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Witch stream: Bayonetta 2 gets its own Nintendo Direct tomorrow
It's witch time: Nintendo announced it's doing another of its single-title Direct broadcasts, and this one is for Platinum's Bayonetta 2. The livestream will air tomorrow, September 4 at 3PM PT (6PM ET, 11PM UK time), and you'll be able to watch it right here on Joystiq. With the flamboyant hack-and-slash flying players back to the moon fairly soon, Nintendo's keen to push one of its marquee exclusives in yet another games-stuffed holiday season. Bayonetta 2 struts onto retail shelves on October 24 in North America, but for some early thoughts on Platinum's gun-shoe, hair-raising antics, check out our recent video preview. [Image: Nintendo]
Watch Japan's 3DS-focused Nintendo Direct right here [update: it's over!]
Update: It's over, and the biggest reveal was definitely the new 3DS and 3XL models. Check them out here. You can also watch a replay of the Direct below the break. Today's Nintendo Direct on 3DS games may be only for Japan, but it will probably feature games that will make their way abroad. Last time Nintendo of Japan had a 3DS-focused Direct we saw plenty of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and Final Fantasy Explorers, the former confirmed for the West and the other looking likely to follow it. As for what will trickle down today's stream... who knows. Hopefully more imagery of Nintendo executives dressed up like game characters. Who we are kidding? Of course that will happen. To watch today's stream right here on Joystiq, get your fine self below the break at 4AM PT (7AM ET/midday UK). If you miss it don't fret, because we'll have the replay up ASAP, as well as the relevant news on the site.
3DS Nintendo Direct for Japan announced for tomorrow
Nintendo of Japan is streaming a new Direct broadcast tomorrow, August 29, focused on upcoming 3DS games. There are no announcements yet from the company's American or Euro branches. In any case, it's taking place at 8PM Japan time (4AM PT/7AM ET/12PM UK) and you'll be able to watch it right here on Joystiq. [Image: Nintendo via Tumblr]
Hyrule Warriors' adventure mode has NES Zelda appeal
Nintendo offered new details on Hyrule Warriors during a Nintendo Direct livestream last night dedicated to spilling new beans on the game. The Tecmo Koei-developed offering will include an adventure mode that features a NES-style map inspired by the original Legend of Zelda. In it, players hack through levels with unique victory conditions, such as "defeat 300 enemies in 10 minutes," acquiring and using classic items from the Zelda series to find rare goods like heart containers. Additionally, Zelda fans will appreciate the familiar ability to chop away at grass in Hyrule Warriors and attack the chicken-like Cuccos, which will attack players after enough unjust damage has been done to the creatures. The livestream also touched on the game's leveling and skill/equipment crafting system; we've embedded the full Hyrule Warriors Direct stream for your viewing pleasure. Hyrule Warriors will launch September 26 for Wii U, and those that register their copies on Club Nintendo by October 23 will receive two Ganondorf costumes. [Image: Nintendo]
Hyrule Warriors gets its own Nintendo Direct stream next week
Nintendo is bringing Hyrule Warriors directly to you in another idiosyncratic broadcast on August 4, with an English version confirmed courtesy of Nintendo of America. The game's Nintendo Direct airs on YouTube and the company's site, and the Zelda-themed carnage is set to begin at the not-so-friendly time of 8PM PT/11PM ET. The news follows confirmation Ocarina of Time's Sheik, Darunia, and Princess Ruto join the Wii U game's cast of heroes - you can see all the playable characters unveiled so far in the video up top. However, there's one must-have inclusion we're still waiting on... Hyrule Warriors hits Europe on September 19 and North America on September 26. In the interim, check out our E3 preview to see why Joystiq's Danny Cowan describes the game as the Zelda beat-em-up you never knew you wanted. [Image: Nintendo]
Replay Japan's Nintendo Direct on third-party 3DS games [update]
Update: If you missed it earlier, we've now got the replay below the break. As for the news, Capcom announced Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is coming to Japan on October 11, while Final Fantasy Explorers sets foot in the country sometime this winter. E3 has come and gone, but the Nintendo Direct train is definitely up and running again in Japan. Today's stream is the second Direct broadcast in the country this month, hot on the heels of one dedicated to Level-5 RPG Yo-Kai Watch 2. Like the Yo-Kai Watch 2 Direct, today's broadcast on 3DS games from third-party publishers is Japan-only. There aren't simultaneous videos in North America and Europe, so maybe we shouldn't expect any big announcements. Then again, I've said stuff like that before in Nintendo Direct posts only to be proven very, very wrong. Either way, we should see some footage of 3DS games that haven't been announced for the West, maybe including Dragon Quest X.
