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Playdate's Wii U Halloween Horror: 'Fatal Frame' and 'Year Walk'
'Spooky' isn't exactly the first word that comes to mind when one things of the family-friendly Wii U -- but that didn't stop the PlayDate crew from digging up a couple or horror titles to mark the coming of all hallows eve. Join us at 6PM Eastern / 3PM Pacific as we tour Fatal Frame: Maiden of the Black Water's haunted Hikami Mountain and learn the legend of its ghost-wrangling shrine maidens. Then, we'll take a Year Walk and step into the darker side of old Swedish folklore. Join in the fun right here, at twitch.tv/joystiq and on the Engadget Gaming homepage.
Nintendo revives 'Wild Gunman' in time for 'Back to the Future' Day
You've probably seen your share of over-the-top publicity grabs on Back to the Future Day, but Nintendo has a subtler one that you might just appreciate. The company's European branch has quietly released a Wii U Virtual Console port of Wild Gunman, better known as the game that Marty McFly dominates when he visits 2015 in Back to the Future Part II. As in the movie, you have to use your hands to play this "baby's toy" -- the big difference is that you're using a Wii remote instead of the NES' Zapper light gun (BTTF2's particular arcade cabinet never really existed, we'd note). You probably won't mind if you're on a nostalgia kick, though. And if you really, truly want to play a game that Hill Valley's kids would enjoy, Microsoft is happy to help.
'Slender: The Arrival' is ready to creep out Wii U players this month
Everyone knows the tale of Slender Man, the impossibly tall, lanky, humanoid creature with no face who wears a suit and stalks unsuspecting children in dark woods and quiet nighttime hallways. In other words, it's perfect fodder for a horror game. Slender: The Arrival is a first-person exploration game about Lauren, a young woman searching for her friend and Slender Man fanatic, Kate, who's gone missing. The game is already out on Steam, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and now it's coming to haunt the Wii U. Slender: The Arrival hits Wii U on October 22nd in North America, complete with special Wii remote capabilities. The flashlight is the most important item in the game, and Wii U players can move the Wii remote -- not the Wii U Gamepad -- to control the in-game torch. Not that it will stop Slender Man from finding them, of course.
Wii U emulator (almost) runs 'Mario Kart 8' on your PC
Want a Wii U but don't want to own Nintendo's latest console? That's sort of possible now. I emphasize the "sort of" because the recently released Cemu emulator is almost entirely broken at this point. There isn't proper gamepad support, there's absolutely no audio and the game video stutters and glitches pretty badly in most cases if the titles launch at all. For example, in Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD's attract mode (the opening menu screen), little Toon Link looks he has some seriously Donnie Darko-esque energy tubes coming out of his chest, stretching far out from his cliffside overlook on Outset Island. Peep it in the video embedded below. "Contains basically no optimizations," the download page reads. "Expect slow frame rates and long load times."
Playdate: Putting your custom 'Super Mario Maker' levels to the test
When we asked for your Super Mario Maker levels you guys and gals responded in a big way. Don't believe us? We have a Gmail folder with over 300 responses to prove you otherwise, and more keep coming in every day. Sean and myself were absolutely floored by the creativity the Playdate community showed and honestly it was hard to narrow the field down to just 30 or so entires. Sadly we had to do just that because we only have two hours to broadcast. Did your masterpiece make the cut? Tune in starting at 6PM Eastern / 3PM Pacific and find out as we run through nothing but community-built death traps either on this post, the Engadget Gaming homepage or Twitch.tv/joystiq if you want to join in our chat.
Nintendo revamps Miiverse site with more social features
The MiiVerse website is about bringing Nintendo's online community together, among other things. But up until today, the virtual hub was missing features that could have made it even more useful. Thankfully, Nintendo has revamped the site (again), adding a handful of social tidbits that users are bound to appreciate. Along with now being able to see what's trending on MiiVerse, you can also get a quick glimpse at how other players across the network are doing on their games -- via the Play Journal feed. And in case you've never visited it, you can check out the refreshed site at miiverse.nintendo.net.
