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'Mario Kart 8' adds 'Animal Crossing' DLC earlier than expected
The next round of downloadable content for Mario Kart 8, a pack featuring tracks and items from the Animal Crossing series, will hit the Wii U on April 23rd, Nintendo announced today. The DLC pack was originally scheduled to launch in May. Hooray! Also heading to Mario Kart 8 on April 23rd is a free update that adds a 200cc speed class, meaning players who have mastered the existing races get a brand new challenge. That's bananas! The update also adds support for more amiibo, Nintendo's Skylanders-style action figures.
'Xenoblade Chronicles 3D' starts its new 3DS chapter on April 10th
Xenoblade Chronicles, the Japanese role-playing game that launched to great success on the Wii in 2010, is on its way to Nintendo's latest handheld hardware, the new 3DS, on April 10th. Nintendo announced the date during today's Nintendo Direct live stream. Also in the Xenoblade series, Xenoblade Chronicles X is due out for the Wii U in 2015.
'Fatal Frame' and its photo-based horror hits Wii U this year
It isn't a Pokemon Snap sequel, but Nintendo just announced a new Fatal Frame for the Wii U. The camera-based survival horror title hits sometime this year, and, well, that's about all we know for now. Is it a port of the game that was slated for last year in Japan? We aren't sure just yet. But, that'll almost positively change come E3 in June.
'Yoshi's Wooly World' snuggles up to a fall release window
Yoshi's Wooly World races to the Wii U in the fall, Nintendo announced during its live-streamed presentation today. A set of amiibo figures made out of yarn will launch with the game, even though that level of cuteness shouldn't be legal. Yoshi's Wooly World is an adventure game with a two-player co-op mode and an emphasis on exploration and using adorable, yarn-based abilities. It comes from the team behind Kirby's Epic Yarn, another fluffy Nintendo platformer. Nintendo revealed Yoshi's Wooly World in January 2013 -- so we hope no one has been holding their breath.
'Amiibo Greatest Bits' offers the best of Nintendo's past
You know that Amiibo collection of yours? It's about to get a bit more useful. Nintendo's just announced Amiibo Greatest Bits, a series of bite-sized chunks from the company's gaming history that're unlocked via tapping your collectible figures to the Wii U gamepad. As for a release date, Nintendo's Satoru Iwata says it'll be a free download this spring. Each toy contains a random level (basically a demo) and, like Forrest Gump's mom said they're like a box of chocolates and you'll never know what you're going to get.
'Splatoon,' Nintendo's quirky Wii U shooter, launches May 29th
Splatoon, the rapid-fire, multiplayer paintball game for Wii U, launches on May 29, Nintendo revealed today. We got our hands on the game at E3 last year and found it to be simply joyous.
'Mario Maker' level-design game launches in September
Mario Maker is due out for the Wii U in September, Nintendo announced today during its live stream. Mario Maker allows players to design their own Mario levels, featuring styles from across the series' storied history.
Nintendo's new, more powerful 3DS launches in North America and Europe on February 13th
Back when we reviewed the new, dual-analog input-enabled Nintendo 3DS handheld, we weren't quite sure when it would make its way to the rest of the world -- that changes today. The slightly more powerful handheld launches on February 13th, 2015 in North America and Europe. To make it up to those who've waited patiently while the likes of Japan and, kind of, Europe got in on the extra shoulder button action, Nintendo's made a cabernet-hued console for us to wrap our fingers around. And what good is a new console without games to play on it? Nintendo has us covered there as well, with The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. You know, in case you're already bored with the latest portable version of Super Smash Bros. There are even "New" 3DS XL Monster Hunter and Majora's Mask bundles headed to stores on February 13th with fancy designs.
