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Two new Virtual Console titles to hit 3DS per week in July
Nintendo's 3DS eShop will launch two new Virtual Console titles each week from July 5 to August 1, beginning with The Legend of Zelda and Kirby's Pinball and including Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3.Super Mario Land is now $2.99 in the eShop through the end of June, Nintendo also announced.
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask debuts on 3DS in Nov.
The next chapter in super sleuth Professor Layton's life debuts on the 3DS later this year. Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask will launch on the 3DS in November. And to support the game following launch, Nintendo will release one downloadable puzzle every day, for a full year. These puzzles will be available as free downloads.
Animal Crossing 3DS arrives in Japan this fall
Nintendo has announced in its Nintendo Direct presentation this evening that Animal Crossing 3DS will arrive in Japan later on this Fall. So the wait's not long at all until you get to take over the animal town as mayor yourself, and proclaim your dominance over the various creatures of the town.Unfortunately, we're all slaves to both capitalism and fate: A short trailer for the game showed the player shopping for extra items, customizing the inside of a house with things like a TV and furniture, and even visiting a crazy cat fortune teller for an out-of-this-world psychic reading. Just goes to show you: There's always someone higher up the totem pole.
New 3DS coming to US August 19 for $199.99
The newly announced "3DS LL" will be released in North America on August 19 as the "Nintendo 3DS XL." It'll cost $199.99 and come in either red or blue, with a 4GB SD card. The release date is concurrent with New Super Mario Bros. 2.The 3DS XL has a 4.88 inch upper screen, for a 90 percent larger viewing area than the 3.5-inch top screen of the current 3DS model. The bottom screen is also larger, at 4.18 inches.The Japanese and European versions will ship without AC adapters as a money-saving measure (really!), as they are compatible with existing 3DS and DSi XL power adapters. It is currently unannounced whether the North American version will include a power cord, though we can't believe that's a question now.%Gallery-158890%
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance demo on 3DS right now
The demo for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is available right this very second in North America on the 3DS eshop, Nintendo announced during its US livestream.Dream Drop Distance is scheduled to hit North America in full form on July 31.Update: We originally referred to a digital release, as evidenced by the slide discussed here. Nintendo has since updated the information with that slide to specify first-party releases only, leading us to question what all those logos were doing there. Kingdom Hearts 3D is currently confirmed only for a retail release.
Nintendo announces $199 3DS XL with 4.88-inch top screen, available August 19th
Folks holding their breath for a "3DS Lite" might want to exhale -- Nintendo has decided to go a different route. Company head honcho Satoru Iwata revealed the 3DS LL this evening on Nintendo Direct, featuring a 4.88-inch and 4.18-inch top and bottom screens, respectively. The new hardware adds over an inch to the current 3DS' display, and ships with a 4GB SD card, to boot. The oversized handheld doesn't adopt the Circle Pad Pro's second analog input, however, retaining just a single thumbpad on the console's port side. Japanese gamers will be able to pick up a 3DS LL in white, as well as in two-tone red / black or silver / white on July 28th for ¥18,900 (about $235). In the US, of course, the handheld will be rebranded as the 3DS XL, just like its predecessor's supersized variant, hitting Yankee shores (in red and blue, no less) on August 19th for $200. %Gallery-158888%
New Super Mario Bros. 2 to offer paid DLC stages [update]
New Super Mario Bros. 2 will have special post-launch "Coin Rush" stages available as downloads, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has announced. In keeping with the theme of the game, these stages will be paid DLC.The "Coin Rush" mode is a series of three-stage courses, during which you have only one life. Records are saved and shared through StreetPass.
3DS LL hardware refresh on July 28 in Japan, packs 4.88 inch top screen and 4.18 inch bottom screen
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed a hardware refresh for the 3DS is currently in the works during today's Nintendo Direct presentation. Dubbed the 3DS LL, this new handheld has a 4.88 inch top screen, a 4.18 inch bottom touch-screen and comes with a 4gb SD card. Iwata also said it will have slightly longer battery life than the current unit.It will not include a new AC adapter, but will be compatible with the 3DS and DSi XL adapter. The 3DS LL will initially be offered in white, black and red, and silver and black.The 3DS LL will be available in Japan on July 28 for ¥18,900 ($235).Update: It's coming to the US!%Gallery-158887%
Nintendo brings in Namco Bandai to work on new Smash Bros.
During today's Nintendo Direct press conference, president Satoru Iwata revealed new details on the upcoming Super Smash Bros. game currently in the works for 3DS and Wii U. Sakurai will return, but this time he'll have some help from Namco Bandai and Bandai Namco Studios. Two Namco individuals in particular were singled out: producer Kobayashi and Tales series director, Yoshito Higuchi.
Nintendo Direct livestream kicks off at 11pm ET, watch it here [Update: All done!]
