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This Week on the Nintendo Channel: The new black Wii
Hot on the heels of this morning's announcement, Nintendo Week -- the weekly show documenting the content available on the DSi and Wii on the Nintendo Channel -- gets its hands on the new black Wii console. You know, the one coming May 9? They don't show it off for long but, as you can see in the image above, we now know this: it's extremely glossy. Head past the break for the rest of this week's content.
How would you change Nintendo's DSi XL?
It's bigger, it's bolder, but is it really that much better? Nintendo's heralded DSi line grew in more ways than one late last month, and now that you've had a handful of weekends to toy with yours, it's time to answer one majorly important question: how would you change it? We found in our review that the DSi XL was a solid option for those without a DSi of any kind, but we didn't feel that it was worth the $190 if you were just upgrading. For those that bought in, do you find yourself agreeing? Is the new size something you're into? Would you have made it a touch larger / smaller? Is the screen up to snuff? Do you think Nintendo went far enough with the advancements? Open up in comments below -- just keep it clean, okay? Your kids are probably reading.
Puppet Pouch puts fur on your DS / DSi, smiles on people's faces
As jaded as we are, we just can't bring ourselves to criticize this. Produced by CTA Digital, authors of other questionable gaming accessories, the Puppet Pouch acts as a superfurry (and annoyingly cute) case for your Nintendo portable console. Coming with a felt interior and elastic straps to keep your Ninty nice and minty, it also offers a zipped compartment for storing games and accessories, as well as "puppet functionality." That last bit means you can shove your hand inside it and use the little fella as part of your awesome ventriloquist act. Priced at $19.99, it's available now, but we've just got one oustanding question -- what animal is this supposed to be?
McDonald's Japan trains employees with new DSi game
Nintendo's partnership with McDonald's in Japan has been extended to help train the restaurant chain's employees in the finer details of fast food assembly. Bloomberg visited McDonald's training center in Japan to get some hands-on time with the training simulation (video embedded after the break), discovering that the golden arches-branded DSis will be distributed to McDonald's all over the country for training purposes. Aside from unveiling the training software, Japanese McDonald's reps showed off their undeniably stylish work uniforms and surprisingly friendly demeanors. We can't help but attribute at least part of the latter's explanation to the fact that these folks are playing with Nintendo DSis at work. Better than flipping burgers, no? [Via Kotaku]
Nintendo 3DS may launch in October, say 'UK industry sources'
How the mighty have fallen. Where just last year companies like Apple and Nintendo were renowned for their ability to keep completely silent about impending hardware, these days the thrill of exposure and some media pressure go a long, long way. Now, if Computer and Video Games' sources are to be believed, Nintendo's had another leak: an October release date for its autostereoscopic 3DS handheld in the UK. That's well within the original "before March 2011" timeframe, and apparently a surprise for game publishers currently planning software for Holiday 2010. Besides, since Europe typically gets Nintendo systems after the US and Japan, some lucky dogs might get the system even earlier -- we'll let you know when we see it ourselves at E3 this June.
Dragon Quest Victory attacks Wii this summer in Japan
Been hankering for more Dragon Quest since the release of The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors? Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest Victory for Wii in Japan, an adaptation of the Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road arcade game. The Wii version is set to launch this summer and features card-based battles for up to four players via local split-screen and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game will also include a "Tournament" mode, in which players face off against a succession of NPCs in a virtual town, collecting cards. Perhaps the coolest feature of all is connectivity between the arcade and Wii games, using a DSi. Players will be able to download a special DSiWare app that will scan in the arcade version's cards, allowing transport over to the Wii game. The price of the DSiWare app is currently unknown. [Via andriasang]
New DSi bundle has Bowser's Inside Story inside
Last month, Nintendo released the new DSi XL. So, of course, now it's time to promote ... the original DSi, with a new spring bundle! On April 25, Nintendo will release a bundle containing a white DSi and a copy of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, at a $169.99 price point -- which is what the DSi costs by itself. If you'd like a free copy of Mario & Luigi, we suggest you take advantage of that offer. For whatever reason, Nintendo is no stranger to the "previous hardware bundle." A little over a month after the DSi's North American release, Nintendo offered a lime green DS Lite/Personal Trainer: Cooking bundle. Nintendo UK bundled a DS Lite with the first Professor Layton game, long after the release of the DSi and soon before the release of the second Layton. It's Nintendo -- don't try to understand it, just expect it to make money.