'Super Smash Bros. for Wii U' adds an eight-player mode for double the madness
Think you know everything there is to about Super Smash Bros for Wii U? Think again: during today's Smash-centric Nintendo Direct event, the gaming giant announced an eight-player mode for absolutely bananas action. How will you even keep track of all that madness on the Wii U? We're willing to find out. There are sure to be some more announcements from the broadcast, and we've embedded the video just after the break. Update: Remember the create-a-stage feature from Super Smash Bros. Brawl? Well it's back in the Wii U version and it's gotten a pretty big upgrade thanks to the console's touchscreen-based Gamepad. You can now draw out your custom levels using the stylus (sorta like Mario Maker) and even share them online with others. Pretty neat!
Nintendo is making two new versions of its 3DS portable console, arriving in Japan this October
Nintendo releases recorded video presentations, known as "Nintendo Direct," pretty often. Usually they're focused on games, or they highlight an upcoming season's game releases. This morning, however, Nintendo revealed two new versions of its wildly successful 3DS portable game console. And just like the Mario series, Nintendo's not pulling any punches when it comes to naming conventions: the new 3DS is simply called "New" 3DS. And yes, there's a "New" version of the larger 3DS XL, too. As seen above, the smaller "New" 3DS has Super Nintendo-themed buttons on the right side. Just above those buttons is a new, tiny analog stick. Bizarrely, Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata compared the new analog stick to the GameCube controller's yellow C-stick (which was rarely used in GameCube games).
Everything Nintendo did (and didn't) announce at its digital E3 event
Nintendo once told us that if it didn't change, it "might die," but we never expected the company to turn into a puppet show. It happened anyway: Nintendo's digital E3 event was hosted by Robot Chicken-sourced figures, complete with a demanding audience of stop-motion fans. We've got to give Nintendo credit -- this is certainly a new approach to handling E3. What did the company actually announce, though? Lots of things: including a new, open-world Zelda game, a little bit of NFC wizardry and even a game starring Toad. After the event closed, Nintendo dropped a few more announcements from a "Nintendo Minute" event on the E3 show floor. Miss the show? You can rewatch it in its entirety here, or simply read on for Engadget's full run-down.
Open-world 'Zelda' game heading to Wii U in 2015
Last year, Zelda tastemaker Eiji Aonuma told us that he wanted to give players more freedom. "I want them to be able to explore more." Back then, he was talking about A Link Between Worlds; today Nintendo is talking about the franchise's first game designed natively for the Wii U. Taking the screen during Nintendo's Digital Event at E3, Aonuma showed a deep, lush landscape and pointed to the horizon. "You can even reach those mountains in the distance if you walk far enough." It's the first truly open-world Zelda game.
Super Smash Bros. 3DS launches this summer, Wii U version due in winter
Jonesing for a new Super Smash Bros. game? Hope you own a 3DS: Nintendo has announced that the mobile version of the series' latest entry will land first, debuting this summer. The Wii U version will arrive this year too, but it won't be available until winter, presumably to make the most out of the holiday season. Nintendo teased the launch windows with a tweet right before today's Super Smash Bros. Nintendo Direct, where Masahiro Sakurai (the game's director) updated players on the game's latest developments.
