? How was I elected mayor when I'm not even a registered resident of this town, a point that isn't even brought up during my registration process? Clearly I had been elected to public office, unprepared and unqualified for the job.
Animal Crossing 3DS XL coming to North America and Europe
The Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL will be released in Europe and North America, Nintendo revealed during separate regional Nintendo Direct presentations. The system retails for $219.99 and comes with a copy of the game pre-loaded on its 4GB SD card.The system, which bears a tiled pattern of Tom Nook leaves, houses, and fruit, will be released alongside the game on June 9 in North America and June 14 in Europe.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL bundle listed by UK retailer [update]
UK retailer ShopTo is listing the same Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL bundle that came to Japan when the game arrived there last year. The site's description says it includes a 4GB SD card, and prices the polka-dot bundle at £190, which is the same price the Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and Fire Emblem: Awakening XL bundles are going for in the region.Nintendo hasn't announced an Animal Crossing: New Leaf bundle for Europe (or North America), and ShopTo's listing has the same Japanese-emblazoned box as above, rather than a new English one. Having said that, its emergence just ahead of a Nintendo Direct broadcast is a bit suspect. Maybe we'll frond out tomorrow if the bundle is coming to town along with New Leaf in June.Update: While it still appears in a Google search, ShopTo has since removed the listing.
A scenic trailer for Animal Crossing: New Leaf
"Create your happy place" is about as apt a tagline as we've ever heard for Animal Crossing. The latest trailer for New Leaf attempts to encourage visits with promises of fresh fruit, fishing, swimming, and, yes, nightlife, with KK Slider spinning records in the new club.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf makes its American debut at SXSW
We almost don't want to tell you this for fear of bringing even more of the world to Austin's crowded hotels, eateries, and highways this weekend, but Nintendo's got some cool stuff to show off at SXSW Gaming from March 8-10.Most exciting is a "guided demo opportunity" of this year's 3DS relax-em-up Animal Crossing: New Leaf, the first time it'll be playable in North America. Other 3DS games on display include Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Gates to Infinity, Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Castlevania Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate, and eShop games Kersploosh! and HarmoKnight. New Wii U games to be shown at SXSW include Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, Lego City Undercover, and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. SXSW Gaming will take place at the Palmer Events Center, and is open to the public.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf coming June 9 NA, June 14 EU
Animal Crossing: New Leaf will be released in North America June 9, and in Europe June 14. Time to sign up for an intensive civics class, so you're prepared for your duties as mayor.During the presentation, Nintendo's Bill Trinen hinted at some kind of new feature being added to the North American release, likely online-related. He didn't go so far as to say what the new feature was.