Nintendo Direct E3 2014 recap: Amiibo, squid-girls, Smash Bros.
Nintendo skipped the traditional stage-based press conference this year at E3, but considering that allowed for a Robot Chicken-animated introduction and a Super Smash Bros.-inspired fistfight between Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime and Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, we're okay with that. Hopefully you were with us when our jaws dropped in a mixture of surprise and confusion, but if you weren't, we have a consolation prize for you: Recaaaaaaaaaap! Shall we?
Xenoblade Chronicles X slashes at Wii U in 2015 [Update: Trailer added]
Xenoblade Chronicles X, formerly known as "Project X," will arrive in 2015 for Wii U, Nintendo revealed during its E3 2014 livestream today. The Monolith Soft-developed game is a successor to Xenoblade Chronicles, the developer's 2011 Wii game. Update: Nintendo offered up a trailer for Xenoblade Chronicles X.
Watch Nintendo's E3 2014 livestream here [Update: It's over!]
Nintendo will reveal the future of the Wii U and 3DS today in a special E3 livestream at 9:00AM PT (12:00PM ET), and we'll be on hand to dish out commentary and context in our liveblog. Best of all, there's no saying what will be announced today! Will Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime announced a new Mario game? Perhaps Nintendo will unveil a new game in the Mario series, or we'll learn that Mario is returning to the living room. (Really Nintendo, can Samus come out to play? We miss her.) Follow along here and on our liveblog to find out! Those following along internationally can check out Nintendo UK's stream as well. Update: Nintendo's main E3 show is over, though you can re-live all of the publisher's announcements in text form. [Image: Nintendo]
Mario Kart 8 Nintendo Direct announces Wii U bundle, free bonus game
Nintendo decided to blue shell your morning plans by publishing a new 36-minute video on Mario Kart 8, which is coming to the Wii U on May 30. Among the headline news is a Mario Kart 8 Wii U bundle that's similar to the Mario & Luigi-themed ones announced for the UK. The $330 package bundles in the game with the 32GB black Wii U, along with a red Wii U wheel and a Mario Wii Remote Plus. In addition, all copies of Mario Kart 8 come with a free download code for one of four Wii U games. If users register the game on Club Nintendo before July 31, they get a code for their choice of New Super Mario Bros. U, The Wind Waker HD, Pikmin 3, or Wii Party U. In Europe, the choice also includes Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Nintendo Land, The Wonderful 101, Sonic Lost World, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, and Game and Wario. The Direct also confirms some online multiplayer details. Players will be able to play in races of up to 12 drivers, use voice chat, and choose from four modes including Worldwide, Regional, Friends and Tournament matches. Tournament rules can be customized, and set for times and days of the week.
Nintendo opts for livestreamed press event, game demos at E3
Nintendo announced that its plans for E3 this year in June won't include a traditional in-person press conference, as it will opt for a Nintendo Direct video stream as well as a series of livestreamed demos. This is the publisher's second year of handling E3 in this manner; Nintendo established its new, apparently preferred format for presenting its biggest news of the year just one year ago. The Nintendo Digital Event, dubbed a "new kind of video program that will reveal and provide further detail about the gaming experiences on the way for Nintendo platforms in 2014 and beyond," will air at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 10. Nintendo Treehouse, the publisher's product development department, will also livestream unscripted game demos from its booth at E3 during all hours of the show. The Nintendo game that's slated to get extra attention this year is Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U, which will get its own invitational tournament at E3 and be playable at Best Buy stores across the country for the week. [Image: Nintendo]
Pokemon brawl: Charizard, Greninja join Super Smash Bros. roster
Super Smash Bros. will include the Pokemon Charizard and Greninja when it launches on 3DS this summer and on Wii U in the winter. Nintendo saved the announcement as an after-Direct snack, showing off Charizard and Greninja in a video following Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai's sign-off. Super Smash Bros. includes the Masterball, a shiny new form of a Pokeball with rare Pokemon inside. Nintendo also revealed a list of non-playable Pokemon that can be summoned during battle in today's Nintendo Direct: Meowth, Electrode, Evee, Staryu, Metagross, Fennekin, Meloetta, Gogoat, Entei, Deoxys, Palkia, Kyurem, Victini, Keldeo, Xerneas. Yeah, we read that like the Pokemon Rap, too.