Nintendo finally starts testing free-to-play titles in eShop, will let gamers haggle for DLC
At E3 last year, Nintendo gave itself until March to launch a free-to-play title in the Nintendo eShop. That same week, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that the gratis game would be based on Steel Diver, a 3DS launch title. Today, Nintendo delivered, releasing Steel Diver: Sub Wars on the 3DS eShop. Technically, it's not the first free-to-play title to grace one of Nintendo's online storefronts (that distinction goes to Namco's Tank! Tank! Tank!), but it is the publisher's inaugural first-party attempt at aping the mobile gaming market. It won't be its last either. During today's Nintendo Direct livestream, the company also announced Rusty's Real Deal Baseball, a mini-game collection that will let players haggle over the price of DLC expansions. In the wake of floundering Wii U sales and underwhelming financial performance, what these titles represent may be more important than the content of the game. Despite Satoru Iwata's insistence that it "doesn't make sense for Nintendo to do business on smartphones," these releases show that his statement might not apply to how Nintendo runs its business -- augmenting a barebones gaming experience with piecemeal purchases and expansions has far more in common with the smartphone gaming market than Nintendo's traditional competitors. It sounds a little dicey, true, but it's also the kind of experimentation the company needs to dabble in if it hopes to suss out its next-gen strategy. Oh, and if you just dropped by to take a peek at the new game trailers, skip on past the break; they'll be there.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS coming in 2014, brings Megaman along for the ride (video)
Microsoft's got the Xbox One, Sony's got the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo? Nintendo's got Megaman. In its pre-E3 broadcast, the console maker has announced that a new version of party favorite Super Smash Bros. will be arriving on the Wii U and 3DS at some point next year. The company has taken the chance to freshen up the smashing lineup, adding the Villager from Animal Crossing and adding Megaman from, er, Megaman to the roster. If you'd like to see the announcement trailer for yourself, head on past the break and scrub forward to the 34 minute mark where it's now available in its standalone glory. Follow all of our E3 2013 coverage at our event hub.%Gallery-191051%
Nintendo Wii U's spring update, Panorama View arrive next week
Nintendo's Wii U game console is getting its promised spring update next week, said company president Satoru Iwata in a Luigi-filled video presentation this morning. The update is said to launch software dramatically faster than before, as Nintendo demonstrated in a video last month. Iwata also said the update adds continuable downloads while the console is off, and that Virtual Console won't arrive until the following week -- should you wish to directly launch into the Wii menu, you'll be able to hold down the B button as the console is starting up. That said, if you wanna play those VC games directly from the Wii U menu, you'll need to re-buy them for $1 apiece for NES games and $1.50 for SNES games. A variety of games were shown off as available at the Virtual Console's launch, including classics like Super Mario World and Punch-Out! Apparently GameBoy Advance and Nintendo 64 games are planned for inclusion on the VC in the coming months, but no definitive date was given. He also said Panorama View will arrive next week for free, and it sounds like it'll be a separate download from the software update.
Google Maps with Street View arrives on Nintendo Wii U in Japan, free for a limited time
True to Iwata-san's word, Google Maps with Street View is indeed making its way to the Nintendo Wii U this month. Word of the mapping service's impending arrival first came this past December, but at the time, no mention was made of availability outside of a vague January 2013 launch. As we learned later however, it was pushed back another month but Wii Street U Powered by Google is live in Japan, and will be free through the end of May. After that, there will be a fee for access to the service's Panorama View-like feature, which leverages the GamePad for 360-degree perspectives. Of course, you can also peruse both plain and Street View maps from the TV, but that kind of diminishes the gimmicky point of the second screen controller. (Also, you could just use a laptop, tablet or phone for Google Maps -- just sayin'.) There's no word on US release plans or potential pricing, but it's worth noting the TVii app that's free here carries a nominal 100 yen charge in Japan. Hit the source link for an interview with the team behind bringing the app to the console.
Re-watch this morning's Nintendo Direct right here, right now
Nothing says, "Nintendo news" quite like watching Nintendo president Satoru Iwata gesticulate in a featureless white room for nearly an hour. This morning's Nintendo Direct presentation didn't disappoint in that respect, with Iwata moving his hands this way and that, all the while detailing upcoming system updates to the Wii U, new features and mobile access for the Miiverse social network, and Virtual Console finally heading to Nintendo's latest console. That's to say nothing of a new yarn-based game starring Yoshi and the HD remake of Wind Waker. But you're not here for that, are you? You just wanna watch Iwata make silly arm movements? Done and done -- head past the break for your fix.
Nintendo 3DS to get Recochoku music streaming and download service in Japan, launches in December
Today's early Nintendo Direct broadcast didn't have much in the way of new hardware pricing or surprises, but it did reveal a new music service for 3DS users in Japan. The handheld will soon be able to stream, download and play music from Recochoku, a mobile-centric site that specializes in ringtones and track downloads. Users should be able to take their pick from over 1 million titles, priced at around 250 yen. Any songs bought on your 3DS can also be transferred to your (compatible) keitai of choice.
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%
