Tag Archives: Nintendo

Nintendo Wii drops to $149.99 on May 15, gets bundled with Mario Kart

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After almost five years on the market, Nintendo has finally decided to drop the price of the Wii from $199.99 to $149.99, effective May 15. In addition, the Wii Sports + Wii Sports Resort bundle will no longer be available. The lower priced Wii, still available in black and white, will come packaged with Mario Kart Wii and matching colored Wiimote (with built-in Wii Remote Plus functionality), nunchuck, and Wii Wheel accessories. The new black Wii Wheel will also be made available for purchase separately for $9.99.

On that same May day, Ninty will launch the new Nintendo Selects collection of Wii games. The companies most popular Wii games such as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Mario Super Sluggers, and Wii Sports will sell for a low $19.99.

[Via Nintendo]

Nintendo confirms Wii successor, to be previewed in June, released in 2012

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Gamers, listen here! Today the house that built Mario formally announced the Wii successor. Sure details are sparse, but at least we’ve got confirmation that something new and exciting is on the way, and it’s coming sooner than you might think. In a press statement out of Japan, Nintendo refers to their next-gen console as the “Wii’s Successor System” and they say a “playable model” will be shown off at E3 in early June, followed by a launch in 2012.

What can gamers expect from the next-gen Wii? The only official word to come out of Nintendo (besides the aforementioned press release which is sitting after the break) is provided by company president Satoru Iwata: “We would like to propose a new approach to home video game consoles. It’s difficult to make 3-D images a key feature, because 3-D televisions haven’t obtained wide acceptance yet.” They’ve managed to bring glasses-free 3D to their portable 3DS, but the technology to make the magic work on larger scale just isn’t there yet. So what then might Iwata be referring to when he hints at a “new approach” to video games?

Late last week Kotaku reported that, according to undisclosed sources, the next-gen Wii will utilize an entirely new breed of controller. In addition to housing eight buttons and two analog sticks, the new controller is rumored to also boast a 6.2 inch screen and a camera. They say: “The 6.2-inch screen will receive data wirelessly from the Nintendo console and presents an array of options, from putting the player’s inventory or map on the controller screen, to allowing players to combine it with the controller’s camera to snap photos that could be imported into a game or even turning it into some sort of glorified viewfinder (we’re unclear about whether the camera on the controller points at the player or can be outward-facing; we’ve heard both — maybe it swivels?).” Then they propose: “You could think of the new Nintendo console as turning your living room into a glorified mega-DS…. your TV is the upper-screen; your controller is the lower touchscreen.”

Other Wii 2 rumors to chew on… The new controller will not replace existing Wii-motes, as the system is said to be backwards compatible with all current Wii games. The often labeled Wii HD will be capable of running games at HD resolutions (up to 1080p) and it will be more powerful than current-gen systems (read: Xbox 360, PS3). And finally, the next-gen Wii is internally referred to by its codename “Project Cafe,” so go around saying that to your friends if you want to act all cool like you know everything. Though these rumors are certainly intriguing, let’s all anticipate the E3 reveal where Ninty will formally lay out the specifications, controller scheme(s), and perhaps a launch lineup.

[Via Joystiq (1) (2) (3), Bloomberg] Continue reading Nintendo confirms Wii successor, to be previewed in June, released in 2012 →

Nintendo 3DS will support Netflix, and other news to know

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This week at Game Developer Conference 2011 in San Fransisco Nintendo held a brief press conference detailing their latest handheld sensation the Nintendo 3DS. Though it’s already been sold in Japan and the U.S. release is right around the corner (March 27) the company is already detailing the system’s first major software upgrade. First up, Netflix is coming to the 3DS this summer. Users will be able to access their Netflix movies and TV shows on the device and have the option to pause said content and resume it on the big screen via the Wii’s Netflix portal.

In addition, the 3DS will gain a new 3D video channel that will act as a gateway to 3D produced content like movie trailers, music videos, and comedy shorts. The channel will be automatically updated with new 3D content over a wireless connection. Ninty also hinted that 3DS owners will eventually be able to record their own videos in 3D using the devices dual rear-facing cameras.

The house that built Mario went on to further detail the Nintendo eShop, a place where 3DS users can browse and download all kinds of content including DSiWare games, Game Boy and Game Boy Color classics remastered in 3D, and a Virtual Console which will include titles from Sega’s Game Gear and TurboGrafx-16. All of this plus a web browser is expected to make its way to the 3DS via a software update in late May.

Speaking of Mario, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata teased a Super Mario 3DS title by showing a logo for the game; a small grey raccoon tail juts out of “o” in Mario likely hinting at what’s to come (perhaps a long overdue sequel to Super Mario Bros. 3?).

