The Tendo Project – Daily Nintendo News

Club Nintendo registrations are now open, go go go

Nintendo Australia have flicked the switch and registrations for the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D soundtrack have gone live. Just register the game as you normally would and you’ll have to then enter your postage details and the CD is yours.

We’ve tried, and as Nintendo Australia revealed yesterday, you won’t be able to use a Nintendo Europe code - only Australian copies will register. There’s no sign of how long it will last but you have until the end of July to register so walk, don’t run.

Heres something new and novel, Nintendos mailing out a catalogue to homes

In this day of the internet and social media (oh and TV I suppose) its odd to see this kind of thing, but its happened anyway. Nintendo Australia has distributed to homes a 5 page catalogue of its latest wares for intentions of getting people to buy them. We see Nintendo items in catalogues all the time but its the first time weve see Nintendo take it upon themselves to advertise its goods all by itself.

So far weve heard that people in Victoria and Tasmania have so far gotten these catalogues. They contain no prices or retailer ties in them its simple a showing of what Nintendo has for sale. Theres new stuff like Ocarina of Time and Wii Play Motion but also older titles like Mario Kart, Donkey Kong Country Returns and even Zumba. Thanks to a reader weve got it for you to check out, in case you wanted to check it out for yourself.

Thanks to Ben for scanning in the catalogue.

A top exec at Electronic Arts says his company can envision several of its prominent franchises, including Battlefield, making an appearance on Nintendo's upcoming console.

Originally posted at The Digital Home

Will also have Limited Edition with Red Classic Controller pro

Nintendo Europe have announced the Xenoblade Chronicles will go on sale in Europe on September 2nd. According to information released from the embargo it will also be heading to Australia and New Zealand but we’re not sure if it will be on the same release date.

PAL Gamers will also be treated to a Limited Edition version of the game which will include a Red Classic Controller Pro in the box, the fan chosen alternative cover. Preorder the limited edition too and you’ll receive a poster with an autograph from the games creator Tetsuya Takahashi. This last preorder bonus though is region dependent and might not specifically coming to Australia.

Xenoblade Chronicles is a Nintendo-published RPG developed by Monolith Soft, so far it’s been released in Japan and there’s not sign of a US release as of yet.

Source: NeoGAF

The first 3DS downloadable game from WayForward

Developer WayForward Technologies (of Shantae and Contra 4 fame) has revealed that the latest title they are working on is a new entry in the Mighty series, Mighty Switch Force. In the game you play as a futuristic police officer who is hunting space hooligans in Metroid-like stages.

WayForward’s creative director, Matt Bozon, revealed in Nintendo Power magazine that the platformer will have a unique puzzle mechanic where you can switch blocks in and out of a level and it features enemies such as T. rexes with laser beam eyes and jet pack cats. Who wouldn’t want that?

Bozon also said the game will feature a lot of jumping and shooting with a healthy assortment of block-switching puzzles. The game is expected to be a little shorter than the previous games in the series (Mighty Flip Champs and Mighty Milky Way) but Bozon said the team is going for a more action-packed and refined approach.

No word yet on when it’ll be coming to the 3DS’s eShop. Remember, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge for DSiWare never made it to the Australian store, so we can’t take for granted that we’ll be seeing Mighty Switch Force. Fingers crossed though.

Source: Nintendo Charged

Are street dates a things of the past? What can publishers do about it? Not much it seems

With the street date release dates of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries and now Fear 3 by EB Games we in Australia may be witnessing the death of street dates and a move that will force local publishers to rethink when they date their games.

Lets do a little background here first, Ocarina of Time 3Ds street date bust is a really weird one. While the game went on sale last week from Gametraders they were selling European copies imported by themselves to sell in Australia. Theres nothing at all illegal about this. However, the very next day EB Games has decided that when its stores get stock itll start selling Ocarina of Time 3D immediately. Once that happened then the flood gates opened. Sort of.

You see, even though the street date had broken none of the others stores including EB put the game up for sale. You had to ask them (and other retailers for it). If you read our site or Kotaku youd know that this was the case. Usually this doesnt happen, once a games release date is busted thats it.

Now just this week weve got another two release date breaks by EB Games, first up yesterday Resident Evil: The Mercenaries broke release by four days, not as long out as Ocarina of Timess but still a break none the less. Today other retailers have begun selling it as usual, not hidden away like Ocarina of Time. Now today (Tuesday the 28th) EB Games have announced via their Twitter that the F3AR (or Fear 3 for the English literate) has now broken street date.

