The Tendo Project – Daily Nintendo News

Its the end of the year, no really we couldnt have held it any later

It’s been a big year for gaming and for Nintendo, we’ve seen the ups and downs of the Nintendo 3DS, the Wii enter old age (in console years) and the DS hovering around the background doing something. We’ve seen remakes of old games, new entries in the Mario, Mario Kart and Zelda series. It’s been spectacular.



And now it’s time to distill all that hard work into a vote.

We’ve got a couple of new categories this year thanks to the 3DS and we’ve retired a couple others. But voting is simple, pick from the lists below for each category (or submit your own submission with other) and the one with the most votes wins.

Voting closes on the 12th of January so get in early. It’s easier to vote this year so make sure you enter! 

 

Iwata reveals the details youve all be waiting for to be confirmed

Nintendo’s CEO Satoru Iwata today confirmed the release date for Kid Icarus Uprising in Japan. The games set to be released on the 22nd of March. Thank goodness for a date! He also revealed the battle mode which supports three on three play both locally and online. You can either play as a team or in a battle royale.

Nintendo has posted the entire Nintendo Direct presentation online here, the Kid Icarus footage we’ll try to get separate and include in this story later on. The Kid Icarus footage begins about 14:31 minutes into it.

Nikkei reports but doesnt mention exactly what youll be paying for

More news out of Japan today, with Nikkei reporting that the first title to use Nintendos Download Content system will be the Fire Emblem title coming in April. The Nikkeis story also listed the release date as being in March, which Iwata proved incorrect in todays Nintendo Direct by assigning the game an April release date.

The report wasnt exactly clear either as to what you would be downloading, however it does say you can use Prepaid Cards or Credit Cards just like the eShop. Third parties can start rolling out DLC too, starting in the middle of next year. The Wii U is said to have the same system.

So just what would Nintendo have in Fire Emblem that you could download?

Source: Nikkei via Andriasang

The second episode of Nintendo Direct isnt as good as the first

The second episode of Nintendo Direct has just finished and if you missed it then don’t fret, because you didn’t miss that much and it was mostly all targeted at the Japanese. Not that we were expecting anything else.

Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata again hosted the episode, however this time instead of being behind a podium he was in a motion capture room below Nintendo’s HQ. He started off the episode with a brief run down of news including the announcement that Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D Land and Monster Hunter Tri G have all shipped over a million units in Japan. He then apologised for the gaps in the release schedule this year.

The rest of the episode was mostly then dedicated to showing off release dates and footage for most of the 3DS and Wii games coming out in the next few months in Japan. First up was another look at the Ghost Camera title that uses the AR camera, probably the first game since AR Games in the actual system to use AR for anything good.

A large part of the presentation was then devoted to showing off Kiki Trick. Iwata was joined by Metroid and WarioWare creator Yoshio Sakamoto to supervise Iwata playing the game. The game is a mini game collection that is based around sound. The game is from the WarioWare team and the chances of this coming outside Japan however are very slim. The game is out in Japan on January 19th.

Iwata then went through showed off trailers and footage for Mario and Sonic at the 2012 Oympics for the 3DS, Resident Evil Revelations and Kid Icarus which is confirmed to have online play. It’s out March 22nd.

Trailers for Theatrhytmn, Tekken 3D Prime Edition, Dynasty Warriors VS and Kingdom Hearts 3D were shown as well.

Fire Emblem was also shown off again and Iwata said that while it’s a new game, it retains that classic Fire Emblem gameplay. Fire Emblem is not out until April 19th. The other April game shown was Square Enix’s Bravely Default, which will have a demo and an AR application out prior to release.

Iwata then switched attention to the eShop and showed off a new photo decoration app. It’s basically one of those big ’photo booths’ you see at arcades that puts flowers and hearts all over you and your gal pals but on your 3D. It’s out on the eShop now for 600 Yen.

Separate to Pretty Cure, Nintendo will also be holding a 3D picture contest in Japan and a celebrity judge will be judging the pictures.

Last but not least, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D, Rhythm Thief and Resident Evil Revelations demos are now up on the Japanese eShop. Guess where I am headed right now?

You watch the episode again here.

Source: Andriasang

Things are looking better and better for the Nintendo 3DS

It was looking bad there for a while, but Nintendo 3DS sales appear to be back on track. Famitsu is reporting that as of last week the Nintendo 3DS has now passed 4 million units sold in Japan, a mark Nintendo wanted to reach many, many months ago. With 4,135,739 consoles now out in the public hands, that means since last week, the 3DS sold over 500,000 units for Christmas in its homeland. Amazing figures.

Software is doing well, with two of the major reasons the 3DS is back on track – Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land – now having passed one million copies sold each. Super Mario 3D Land has now outsold both of the Super Mario Galaxy games combined, which is just crazy.

While Mario Kart, 3D Land and Monster Hunter may be out, and theres still plenty more to come for Japanese 3DS owners in the next few weeks, including New Love Plus, among others. Nintendo is planning tomorrow to show off its lineup for the Wii and 3DS in its latest instalment of Nintendo Direct, perhaps more million dollar sellers will be revealed then.

Source: Famitsu via NeoGAF

Popular indie platformer set to make its 3DS debut...

Following in the footsteps of other popular indie titles (e.g. Cave Story) VVVVVV, a popular, gravity-based platformer is making its Nintendo 3DS. US consumers will be pleased to know the game is being released this Thursday (29^th December) on the US eShop. Developer Distractionware has commented on a European release, stating that the releases were intended to be simultaneous. Unfortunately, due to a problem with receiving a rating from PEGI (the UK classification board) the game won’t be hitting the European (and therefore mostly likely Australian) eShop until next year.