'Jam with the Band' headed to Europe after 5-year wait; other Nintendo releases dated
[Daigasso! Band Brothers & Daigasso! Band Brothers DX] Nintendo of Europe released its summer lineup today, featuring dates we mostly know -- Super Mario Galaxy 2 on June 11 -- or aren't terribly concerned with -- Repetto Presents Ballerina in May. Metroid: Other M is still undated, having been slated for Q3, and therefore out of the bounds of the new listing. However, there are a few welcome surprises, most notably: Jam with the Band. Originally released way back in 2004 as Daigasso! Band Bros., this rhythm game disappeared from Nintendo's launch lineup elsewhere, never making it to the West until now. We don't know why Nintendo decided to revive it now -- or if it's the first game or the sequel (both covers pictured above) -- but it's scheduled for release in Europe on May 21! Samurai Warriors 3 for Wii has been dated for May 28, as well. Nintendo has also dated Capcom's Mega Man Zero Collection for June. The release date for this DS compilation of GBA Mega Man games had been up in the air following the announcement of its delay in Japan. Also, a previously unannounced DS title from Hudson, Shooting Watch, is set for release in May. We assume this is based on Hudson's Shooting Watch toy, which measures the number of button presses you can achieve in 10 seconds.
Joyswag: Nintendo DSi & Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver
Update: Congratulations to our winners Tim (grand prize) and Samuel! So, you've been looking for a way to get your hat back into the Pokéring, have you? We might be able to help you out with that endeavor, but it ain't gonna come easy. We've got a Nintendo DSi and a copy of Pokémon HeartGold or SoulSilver (winner's choice; runner-up gets the other) for someone who correctly answers the 5 multiple choice trivia questions posted after the break. It's a lot like the Cinnabar Island Gym challenge -- and if you got that reference, you're probably going to do just fine. To enter this giveaway: Leave a comment with the correct multiple-choice answers to the trivia questions posted after the break. You must be 13 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). Limit 1 entry per person. This entry period ends at 3:00PM ET on Thursday, April 8. At that time, from the group of eligible commenters who answer all questions correctly, we'll randomly select 1 grand prize winner to receive a Nintendo DSi game system (black; ARV $169.99) and the Pokémon HeartGold or SoulSilver game (winner's choice; ARV $39.99); and 1 first prize winner to receive the Pokémon HeartGold or SoulSilver game (no choice; ARV $39.99); check your emails! For a list of complete rules, click here.
Best Buy Canada trading DSi XL for five used games on March 28
Farsighted Canadians who are jonesing to get their hands on Nintendo's embiggened handheld, the DSi XL, will have a pretty sweet offer waiting for them at Best Buy on March 28. Participating stores will be handing out DSi XLs in exchange for five game trade-ins -- provided the aforementioned games aren't too worthless. Check out Best Buy Canada's site to get a full list of the titles eligible for the one-day promotion. No, you can't hand in five copies of Madden '97. Thought you had the system beat, didn't you? [Via Go Nintendo]
Nintendo DSi XL review
Since Nintendo first asserted sole domination over the handheld gaming market with the release of the paperback-sized Game Boy in 1989, the company has striven time and again to make its pocket systems smaller, meeting fantastic financial success along the way. Nintendo did it with the Game Boy Pocket, the Advance SP, the Micro, the DS Lite and again ever so slightly with the DSi -- the last even at the expense of backwards compatibility and battery life. Now, for the first time in the company's history, it's made an existing platform bigger, with questionable reasons as to why. Does the Nintendo DSi XL squash its predecessors flat? Or is Nintendo compensating for something? Find out inside. %Gallery-89058%
Nintendo 3DS handheld announced, more news at E3
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Nintendo_s_next_handheld_has_3D_without_the_glasses'; A press release on Nintendo's Japanese website appears to confirm the company's next handheld console, temporarily named the "Nintendo 3DS," and said to include hardware and software that will enable "3D effects" without the need for special glasses. The console is stated to be backwards compatible with DS and DSi games and is expected to go on sale (in Japan, presumably) "during the fiscal year ending March 2011" -- so within the next year. The press release has no pictures or other information, and save for the fact that it appears as a file on Nintendo's website, there's no other official word about the new hardware. There are a few dots to connect, however: 3D gaming is on the rise, and a few other companies have also experimented with head tracking as a way to implement 3D effects. Nintendo's own Satoru Iwata hasn't been impressed with 3D gaming in the past, but his issue is with the glasses, not the technology. "I have doubts whether people will be wearing glasses to play games at home," he said recently. We've also heard that the next handheld would have a "movement sensor" of some kind, so if Nintendo really has designed a head-tracking 3D solution, then maybe the console is ready to go. The press release, which you can read after the break in full, says we'll see more at E3, so stay tuned. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!] Source -- Nintendo (PDF)
Nintendo announces 3DS -- the glasses-free 3D successor to the DS
Whoa, now this is a whopper coming (almost) out of nowhere. Nintendo has just slipped out a press release in Japan informing the world that all-new 3D-capable portable hardware is coming, with a full unveiling set for E3 2010 this June. Tentatively titled the 3DS, this glasses-free 3D wonder is pitched as the successor to both the DS and DSi, and will use a "compatible cart" that should ensure backwards compatibility with your vast library of favorites from the older consoles. Nintendo expects to launch the 3DS into retail "during the fiscal year ending March 2011." Update: Unofficial reports from Japan suggest the 3DS will have a parallax barrier 3D LCD from Sharp, a vibration function, and a "3D control stick." Read about it all here.