And finally, Nintendo announced a partnership with AT&T that will give 3DS owners free access to 10,000 WiFi hotspots. SpotPass, a 3DS software feature that automatically receives new game content and system updates even while the device in sleep mode or charging, will take advantage of the WiFi access points to do its thing.

The Nintendo 3DS releases March 27 for $249.99. Preorder yours today.

[Via Engadget; Joystiq]

Nintendo 3DS launch details: coming March 27 for $249

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Today Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime took the stage in New York City to discuss the Nintendo 3DS launch details we’ve been waiting for.  The 3D-enabled DS handheld will release on March 27 in the US for $249.99.  It will come in two color variants: Cosmo Black and Aqua Blue.  Ninty promises that over 30 3DS games will be available during the launch window (that is, between the March 27 and the E3 Expo in early June).  These include a mix of first and third party games.  Though Nintendo did not specify a solid list of launch titles, the press release mentions the following games: Pilotwings Resort, which has players soaring acrobatically over iconic Wuhu Island; nintendogs + cats, a new version of the Nintendo DS classic with a feline enhancement; and Steel Diver, a side-scrolling submarine adventure that gives the illusion that the player is peering into an aquarium.  The ones you really want to play like the 3D versions of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Paper Mario, plus the return of fan favorite Kid Icarus in Kid Icarus: Uprising are simply “in the works” with no release dates attached just yet.  Some third party games mentioned at the event include Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (Capcom), Madden NFL Football (EA), and LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (LucasArts), but again no release dates were specified.

So that pretty much does it for launch details.  However, in addition to announcing price, release date, and games support, Fils-Aime took time to talk about the 3DS’ hardware and expand upon the some of the pre-installed software.  Like its DS predessors, the 3DS packs two screens; the bottom one’s touch-sensitive and the top one’s 3D-enabled (no pesky glasses required).  A 3D Depth Slider can be used to manipulate the 3D effect during gameplay; the slider can turn off the 3D effect entirely and all 3DS games can be played in traditional 2D.  In addition to the D-Pad, a new Circle Pad provides a full 360 degrees of direction and allows for a higher level of precision during gameplay.  The 3DS also packs built-in motion and gyro sensors, so it can react to the motion and tilt of the system.  You’ll also find three camera built into this thing; one on the inside (facing you during gameplay) and two on the outside.  Combined the latter two can capture 3D pictures and you can view them on the top 3D display.  Other hardware notables: the 3DS comes bundled with an adjustable stylus (for use on the bottom touch-sensitive display), a 2GB SD memory card, and a charging cradle.

The Home Menu is where all your apps live.  Mii Maker is just what it sounds like and works similarly to how Miis are created on the Wii.  The difference here is that the Mii Maker will ask you to take a photo of yourself and the software will try its best to convert your real-life features into a Mii avatar.  If the conversion doesn’t sit well with you, manual customization options are available to fiddle with to make things right.  You also have the ability to import your Mii avatar from your Wii console by way of SD card transfer.  The augmented reality-based game Face Raiders lets you take pictures of your friends and turn them into shooting targets.  It’s a simple game that highlights the built-in gyro sensor since it requires you to physically lean and turn to search around for the targets and aim high and low to hit them.  AR Games works similarly, but they take advantage of the pack of AR cards that come bundled with the system.  All you have to do is place one of the AR cards onto a flat surface, point the outward facing 3DS camera at it, and targets come to life.  Animations are superimposed into the scene; so for example if you place a card on your kitchen table the backdrop for the targets will be the kitchen table (that’s augmented reality gaming in a nutshell).  The Activity Log tracks both your gameplay activity, much like the Wii Calender does automatically.  It notes which games you’ve played and how long you’ve played them, as well as your physical activity, counting every step you take while carrying your Nintendo 3DS.  Even when the system’s in sleep mode, it acts as a pedometer and tracks the distances you travel; the more you walk the more Play Coins you will earn.  These coins can then be used to purchase in-game bonus content, if the game’s developer decides to support it.  The Nintendo eShop offers access to downloadable games.  In addition to DSiWare games, Virtual Console games pulled from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color catalogs will be available to download.  Game videos, screenshots, demos, and ratings will also be browsable here.  Titles can be purchased with either a credit card or prepaid cards.  Other software notables: StreetPass Mii Plaza (more on this below), Internet Browser, Camera app (capture and view 3D pictures), Video app (watch 3D content), Sound app (listen to music in MP3 or AAC format from the SD card, plus record and play with sounds using the 3DS’ built-in mic); oh, and the 3DS is backwards compatible with all Nintendo DS games.