'Super Mario Maker' crushed my dreams of making video games
"Isn't this supposed to be fun?" I asked myself over and over again. I knew the answer was "yes," but I still wasn't having any. I'd been playing Super Mario Maker, a video game that lets you make your own Super Mario Bros. levels and play them on a real Nintendo console, and I was completely miserable. It didn't make any sense. I'd dreamed about making Nintendo games since I was 6 years old, but when the company gave me the chance to prove a game design genius lived under my skin, I flopped. It was then that a shocking and heartbreaking realization washed over me: I hate making video games.
'Star Fox Zero' barrel rolls into next year
Longtime Nintendo fans are used to delays, but that won't make the news of Star Fox Zero not releasing this year any easier to swallow. Legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto took to Facebook to announce the delay (embedded below), saying that the Wii U game's technically ready to hit the initially promised November release, but the company is putting it back in the oven to sand off rough edges on level design and to perfect the tone of its cutscenes. Oh, and Nintendo is also putting more time toward working on the "unprecedented discovery" innate to Zero's unique two-screen control scheme. Miyamoto says that the game isn't far off though and that his team is shooting for a release in the first quarter of next year.
Wanted: your custom 'Super Mario Maker' levels
Something happened when we were broadcasting the Wii U's Super Mario Maker on Playdate last week. Sean Buckley and myself (and almost assuredly someone from Twitch chat) thought it'd be a great idea to play through levels that the community made, live on the internet. And guess what? That's absolutely what we want to do, but we'll need your help. For a future stream we'd love to do nothing but play custom levels created exclusively by our loyal Playdate viewers. All you need to do is take the ID code for your masterpiece and drop it in an email to EngadgetPlaydate@gmail.com. It's easy! We're playing pretty loose with the rules too. You can send us a couple of your favorites (but fewer than 30) if you're having a tough time narrowing it down to just one, and all that we ask if you not have anything lewd contained therein.
Playdate: Building the Mushroom Kingdom in 'Super Mario Maker'
A lot of games are about wish fulfilment, but what if your dream is to make Nintendo games? Well, now there's a game for that, too: Super Mario Maker -- a video game creation suite that's exactly what it sounds like. Nintendo's been hyping this game for over a year, and it hits shelves today. How is it? We're about to find out. Join me and Tim Seppala for an ad hoc remodelling of the Mushroom Kingdom, starting at 6PM ET (3PM PT) on Twitch.tv/Joystiq, on the Engadget gaming homepage or right here in this post.
New in our buyer's guide: the Galaxy Note 5, OnePlus 2 and Moto G
Phones and gaming. Gaming and phones. That's about all we're adding to our buyer's guide this month. Since we last checked in, we've inducted a trio of new handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Moto G and the OnePlus 2. (And yes, we'll soon have to update the iPhone part of the guide too.) Meanwhile, we also decided that the Wii U and the New 3DS XL deserved spots in our gaming guide, along with a nod to toys-to-life products like Amiibo, Skylanders and Disney's Infinity series. We'll be back next month, but until then, feel free to poke around our complete guide to see our top picks.
Netflix for the Wii U adds new features like individual profiles
While the Wii U is among our favorite ways to game, its Netflix experience has been lagging behind a bit. New features like (optional) autoplaying episodes, switching between individual profiles and easy resuming just never came to the console, until now. A new update went out last night -- just in time for the debut of the excellent-looking Narcos series -- that should bring things up to par with the rest, however some gamers on NeoGAF are still looking for the ability to control it with the Pro Controller instead of Nintendo's GamePad. Also, the new app defaults to streaming video to your GamePad instead of leaving it for information and navigation, so keep that in mind if you're checking out a few episodes in between rounds of Splatoon this weekend.
'Splatoon' is getting a 61-tune soundtrack in Japan
If you've even had a small taste of Splatoon, you know that the inky shooter is defined as much by its upbeat, irreverent music as its bright, Nickelodeon-circa-1995 visuals. Nintendo clearly knows this, too -- it's planning to release Splatune, a whopping 61-song original soundtrack. Most of it (37 tracks) will be straight-up music, but there will also be 10 jingles and 14 pieces based on sound effects. That's a lot, especially when you consider that many big-name movies don't get such a lavish treatment. Be prepared to pay a pretty penny to an importer if you want a copy, though. Nintendo is releasing Splatune as a ¥3,200 ($27) two-disc album in Japan (where CDs are still huge) on October 21st, and there's no word yet on a release elsewhere.