Nintendo slipping DS handhelds into schools, McDonald's training sessions
What's a global gaming company to do once they've soundly dominated the portable market? Why, covertly get the DS into schools and restaurants, of course! Shigeru Miyamoto, who created undercover gems like Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda, recently informed the AP that his company would be rolling the DS out "in junior high and elementary schools in Japan starting in the new school year," though few details beyond that were available. We do know, however, that this invasion into the education sector is more than just a fluke, with Miyamoto noting that this very area is where he is "devoting [himself] the most." Of course, the Big N already has a nice stable of mind-bending titles, but getting actual teachers to embrace the device in the classroom would be another thing entirely. In related news, select McDonald's eateries in Japan will be using the DS to train part-time workers, though mum's the word on whether the Cooking Mama franchise will be cashing in here.
WarioWare D.I.Y. videos show you how to ... D.I.Y.
So you want to make a video game. Most folks would tell you, "Start simple." Well, it doesn't get much simpler than the "microgames" of the WarioWare series, which are about as long as ... that pause right there. WarioWare D.I.Y. is all about building your own teeny-tiny titles -- as talked about in our recent preview of the game app game-app -- and Nintendo's attempting to show how easy it can be with a series of brief tutorial videos. We've plugged in the one above, as well as another after the break for your educational needs. You'll notice that the guy in the videos is using a DSi XL -- we can tell you that, after seeing the hardware running D.I.Y. in person, the hefty handheld's humongous screens really are great for editing sprites and other details, as is the pen-sized stylus. Either that, or our eyesight really is getting worse.
Developer Tom Soderlund explains the frights of Ghostwire
Bumps in the night. Unexplained sounds. A chill up your spine. Extreme terror. These things aren't associated with the Nintendo DSi, unless you unexpectedly leave yours behind in a taxi. But A Different Game CEO Tom Soderlund wants to bring all of that augmented paranormal activity to your DSi with Ghostwire and turn you into a ghostbuster (minus the proton packs). Now you're armed with a stylus and the power of Nintendo. Originally conceived four years ago for Symbian-powered smartphones, the idea is to turn your handheld into a tool for communicating with the paranormal world. The built-in camera, sound meters, light meters are all a part of the experience, providing a combination of real-world and computer-generated data. Soderlund's team built an adventure game around it -- you talk to ghosts, find out what's troubling them, and either capture them or attempt to ease their pain.
Flipnotes from the PAX 2009 show floor
During PAX last year, Nintendo asked any professional artists who happened to be there to create an animation in the DSiWare program Flipnote Studio. Now, the flipnotes from comic artists like Eric Jones and Christina Strain, webcomics artist Scott Kurtz, and 5TH Cell art director Edison Yan, have finally been posted in a gallery on the Flipnote Hatena site. Showing what can be done in a few minutes by a talented artist, and building on the excitement of a popular convention, makes this initiative a great promotional tool for the free app (and for the DSi in general), which is why Nintendo waited until six months after the event to release these!
DSiWare First Look: X-Scape and Metal Torrent
Two DSiWare shooters were on show at Nintendo's Q1 Media Summit -- X-Scape (left) and Metal Torrent (right). Both hail from different dimensions (of gameplay and graphics). I played them both, and you'll find my impressions beyond the break.
Nintendo DSi XL hands-on
Sure, it's been available in Japan for quite some time, but this is the first chance we've gotten to really sit down and play with Nintendo's "more communal" (as we overheard one PR rep describe it, given it's propensity for more eyes comfortably viewing the screens) portable gaming experience, the DSi XL. So let's get the comparisons out of the way: obvious volumetric differences aside, the maximum brightness versus the DSi seems to be slightly higher, and the stylus is inexplicably a handful of millimeters longer -- not a big deal, but you'll definitely figure it out when trying to stuff it into an older model. We're not really a fan of the top lid being glossy again -- we rather like the matte DSi lid, and this one seems even more fingerprint-coveting than its DS Lite predecessor. So with all that said, is the extra screen size worth it? Admittedly we do appreciate the extra room, and it comes without a cost to the picture clarity. The inherent tradeoff, however, is a complete inability to stuff this in our pockets -- we had better luck with the Mini 5, to be blunt. You'll be able to decide for yourself soon enough, but in the meantime, there's pictures below and video after the break! %Gallery-86454%
Nintendo DSi XL video overview appeals to all hand sizes
The DSi XL is the star of the show at the Nintendo Media Summit, with the announcement an official price and release date for the system, as well as the marketing material posted above. There are no shocking revelations in the video -- well, aside from the fact that they actually went with "A Larger Experience" for the device's advertising catchphrase. A lesser blog might mention how that sounds like the slogan of one of those commercials that come on cable television after midnight. We'll abstain from making the reference. The video does a great job of showing the size of the the device in correlation to human hands of various shapes and sizes. Check it out, and imagine what that Squiggle Pen-sized stylus will look like in your own meaty grasp. %Gallery-86433%