Thats now three games in row, not all of them are big games (Mercenaries) so whats the deal? Why are they doing this? Lets take a look at that.

It appears that EB is selling games as soon as other retailers start selling imports. For the sake of this story lets call this other retailer, G Traders. No thats too obvious. Game T. Thatll do. Both Resident Evil: The Mercenaries and Fear 3 are in stock at their stores, Fear 3 would have to be a UK import. The game came out in the UK last Friday, more than enough time for it to get here - just like Ocarina did a week earlier.

So with EB selling these games (Australian stock, not imports), what can publishers do? They cant do anything about Gametraders really if theyre going to import all of their stock. Parallel import isnt illegal for video games in Australia (unlike books) so theyre not breaking any laws.

What can they do about EB? Nothing either really. EB Games is now that big that short of holding stock back to EB as late as possible EB can continue to break release dates as it sees fit. Publishers wouldnt blacklist EB because of the total gaming market they sell to, theyre too big for their own good. Is EB getting too big for its own good? We say yes.

Does this mean that now street dates are dead in Australia? In some ways yes, if theres a lag time between the UK (or US for region free consoles) Gametraders and other smaller retailers are going to use the high Australia dollar to their advantage, they dont need local publishers.

Street dates do exist for a couple of good reasons, if you want to pick up a game and the release date is a certain date. With a street date you can be sure that a store will have a copy by then and not have it sold out already. It also allows small independent game stores to get their stock. They dont have the big distribution methods that EB Games and the department stores have. Street dates allow for an even playing field. We just dont want street dates that allow publishers or retailers to sit on a game for weeks.

So the only thing left for publishers to do is make sure we in Australia get games the same week as Europe or even America (this obviously wont matter to Nintendo with the Wii and 3DS though). However then we still have the price difference, which is another problem all together.

Just dont expect to see GTA V or the next Halo game to have its street date broken, they have worldwide release dates and that means theres no street date to be broken.

EB better watch itself though, they could have exclusive collectors editions taken away from them. Worse though, they have that big shiny EB Expo coming up.

Image credit: DarthHomer and buckE182

As suspected, if youve imported Ocarina of Time - your code wont work

With the early (import) release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D last week we warned that picking up a European copy of the game might not get you the soundtrack CD. Now Nintendo Australia has updated the information regarding the redemption of the CD to include the following;

Offer valid only to Australian or New Zealand residents who register The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time 3D released by Nintendo Australia Pty Ltd.

In other words, if you didn’t buy an Australian copy of Ocarina of Time 3D, you’re not getting the CD from Nintendo Australia. Which, you know is fair.

There was some speculation (even by us) that the codes may work from European copies as some other Nintendo 3DS games which include Club Nintendo codes work on our store. However keeping with the trend, first party Nintendo games do not.

Still no word yet as to when we’ll be able to register the games, but we’re hoping it’s the 30th. The ’release date’ for the game.

One of the most recognizable music acts in the world is getting its own video game. For now, "Imma be" on the fence about this one.

Fret not - theres still one launch party on the way for Zelda

The launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D in Australia has been a funny one. We’ve had the release date smashed and then the launch party cancelled (probably because of the former). But fret not, the guys and gals at the Mana Bar have come to the rescue with an Ocarina of Time 3D event this Thursday, the official release day for the game in Australia. Plus there’s a copy of the game and a Nintendo 3DS to win while you’re there. Here’s all the info you need.

So at the end of it all, Melbourne missed out on a party and Brisbane got one instead. Just remember, the Mana Bar is 18+. You know, because it’s a bar and all.

More early release date goodness for Aussie 3DS owners

It’s a hectic week for Nintendo 3DS owners (and well it’s about time) with not only Ocarina of Time 3D releasing ’officially’ this week but also Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D going on sale.

Not one to buck trends, EB has put Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D on sale already in fact, we won’t call it a street date break because there probably isn’t one on the game. EB also has it for a very nice price as well, which is odd.

So if you want a double dose of awesome this week then, you’ve now got two great games to chose from and pick up for your Nintendo 3DS. By the way, this now means we get Resident Evil before America, pretty neat huh?

Our reviews for both Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D are on the way.

Update: Weve gotten further reports that is just EB selling the game so far, JB Hi-Fi are not going on this one just yet.

Thanks to @davonaytor on Twitter for the headsup!