Fils-Aime mentioned that the 3DS is Nintendo’s most connected video games console ever made, and he’s not lying.  First let’s get this awesome update out of the way: friend codes are no longer specific to each game you buy, there is only one code and it’s attached to your 3DS.  Once you swap friend codes with someone, they will remain on your friend list and you can always check their online status no matter what game you’ve got running.  Now to some fun new features: StreetPass and SpotPass.  StreetPass is capable of exchanging game information with other Nintendo 3DS systems as owners pass one another.  An example of StreetPass functionality is the aptly titled StreetPass Mii Plaza.  Much like its Wii counterpart, the 3DS’ Mii Plaza will congregate your Mii avatar with all the other 3DS owners you happen to pass by, say, on the street (and your avatar will jump onto the 3DS of the person you pass).  In addition to sharing your avatar, other information can be exchanged over StreetPass including maps for games, high scores, and custom character data for different games.  This might be obvious but it’s worth pointing out–if you don’t want any information to exchange on the fly (because all this can happen while the 3DS is in sleep mode tucked away in your pocket) you can disable the StreetPass function.  Next up is SpotPass and this essentially connects to 3DS up to public or private at-home WiFi hotspots.  Once connected, the system can receive new content and updates even when it’s in sleep mode or charging.

Peer in the gallery below to get a closer look at the 3DS hardware, and look after the break to watch the 3DS virtual tour and catch a sneak peek at the software launch lineup.  Also, don’t forget to check out my hands-on preview of the 3DS from E3.

[Via Nintendo]

Continue reading Nintendo 3DS launch details: coming March 27 for $249 →

Hot dog champ Kobayashi eats 16 bananas in 60 seconds to honor Donkey Kong

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You might know him as the six-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champion, but Takeru Kobayashi caught a new kind of attention this month when he agreed to eat as many bananas as he can in one minute to celebrate the release of Donkey Kong Country Returns for Wii.  The pre-release (marketing) stunt took place in Toronto and you can watch Kobayashi do his thing in the banana eating challenge video embedded above.  It’s on like Donkey Kong!  Oh wait–can I say that?

[Via Kotaku]

Nintendo DSi goes orange and green for Black Friday

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Black Friday is right around the corner, and Nintendo know how to celebrate.  Starting November 26 you can pick up the Nintendo DSi in two brand new colors, orange and green!  The new colorful DSis will come bundled with a copy of Mario Party DS.  $149.99 is the price.  These new systems join the limited-edition red Nintendo DSi XL bundle and red Wii bundle in honoring the 25th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. game on the NES.  Mario Party? Really? Well, at least the new colors pop.  Look after the break to see the packaging for Mr. Green.

[Via Joystiq] Continue reading Nintendo DSi goes orange and green for Black Friday →

Oh, it’s on. “It’s on like Donkey Kong.” (trademark pending)

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In honor of the upcoming Nov. 21 launch of Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii console, Nintendo has filed a request with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to trademark the pop-culture phrase “It’s on like Donkey Kong.” For those unfamiliar with the term, “It’s on like Donkey Kong” is an old, popular Nintendo phrase that has a number of possible interpretations depending on how it’s used. In addition to Nintendo’s use, it has been used in popular music, television and film over the years, pointing to Donkey Kong’s status as an enduring pop-culture icon and video game superstar.

I just had to copy that snippet from Ninty’s official press release regarding this hilarious bit of news.  Can you believe it?  In just a matter of time the house that built Mario will own the famous phrase “It’s on like Donkey Kong.” Ridiculous or not so much? Sound off in the comments below.

Update (11/15): Colbert got wind of the news.

[Via Engadget]

Nintendo Wii Remote Plus comes stateside for $39.99, bundled inside celebratory red Wii console

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We knew it was coming, but Nintendo has made it official.  The Wii Remote Plus (or the newly designed Wii-mote with the MotionPlus accessory built inside) is coming to U.S. Wii players for an exciting low price of $39.99.  Ninty confirms the Wii Remote Plus will become the new standard Wii-mote to come stuffed inside all Wii packages and bundles when it releases November 7.  It will come in the following tints: white, pink, blue, and black.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game, Nintendo decided to deck out the Wii in a red coat of paint for Japanese gamers.  Today I am happy to announce that the company who invented Mario is bringing the celebratory console to the States.  In addition to the red Wii console, the limited edition bundle includes a red Wii Remote Plus and matching Nunchuck, Wii Sports, and a copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.  The bundle costs $199.99 and ships November 7.

But the fun doesn’t stop there!  A special-edition Nintendo DSi XL bundle lands November 7, too.  The red DSi XL features three iconic Super Mario Bros.-themed graphics and comes bundled with a copy of Mario Kart DS and preloaded with Brain Age games and a Photo Clock.  It’s priced at 179.99.

Let’s hear it for the most iconic video game characher ever–happy birthday Mario!