The latest Nintendo Direct Japan press conference, Nintendo's self-indulgent catapult with which it flings news directly at us all, is starting tonight at 11pm ET, or 8pm PT. A U.S.-specific version of the conference is scheduled for midnight.We'll be up, mug of hot tea in hand, ready to feed you all of the scoops. If you care to watch along with us, feel free to check out the stream above.Update: Thanks for tuning in! If you missed anything, feel free to go back over all of tonight's news through this handy link.
Nintendo Direct returns tonight at midnight
It's two weeks after E3, so naturally Nintendo has more announcements to make (just as it did two days before E3). As has become the company's custom, it'll host a "Nintendo Direct" video, streaming from Nintendo's site, tonight at 12am EST.According to a brief blurb from Nintendo, the video will be "about Nintendo 3DS, Wii and Nintendo DS products," so don't expect to hear any surprises about the Wii U. Do expect to see a different room in Nintendo's Kyoto headquarters.
Catch up on Nintendo's pre-E3 Wii U brief from Satoru Iwata right here
Weren't around a stable internet connection during Nintendo's pre-E3 Wii U presentation? Don't you worry, friend – we've got a full copy of the video care of Nintendo's YouTube channel embedded just above. Magical!
'Miiverse' announced for Wii U, greatly expands Mii Plaza from Wii
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced Miiverse today, a "Mii universe" for Wii U, during the company's Nintendo Direct pre-E3 livestream. Miiverse is an online system planned for the company's upcoming system that displays a Mii plaza on the Wii U GamePad – it's looking like a much expanded version of the Wii's Mii Plaza feature.The plaza will show Mii characters gathering around game icons and feature a messaging system for players to connect with players they both do and do not know, as well as a variety of other asynchronous functionality. The messaging system includes a "spoiler" checkbox to prevent players from wrecking a friend's game experience (should they choose to use it), as well as the ability to send images and drawings to one another. Miiverse will also feature a social networking-style "wall" of sorts, where players can post screenshots from games.Miiverse will also inhabit the 3DS and mobile devices (Android, iOS) in the future, though it will not be available immediately at launch. %Gallery-156765%
Black Wii U shown during Nintendo Direct presentation
It took some time before we had the Wii in diverse colors, but it appears Nintendo plans on offering two colors with the Wii U console close to launch. During today's Nintendo Direct presentation, during an extended and awkward vignette, the company showed off a black console – along with video chat.%Gallery-156764%
Wii U 'Pro Controller' unveiled, looks awfully familiar
Beyond the WiiPad's big unveiling during Nintendo's pre-E3 presentation this afternoon, president Satoru Iwata also briefly showed off the Wii U "Pro" controller. As you might imagine, it looks awfully similar to the Wii's "Pro" controller, not to mention the Xbox 360 controller we've all gotten so used to.
Look at the WiiPad all grown up
Nintendo just showed off the final consumer version of its WiiPad (yes, that's what we are calling it), during its pre-E3 Nintendo Direct presentation.%Gallery-156763%
Watch Nintendo's pre-E3 Wii U briefing right here
Nintendo cares not for your meaningless "parameters," E3. It's starting the big show early this afternoon at 6PM ET with a special Nintendo Direct presentation starring none other than Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. The presentation is focusing on "the vision behind the Wii U," according to Nintendo's Twitter account. Set your expectations accordingly, as Nintendo also said, "No Wii U game info until Tues," referencing the company's Tuesday, June 5 presser.Should you be in an area that prohibits streaming video, we'll be breaking out news alongside the presentation, and our friends at Engadget have a liveblog going, if that's your kinda thing.
PSA: Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 event streaming tomorrow at 6 p.m. Eastern
The 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo officially starts on Tuesday morning, but that hasn't stopped companies anxious to tout their latest wares from spilling the beans a little early. To wit, Nintendo Direct will be officiating its own pre-E3 shindig tomorrow afternoon/evening, at 6 p.m. Eastern/3 p.m. Pacific. Now, Nintendo's real E3 press conference doesn't happen until Tuesday morning at the show proper, but this preemptive stream very well could yield a little somethin' somethin'. You folk will be able to watch the proceedings at this website when the time comes. Well, not this website, the one we just linked.
PSA: Nintendo 3DS firmware update now live in North America
If your 3DS' home screen is looking a little too cluttered, then today's your lucky day. Nintendo is rolling out the firmware update that adds folders to your folder. (You've gotta fold the console closed, geddit?) The only other change evident so far is a redesigned eShop interface that makes better use of the screen's real estate, but pssh, who cares? It's all about the folders for us.
Peep the latest Japanese trailer for Pokemon Black and White 2
We don't know if you guys realize this or not, but Japanese is dramatically different from English. They use different keyboard layouts and everything, which can make understanding the media somewhat of a challenge.Some things however, like this latest trailer for Pokemon Black and White 2, transcend the man-made boundaries of language by communicating on a far more primal, emotional level. Debuted during last night's Nintendo Direct event in Japan, the above trailer showcases tons of gameplay, what appears to be a water-type gym and a bunch of words we don't understand.