'Star Fox Zero' swoops onto Wii U on November 20
Nintendo Wii U owners, mark your calendars. The Japanese console maker will be launching Star Fox Zero, the next space adventure from Shigeru Miyamoto, on November 20th in the US and Europe. It's one of the biggest titles headed to Nintendo's home console this fall, alongside Super Mario Maker, JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles X and the adorable Yoshi's Woolly World. Of the three, Star Fox Zero is arguably the most anticipated. It's been over a decade since Star Fox: Assault graced the Gamecube, but with the 3DS port of Star Fox 64, as well as the crew's appearances in Super Smash Bros., the series has stayed fresh in people's minds. Can Miyamoto and PlatinumGames deliver with the anthropomorphic space animals again? We'll be able to find out in just a few months.
Unofficial Amiibo can use data for any Nintendo figurine
Haven't had any luck scoring the Amiibo you need to unlock certain goodies in a Wii U or 3DS game? A very, very unofficial accessory might help. Axiogame's Amiiqo device uses an Android app to load the data from any Amiibo (it can store up to 200), including those that already have some gameplay under their belts. The company isn't shy about the true purposes of its $89 gadget, either. While you can use the Amiiqo for a "personal backup," it's really meant to both grab bootleg Amiibo data and help you cheat. It even comes with info for 10 characters out of the box.
'Super Mario Maker' lets you record custom sounds in Mario levels
Prepare for joyful levels full of farts, curse words and all manner of silly sounds. When it launches for the Wii U on September 11th, Super Mario Maker will feature an option to add custom, recorded sounds to your own Mario levels, alongside pre-recorded noises and musical notes. That's just one feature shown off in a seven-minute overview video Nintendo released today. Check out how you'll edit levels, make music, use Amiibo, add perfect long jumps and unlock new elements in a handful of Mario universes. Maybe start perfecting your animal noises now.
A look at the evolution of modern video game controllers
If anything's kept pace with how video games have changed over the years, it's how we interact with them. Our biggest touchpoint with virtual worlds is the gamepad and -- akin to how games themselves have evolved from simple 2D affairs into 100-hour-long labyrinths in three dimensions -- controllers have changed to accommodate that. What you'll find in the gallery below is a comprehensive look at gamepads from the past 30-plus years of gaming, including high points and missteps alike. [Image: Adafruit Industries/Flickr]
'Yooka-Laylee' snags a publisher after record-breaking Kickstarter
What's the next step after fully funding your game in 40 minutes on Kickstarter? If you're the team behind Yooka-Laylee, Playtonic, you get a publisher to help with stuff like localization (translating dialogue and text for different regions), QA testing and other unglamorous but still necessary elements of game development. To wit, the former Banjo Kazooie creatives have hooked up with indie label Team17, perhaps best known for the Worms and Alien Breed franchises. This partnership means that Playtonic can worry about working on the game itself while Team17 takes care of the more menial bits and bobs. Good thing, too considering Playtonic is still planning to hit a simultaneous October 2016 release across PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Wii U. If you'd like to check out more, hit the jump for our interview with the folks from the studio.
'ZombiU' reborn for PS4, Xbox One and PC as 'Zombi'
Ubisoft's undead-infested, survival-horror game ZombiU was exclusive to Wii U when it launched in 2012, and back then we called it a "wonderfully frightening experience" thick with tension, death and a brilliantly unforgiving atmosphere. Now, the game is dropping the "U" and heading to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC as Zombi on August 18th, complete with a few upgrades and changes. Since Zombi can't take advantage of the Wii U's second screen -- which displayed the mini-map, radar and gear -- these aspects have been moved to the main screen. "We maintain a minimal HUD as much as possible," Zombi producer Hélène Henry says. "It disappears when not required, giving the game a very lonely feeling."
Nintendo sells 10 million Wii Us, still not making much money
Nintendo has posted yet another slim profit as it moves beyond the financial difficulties of the past few years. The slow launch of the Wii U and the stagnation of its handheld sales caused Nintendo to fall dramatically from grace after the runaway success of the Wii. After recording its first annual profit since 2011 earlier this year, though, it's proved it can stay in the black in spite of the Wii U's meagre popularity, making just over $9million in the latest quarter.
