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New Super Mario Bros. 2 also hits North America this August
The Japanese release of New Super Mario Bros. 2 this August will be mirrored by a semi-simultaneous release here in the colonies, according to a press release issued by Nintendo of America after last night's Nintendo Direct event.The full PR, available after the break, calls New Super Mario Bros. 2 a "traditional side-scrolling adventure game" designed "specifically as a pick-up-and-play experience." Judging from these new screenshots below, "traditional" seems like a very apt description – granted, we're intrigued by what appears to be the return of Raccoon Mario, the original flying power up.%Gallery-153735%
3DS firmware update promises folders, less cluttered home screens on April 25th
Are all those ambassador games crowding your 3DS' home screen? Sit tight, Nintendo's got a fix. During the outfit's Nintendo Direct conference livestream, head honcho Satoru Iwata announced that folder organization is coming to the 3DS. Fastidiously organized gamers can expect the firmware update to land on April 25th, bringing with it the joy of creating directories, stuffing them with up to 60 items and ascribing them fitting names. Iwata also detailed a handful of upcoming titles, including New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Tobidase Doubutsu no Mori (or, "Leap out Animal Crossing") for the 3DS and a Kirby compilation for the Wii. Follow the source link below for a full playback of Iwata's spiel, or check out Joystiq's coverage of the event for more details.
Nintendo celebrates Kirby's 20th Anniversary on Wii
Opening up the Nintendo Direct conference livestream, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed the company has big plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Kirby. A new Wii game will collect past titles and package them on a retail disc – which classic Kirby titles would be included is a mystery.Outside of the existence of Kirby's 20th Anniversary on Wii, nothing else is known right now.
New Super Mario Bros. 2 hitting this August in Japan
New Super Mario Bros. 2, a new game from Nintendo, is coming to 3DS this August in Japan, Satoru Iwata announced at tonight's Nintendo Direct livestream. Pictures – the first of which you can view below, courtesy of Nintendo of America – showed the 2D title running on the 3DS.
3DS firmware update on April 25 makes it easier to organize Home menu
During the Nintendo Direct conference livestream, Satoru Iwata revealed a new firmware update is inbound. Apparently folks have been complaining of clutter, so the new update is aimed at cleaning up your Home screen. Users will be able to create folders, name them and store up to 60 items within.Update: The Nintendo of America Twitter account pegs the update for April 25.
Pokemon AR Searcher, updated Pokedex 3D coming to 3DS eShop
Two more Pokemon experiences are headed to the eShop in Japan, revealed by the Nintendo Direct conference. Pokemon AR Searcher is a shooting game that puts Pokemon in real-world environments (represented by the view of the 3DS camera). It'll be out in Japan June 23 for 300 yen. We're going to think of it as the Face Raiders sequel we never got.Pokemon Zengoku Zukan Pro is a premium version of the freeware Pokedex 3D. We didn't catch exactly what the upgrades were (Japanese language stream and all) but whatever it is, Nintendo plans to charge 1,500 yen ($18) for it!
Nintendo Direct time travels with news tonight, tomorrow, yesterday
Nintendo Direct, the all-Nintendo-news, some-of-the-time video series from official Nintendo headquarters, is hitting the airwaves tonight. Technically, it's noon EST tomorrow, April 21, but folks in the US can expect announcements from the Japanese feed starting at 8:30 p.m. PST tonight, Friday, April 20. The European announcements will hit at 1 p.m. CET (4 a.m. PST), April 21.Nintendo hasn't revealed what it will discuss tonight, but it has left us a trail of clues. CEO Satoru Iwata sent out invitations to this weekend's Nintendo Direct on 3DS' Spot Pass, showing him with a giant, suspicious Kirby plushie. Kid Icarus: Uprising's Masahiro Sakurai tweeted to expect Uprising news and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy's Masanobu Suzui suggested fans should watch the feed, Andriasang translates.We'll have our eyes and fingertips ready to roll for any breakout Kirby-Kid-Icarus-Theatrhythm crossover news tonight, because really, it's not like we had any plans on a Friday night or anything.