Super Smash Bros. brings the fight to 3DS this summer, Wii U in winter
In a tweet posted immediately prior to today's Super Smash Bros. Nintendo Direct broadcast, the company revealed release windows for the next two Super Smash Bros. games. The 3DS game will make its debut this summer, while the Wii U version will appear in "winter 2014," presumably in time for the holiday shopping season. The two latest entries in the fan-favorite fighting series see the return of familiar faces such as Mario, Link and Samus, but also welcome newcomers like the Animal Crossing villager and Capcom's long-absent Blue Bomber, Mega Man. [Image: Nintendo]
Watch today's Smash Bros Nintendo Direct right here
Well, we now know today's Super Smash Bros-focused Nintendo Direct is going to reveal a release window for the Wii U and 3DS brawler. We guessed that the 2014 window was due a narrowing, and with E3 around the corner, maybe that's when we'll see a concrete date. So, what other things will today's Direct reveal? For example, we'd be amazed if there wasn't at least one new combatant announced - if you were Nintendo, wouldn't you hold back a few top-draw reveals for a Direct? What else might we learn about Smash 4 today? You'll be able to find out the answers to all those questions right here on Joystiq, and in this very post no less. Be sure to take your ringside seats by 3PM PT/6PM ET/11PM UK time, because that's when the broadcast goes out live. As ever, we've got Nintendo of America's stream up top, and ones for Europe and Japan posted below the break. Don't worry if you miss the livestream, because we'll endeavor to have the replay up for you to watch as soon as possible, and all the news as and when it happens. [Image: Nintendo]
Next week's Nintendo Direct flings Super Smash Bros. at your screen
Nintendo Directs are always stuffed with an assortment of the company's characters, but next week's Super Smash Bros. Direct will pile tons of them into just one game. The Wii U and 3DS fighter will star in a livestream airing on April 8 at 3PM PT/6PM ET, and there are simultaneous broadcasts scheduled for Europe (11PM UK time) and Japan (7AM, April 9). Nintendo's been steadily pumping out the character reveals over the last year or so - we're up to 24 fighters now - but we've had no further news on a release date beyond the 2014 window. You'd have to think there's a good chance that'll be narrowed down in next week's broadcast, but we're also not so far away from E3, where Nintendo first unveiled the game. Whatever happens, you'll be able to watch next week's Direct right here on Joystiq, and we'll have all the news as and when it hits. In the meantime, I'll just say - with no evidence or basis in reality behind it - that in the year Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright are having a crossover, Capcom's lawyer and Level-5's scholar would be my top picks for new introductions to the roster. Behind Walter White, that is. [Image: Nintendo]
Nintendo eShop, Pokemon X/Y undergo extended maintenance this week
Heads up, Poketrainers, Virtual Console addicts and Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies fashion mavens always purchasing new outfits for Phoenix Wright: You'll have to take a siesta on Thursday when the Nintendo eShop goes offline on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Not to worry! This is just an extended maintenance period to keep the works running. From 1PM PST to 5PM PST on Thursday, March 13, the Nintendo eShop will be "intermittently unavailable" according to Nintendo. Pokemon X/Y will also go offline for maintenance on Monday, March 17 from 1PM PST to 5PM PST. Those planning to force tiny animal companions into mortal combat that afternoon may want to make alternative arrangements at a local pet store. Maintenance on the eShop isn't unusual, especially on Thursdays, Nintendo's regular day for new digital releases. This maintenance period is a touch longer than usual, though, and comes exactly one month after the last Nintendo Direct. As the good folk at Nintendo Life note, Nintendo has a habit of running Nintendo Direct video announcements on a monthly basis. Rest assured that if there's a stealth Nintendo Direct, we'll have coverage for you, but until then it's best to simply adjust your Steel Diver: Sub Wars purchasing plans for the week. [Images: Nintendo]
Joystiq Weekly: Titanfall, The Last of Us DLC and Mario Kart 8 rivals