[Via Joystiq]

Nintendo DSi lineup getting a price slash September 12

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On September 12, Nintendo will drop the prices of their two DSi handhelds by $20.  The DSi will be $149.99 and DSi XL will be $169.99. The DS Lite model will remain at $129.99.  Says Nintendo’s Cammie Dunaway: “We know shoppers want to get the maximum value out of every dollar they spend. Our new Nintendo DSi prices make it easier than ever for consumers to access the tremendous variety of games, applications and social tools on the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL systems.”  The press release announcing the price drop also shared this tremendous stat: According to the NDP Group, “through the end of July, total Nintendo DS family hardware sales are more than 42.3 million in the United States alone.”  Wowzers.  With the DSi lineup at a lower entry price and the 3DS readying for a launch (a release date is expected to be named soon), there really is no stopping the killer incentive to purchase a Nintendo handheld.

[Via Nintendo; Joystiq]

Booth tour: Nintendo (plus hands-on)

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The Nintendo booth at E3 was filled with Wii, DS, and 3DS software.  The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was contained in its own section.  Attendees were directed to wait in a specific area to gain some hands-on time with the game demo.  A bunch of other first-party titles were playable in their own sections, too, and they include Metroid: Other M, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Mario Sports Mix, and Wii Party.  Other notable titles that were playable at the booth: Donkey Kong Country Returns, Pokemon Wii, Sonic Colors, Epic Mickey, GoldenEye 007, NBA Jam, Just Dance 2, Dragon Quest IX (DS), and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS).

Mario Sports Mix looks and feels just like another Mario sports/party game, so it’s a ton of fun.  The game has beach volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, and ice hockey games and each supports up to four players.  In volleyball it’s 2-on-2 and you flick the Wii-mote up to serve and hit the ball and the nunchuck to move your player around.  Basketball works similarly to Mario Hoops 3-on-3 for DS.  After you set up a 2-on-2 game, dribbling is not required; you can pass the ball and flick the Wii-mote up when you’re near the basket to jump and shoot.  You can also collect items and use them to trip up opponents.  For both these games there’s a special meter that fills up during the course of the sport.  Once it’s filled, you can make your character use a special move that’s essentially a free point because they can’t miss it.  (Think of it as a gamebreaker from NBA Street.)  Though I was unable to play the other sports, I am confident in saying Mario Sports Mix is yet another fun party game starring our favorite plumber.  It releases next year.

Wii Party.  Simply put, this game plays just like Mario Party, with the main difference being that your Miis star in the gameplay instead of classic Nintendo characters.  You’ve got the dice to roll by flicking the Wii-mote up, there’s the game spaces you move across to reach for stars, and obviously the plethora of mini-games to keep things interesting.  I played a mini-game that involved balancing a growing stack of presents.  Party games support up to four players.  In addition to party games, Mario Party also includes pair games (co-op) and house party games (these use the Wii-mote in various ways).  The game drops later this year.

Donkey Kong Country Returns brought me waaaaay back to the good ‘ol days, if you know what I mean.  Though it’s a brand new side-scrolling platformer made exclusively for Wii and its motion controls, it feels as if you never dropped the SNES controller.  Thanks to the classic soundtrack and familiar environments, DKC Returns plays like a true modern DK game.  If you’re playing single player, Diddy rides on DK’s back; in multiplayer mode the characters are controlled separately.  And get this–if player two is having a hard time getting through the level, Diddy can jump onto DK’s back and go on a ride to the end of the level (all the while shooting peanuts to fend off nearby enemies).  Diddy also has a jetpack in this game, allowing him to briefly fly to reach hard to get items (such as collectible stars).  Both DK and Diddy share a ground pound attack that can help fight enemies and reveal hidden items in the environment.  Sure, the DK experience is different thanks to motion controls but it’s most definitely a new one that I’m really looking forward to playing.  DK has finally returned.  Coming this holiday.

GoldenEye 007 is being described as a reimagining of the original classic shooter from N64.  This time around the game stars Daniel Craig takes over the starring duty from Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.  The game features a new single player campaign that follows the GoldenEye story but from a different perspective, Craig’s instead of Brosnan’s.  At the booth I played the multiplayer demo.  Thanks to an aesthetic facelift, the graphics look polished and the environments are more inviting.  The muliplayer modes you’ve come to know and love, such as deathmatch and team deathmatch, are back, as well as character favorites like Odd Job and weapons like the coveted Golden Gun.  Multiplayer is expanded with online functionality; you can connect and play with friends over the Internet and there’s an achievement system that involves experience points and unlockable items.  I happened to play with a Classic Controller, and I was told other methods of input (with the Wii-mote/nunchuck) are being considered.  007 releases this November.