Project Zero 2 (Fatal Frame 2) to terrify European Wii owners
Another gem unearthed from the Nintendo Direct event: Project Zero 2 (known as Fatal Frame 2 in the states) is headed to the Wii in Europe. We don't have many other details, the press release states rather simply that, along with Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir, Project Zero 2: Wii Edition "will be coming to Europe." The remake was announced for Japan back in 2010.The release doesn't specify whether the game will see a North American release as well. Spirit Camera, a Fatal Frame spinoff, has already been confirmed for North America, so hopefully we'll have a Fatal Frame 2 announcement before too long. And, uh, since we're on the subject, how about a little Fatal Frame 4, Nintendo? Pleeease?%Gallery-103585%
Fire Emblem: Awakening's brand new, way Japanese trailer
Debuted during Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's latest Nintendo Direct address, the new trailer for Fire Emblem: Awakening on 3DS is -- dare we say? -- dramatic. Crafty YouTubers have already snatched the video and put it online, as evidenced above.
Xenoblade Chronicles arrives on April 6 wrapped in this gorgeous box art
According to Nintendo of America head Reggie Fils-Aime himself, Xenoblade Chronicles will finally arrive in North America on April 6. Wait, but didn't that game already come out, like, two other times? Yes, friend, it totally did. First, in Japan on June 10, 2010 as just "Xenoblade," then in Europe once more on August 19, 2011 with its current name. The April 6, 2012 North American launch will mark its third such launch. But hey, check out that incredible box art!The game's tumultuous journey from Japanese exclusivity to worldwide release has been a point of contention for classic console JRPG fans. After a group formed online named "Operation Rainfall," various loud messages were voiced to Nintendo about a trio of JRPGs that were at the time unannounced for North America (The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Pandora's Tower). All three titles have since been announced for release (or released) in other regions, though Pandora's Tower is still not planned for a US release.Of course, you could've been playing Xenoblade Chronicles all along by using our handy guide to making the EU version work on your North American Wii. But then you already knew that, right?
Watch the Nintendo Direct presentation from Reggie right here
Check out Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime get raw and uncensored in this Nintendo Direct presentation. It's all like "WHOA!" and "WOW!" and up in your grill faceplate! All these trailers are also available on the 3DS eshop for maximum in-your-face action.
Wii's 'The Last Story' coming to North America in 2012 [update: summer!]
The final surprise at the end of this morning's Nintendo Direct: The Last Story! The long-awaited action-RPG for Wii by Mistwalker will be out in North America this year, thanks to the stalwart RPG localizing staff of publisher XSEED Games.Update: A press release from XSEED specifies summer 2012. You can read it after the break.
Capcom, Namco and Sega teaming up for mysterious 3DS collaboration
Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata announced this morning a 3DS collaboration between publishers Capcom, Namco Bandai and Sega. The "impossible to predict" project also has a a teaser site.Your guess is as good as ours...Street Fighter x Tekken x Sonic & Friends?
Mario Tennis Open served to Japan May 24, Europe May 25, America May 20 [update: trailer]
The Nintendo Direct presentation from Nintendo of Japan brought news of Mario Tennis Open for 3DS, the latest entry in, you know, that series of games about Mario playing tennis. We learned that the sports game will feature online play and Mii customization -- and, most importantly, that it'll be available May 24.The European translation of the same video informed us that the game will be out on May 25. And now we wait for 9AM EST, and the American Nintendo Direct, for potential news of a stateside release.Update: Nintendo of America says Mario Tennis Open will arrive in North America on May 20.
Game Gear titles head to 3DS on March 14 for ¥300 apiece
March 14 is the big day for Game Gear on Virtual Console, with a trio of titles headed to Japanese 3DS owners, Nintendo announced this morning. Unsurprisingly, Sega leads the lineup with three classics: Sonic (Sonic and Tails 2), Shinobi (GG Shinobi), and Dragon Crystal. The titles will cost ¥300 ($3.75) apiece, and no word was given as to when they'd head Stateside.Of course, Sonic Triple Trouble and Shinobi were rated by the ESRB for 3DS back in February, and we were last told that Game Gear (as well as TurboGrafx-16) games would arrive on the handheld's Virtual Console store in "late May." So, uh, they're coming to North America, just not quite yet. We'll also venture a wild guess that Dragon Crystal will end up in the US as well. Sure, why not?