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Did you see that the Koopalings are going to be new characters targets in Mario Kart 8? The Koopalings, the brats responsible for loads of deaths dealt to Mario and Luigi with lava, twirling hoops and rings of death from magic wands? Yup, we've got new rivals. You're annoying, Baby Mario, but you haven't stopped us from moving on to the next world of a Mario game before. Watch your back, Koopalings. There's something about family-friendly, inclusive Nintendo games that bring our most competitive spirit. Have you ever calmly congratulated a friend after their star thievery earned them the title of Party Champion in Mario Party 2? Have you nodded in admiration of your opponent's strategy in Mario Kart Wii, right after they steal your victory with a red shell a few feet away from the finish line? We have a feeling your dialogue might have been more ... "spirited" than civil. We're not judging though - heck, we just threatened a bunch of baby turtles one graf above this! Of course, a lot more happened this week beyond the Koopalings opening themselves up for a world of hurt. This week brought NPD data for January, a review of The Last of Us' "Left Behind" DLC and video previews for Titanfall and Evolve! There's lots more beyond that after the break though, so jump the break and dive into the biggest stories of the week!
Nintendo Direct news roundup: Yoshi 3DS XL in UK, new Ace Attorney
During its UK Nintendo Direct presentation yesterday, Nintendo revealed a Yoshi 3DS XL system – just the hardware, no Yoshi game included – heading to Europe on March 14, Tiny Cartridge points out. Earlier this month, we caught wind of a Yoshi's New Island 3DS XL bundle rumored to launch on March 14, but a hardware-software collection hasn't been announced just yet. There's no word on a North American launch for the Yoshi system. Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi confirmed that he is working on a new entry in the series that will shift those games in a new direction. Japan gets a Monster Hunter 4 3DS XL on March 27, this one based on the dual-horned, hairy beast Rajang. That system was announced during Nintendo's Japanese stream of Nintendo Direct. This whole "three streams for three different regions all at the same time" process is making it tough to keep track of everything, at least if you're a disembodied, global internet person-simulation like us. [Image: Nintendo]
Nintendo to add more NES remixes, Game Boy Advance titles to Wii U this spring
Unless you still own a GameCube Game Boy Player, it's probably been awhile since you've seen a Game Boy Advance title up on the big screen. Come April, that could change: Nintendo announced today that the Wii U eShop will start carrying GBA classics this spring, starting with Metroid Fusion, Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 (both of which were 3DS Ambassador bonuses, by the way) and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Naturally, Japan's getting a similar pen of classic releases, but its library of pending GBA games includes Mario Advance 2, WarioWare, Golden Sun, F-Zero and Advance Wars -- Japanese gamers were also teased with a price-point: ¥650 a pop (about $6.35). If that's not enough nostalgic news to tide you over, Nintendo did have one more thing to announce. Remember when the company cherry-picked specific moments from a ton of classic NES games and released them in a mini-game bundle a few months back? It's at it again: NES Remix 2 is everything the original downloadable title was, only it's made from a collection of NES classics picked from later in the original Nintendo's life cycle. This means there will be remixed and scripted challenges from games like Punch-Out!!, Super Mario Bros. 3 and Metroid. The new Remix also includes a "new" full-game titled Super Luigi Bros. -- essentially a mirrored version of the NES classic with Mario's younger brother in the starring role. When was the "Year of Luigi" supposed to end again?
Mario Kart 8 shooting turtle shells on May 30
Mario Kart 8 will launch on May 30, Nintendo announced during today's Nintendo Direct livestream. The next entry in the long-running driving series will also be the first on the Wii U. The kart racer was announced during the publisher's E3 2013 presentation and was initially given a "spring 2014" launch window. [Image: Nintendo]