Once again Nicalis is behind this port (again, of Cave Story fame), and it’s definitely one to consider picking up if you haven’t already played it. Hopefully we’ll get a release date that’s not too far into 2012. VVVVVV will be available on the US eShop for a price of $7.99 USD.

Source: Distractionware Devlog

What has Nintendo got planned to show in the latest episode?

Nintendo has announced another broadcast of the Nintendo Direct webcast. The Ustream page which hosts the event was updated to show that a new episode is planned for Noon (Japanese Time) on the 27th of December, thats next Tuesday. Thats 11am for Western Australia and 2pm for most of the East Coast. For everyone else, check this out for times. You can watch the stream at this link.

The last Nintendo Direct was held on October 21st and revealed the Nintendo 3DS firmware update, new games and a new trailer for Monster Hunter Tri. It hosted by Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata himself, it does not say who is hosting this new instalment. What it does promise is that it will have the latest information on the Wii and 3DS.

Nintendo America also held a web event fronted by Reggie, it had mostly the same information but also had this. It was glorious.

Whats Nintendo got to say this time?

New games, Classic Tetris and Messaging comes to the Nintendo 3DS

The second last update of the year is one heck of doozy. Youve got a brand new eShop original game, Nintendo brings its messaging app to the platform, classic Tetris is back on the Virtual Console, theres even some DSiWare for DSi owners and a new WiiWare demo. Lets get into it.

Nintendo 3DS Download Software

Nintendo Letter Box (Nintendo - Free) Put your pitchforks down! You can now message your friends on the Nintendo 3DS! In typical Nintendo fashion as well theyve made it a bit fun. You can not only send 3D messages but also attached images and sounds as well, its all quite good and sends messages over Spot and StreetPass. Its not built into the OS though so that means you cant read the messages without quitting your game, which is a shame. But hey, its a start.

Mighty Switch Force (WayForward - $9.00) WayForwards track record with Nintendo download platforms and even at retail has been excellent from day dot. You wanted more reasons to play your Nintendo 3DS, heres another and its rather cheap at that.

3DS Virtual Console

Tetris (Nintendo - Game Boy - $6.00) The other big famous thing that makes you have a ton of fun to come out of Russia. I need not say anymore.

DSiWare

Castle Conqueror – Heroes (CIRCLE - 500 Points) Circle Entertainment are back with another entry in their real time strategy series. The DS has had perhaps the best potential for RTS games and its never been realised until now, international reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

WiiWare Demo

MotoHeroz (Full game is 1500 Points)

Ask yourself this first though, do you really want to know?!

An enthusiastic Japanese fan has picked up and translated Hyrule Historia, the 25th Anniversary Artbook and Encyclopedia, which contains what might be Nintendo’s official timeline for the traditionally unlinked games of the series. It is, as you might imagine, more complicated than simply an ordering. There’s an initial timeline, which starts with Skyward Sword and works its way to Ocarina of Time. That’s not so crazy. At this point however, the timeline splits into three branches, depending on how Ocarina of Time ends.

"But wait," I hear you cry. "Ocarina of Time has but a single conclusion". You wouldn’t be wrong, except that this book now says so. Perhaps I can help sort this out below.

Main Line
1. Skyward Sword
2. Minish Cap
3. Four Swords
4. Ocarina of Time

Branch 1: Link defeats Ganon and continues as a child
The first two branches are kinda standard time travel theory, suggesting that both adult and child Link go on to have individual and seperate adventures. Young link goes on to enjoy:

1. Majora’s Mask
2. Twilight Princess
3. Four Swords Adventures

Branch 2: Link defeats Ganon and continues as an adult
As above, except during his adult life. Interestingly, none of these games contain a super old looking Link. Or confusingly, rather.

1. Wind Waker
2. Phantom Hourglass
3. Spirit Tracks

Branch 3: Link failed during Ocarina of Time?

Even more than the previous madness, this is where a quick Japanese fan translation has let us down. We don’t know how Link failed, nor even why this is an option. Does this represent all the people who never actually finished the game? Do they exist in the same world as successful young and old Link. This is, perhaps dishearteningly, the longest branch. Which frustratingly ends in the first two games. Just cos.

1. A Link to the Past
2. Oracle of Ages and Seasons
3. Links Awakening
4. The Legend of Zelda
5. The Legend of Zelda II

So yeah, the first two games are actually the last two. Which are then predicated on you never beating Ocarina of Time to begin with. The split between simultaneous Child and Adult timelines is cute though, if not strictly nonsensical. I can’t wait for a deeper translation to emerge from Japan.

Was this how you thought it all happened? Did you even think there needed to be a continuity? Let’s argue a bit in the comments!

Source: ONM

Features 60FPS in 3D, Full 3D CG Movie if youre inclined

The latest iteration in everyones port heavy 3D fighter is set to hit our shores in late February, Nintendo has revealed. Although the exact date is TBD, we are going to be enjoying the magic of 60FPS 3D around about the same time as our international friends. The game features a massive 40+ character roster, although Namco Bandai have made it nice and easy for you to wrap your head around this by making most of the characters fairly similar. Obligatory jab aside, it sounds like a pretty damn good portable version of Tekken, neatly sidestepping SSF4:3Ds problem of only allowing 30FPS in online fights.

Additionally, the game does come with an EXCLUSIVE 3D CG movie, to the tune of Tekken: Blood Vengeancewhich is made Digital Frontier, also responsible for Death Note and Appleseed. Perhaps less promising is that the film is directed by Youichi Mouri, whose unique claim to fame are the Tekken opening FMVs.

Check it out in February.