'Nintendo Direct' presentations in Japan and America tomorrow
We just received the first-ever Swapnote press release -- a note from Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime inviting us to a Nintendo Direct video tomorrow, February 22, at 9AM EST, at this URL. There wasn't much indication in the handwritten note as to what it was about; Reggie only said he was "looking forward to sharing some news."A few hours before that video, Nintendo of Japan will have its own Nintendo Direct hosted by Satoru Iwata, at 6AM EST. This one specifies that it will have some Wii and 3DS news.
Enjoy this video of Wii's 'Kiki Trick,' since you probably won't get to play the game
If you weren't raptly watching last night's Nintendo Direct presentation, you missed the incredible video for Kiki Trick, an audio-based Wii game from Metroid's Yoshio Sakamoto and the WarioWare team. In the above clip, you'll see Nintendo president Satoru Iwata try to decipher a robot's nightmare voice, assign sounds to the act of eating ramen in the correct order, and match audio tracks to video clips. It looks weird and fascinating, and of course it has no chance of ever leaving Japan. The Nintendo Direct site has more videos from last night, including clips for Dynasty Warriors Vs., Bravely Default, Girls RPG Cinderellife, and -- you absolutely must see this -- Satoru Iwata playing New Love Plus. In fact, we're just going to go ahead and put that one after the break.
3DS demos available in Japan today, including RE: Revelations, MGS 3D
The Nintendo Direct conference was ... light on news. However, Nintendo did announce that the first downloadable demos for retail 3DS games are hitting the Japanese eShop today! The selection includes Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, Resident Evil: Revelations, Rhythm Thief, and Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D. All of those games are expected to launch in the US around the same time as their Japanese releases, save Theatrhythm, which hasn't been announced stateside. We're just going to be optimistic and believe demos are on the way soon. Of course, we were optimistic about the amount of news we thought would come out of this thing, as well, and that didn't get us very far.
Watch Nintendo prez Satoru Iwata's 'Direct' conference right here [update: it's over!]
Update: And we're out, folks. We'll have a roundup of tonight's trailers for you bright and early in the morning. Thanks for joining us (and don't forget to take your VHS copy of Uncle Buck home, dude)! Starting at 10PM ET / 12PM JT this evening slash afternoon (depending on where in the world you are), Nintendo president Satoru Iwata will once more address eager fans and press alike in his second pre-record "Nintendo Direct" address. He'll be doing so via Ustream, and he'll apparently be dishing plans for Nintendo products on both Wii and 3DS consoles that are planned for the next few months ("through March 2012," Nintendo of Japan's Twitter feed teased last week) -- we're thinking it'll be launch dates for some of those Mario titles (Paper Mario, Mario Tennis, etc.), and an update on some other upcoming products. In our continued efforts to keep your eyeballs locked to Joystiq for as much of the day as possible, we've dropped the stream into this post so you can follow along without having to leave our comforting embrace. We'll also be breaking out any news as Mr. Iwata reveals it, so stay tuned!
Iwata Claus drops a holiday Nintendo Direct vid on Dec. 26
In October, Satoru Iwata hosted a "Nintendo Direct" video, in which he introduced the pink 3DS, detailed the big firmware update, and gave release windows for some eShop releases. Iwata will host another video press conference on December 27 at noon JST, or 10PM EST on December 26, according to a new "event" set up on the publisher's Ustream site. This time, we suspect we'll learn release dates -- or windows -- for at least some of its big upcoming releases, like Luigi's Mansion 2, Mario Tennis, Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D, or Paper Mario. Last time, the Japanese video was followed the next morning by a Nintendo of America version, hosted by NOA president Reggie Fils-Aime. The same will probably happen this time. [Santa hat from Maridav / Shutterstock]
