Monster Hunter X
During the week, Capcom has confirmed new details regarding several Monster Hunter X collaborations.
The three Nintendo related collaborations with Star Fox, Zelda and Metroid are now available in Japan via 7-Eleven stores, and the distribution will last until February 9.
Here’s a breakdown of what those three packs contain:
Star Fox
– Star Fox guild background;
– “Arwing”, “Landmaster” and “Hired Flying Corps” title;
– Fox Palico costume;
– Palico Skill called “Landmaster Skill”.
The Legend of Zelda
– Zelda background;
– “Item Get” pose for the guild card;
– Titles of “Tri-Force”, “Zelda”, “Heart Container”, “Legend” and “Rupee”;
– “Zelda” Palico costume.
Metroid
– Metroid background;
– “Beam Shot” pose for the guild card;
– “Metro”, “Roid”, “Living Organism”, “Powered” and “Planet” titles;
– Samus Palico costume.
The Kirimi-chan collaboration also started distribution on New Year’s Day and will be available until February 14. After playing through the “Sanrio: Save the Fish!” event, players will receive a Palico armor set along with a Guild Card background and title.
In addition to the release of the collaborations above, Capcom announced two new ones.
The first of these is a collaboration with the Mega Man series, which is due out on February 25, the same day that Mega Man Legacy Collection launches in Japan.
Here’s what it includes, followed by a trailer:
Overview
Event Quest – Rockman: The Yellow Devil;
Palico Weapon – Rush Hammer;
Palico Armor – Rocknyan Series.
Download Bonuses
– Guild Card (Pose): Rockman Appears;
– Guild Card (Background): Rockman;
– Titles: “Dr.”, “Irregular (Maverick)”, “X”, “E-can”.
The other collaboration starts operating on January 15, and lets players take on a quest made in partnership with Square Enix. It allows players to take on Kushala Daora, and provides the Knyaight Sword and Knyaight Series armor for your Felyne Palico.
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3
Square Enix has released a new batch of information and screenshots in a recent update for Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3. This time we are told about Monster Synthesis. You can find the details and screenshots rounded up below:
– Players can strengthen creatures through “Monster Fusion”, joining two parent monsters together to make a more powerful “child” monster;
– By joining together monsters born out of fusion, they can be reborn yet again as even stronger monsters;
– By repeatedly fusing monsters, you can continue to increase the power of your monsters;
– You perform a Monster Synthesis by selecting two monsters as the “parents” of the synthesis;
– Monsters are gender-less, so you can choose your favorite monsters;
– For example, you can combine Nasubinara and Smile Lizard to get the completely new monster Fondue;
– You can freely choose which monster is born out of synthesis from five possible children;
– There will be monsters with types that are the same as the parents, as well as monsters with types different from the parents;
– Monsters born out of synthesis will level up and exceed the abilities of their parents;
– There are a number of potential monster combinations, and some special monsters can only be born through specific combinations;
– Monsters born out of synthesis can also inherit skills from their parents, in addition to the skills it is born with;
– From a single skill, it can learn various special techniques and magic.
Taiko Drum Master: Atsumete Tomodachi Daisakusen
NintenDaan has recently taken a look at Taiko Drum Master: Atsumete Tomodachi Daisakusen for the Wii U and uploaded over one hour of footage, more specifically, of the Tomodachi Daisakusen mode. Check it out below if you are interested:
Assassination Classroom: Assassin Training Plan
Bandai Namco has release a new commercial for Assassination Classroom: Assassin Training Plan. Check it out below:
Shin Megami Tensei IV Final
Atlus has announced it will be hosting another stream for Shin Megami Tensei IV Final next month, on February 9, one day before the game launches in Japan.
The stream will be hosted on Niconico at the following times, in case you want to try watching it:
– 3 AM PT
– 6 AM ET
– 11 AM in the UK
– 12 PM in Europe
– 8 PM in Japan
Etrian Odyssey V
Announced way back in November 2014, Etrian Odyssey V has been talked about relatively little, outside of a teaser trailer Atlus previously released.
That may be about to change relatively soon though, as Atlus’ Shigeo Komori finally provided a brief update about Etrian Odyssey V in this week’s issue of Famitsu magazine. In it, he said that the development of the game is in the final stages, and information will be coming “a bit later after the cold weather has warmed”. In other words, we can probably expect to hear news about it around spring or so.
We don’t even know what platform Etrian Odyssey V will release on yet, but given the recent history of the series, it’ll likely be on a portable Nintendo platform.
Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale
Marvelous has officially announced that Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale will be coming to Europe and Australia this year, during Q1. This announcement has also confirmed that the title will feature dual audio when it launches in the west, allowing you to select the original Japanese voices or English dub. You can find the European announcement trailer below:
Meanwhile, XSEED released its second localization blog which you can read right here. In it, XSEED noted that the plan is to have Popolocrois ready for North America around the same time as the European version. If the publisher is still thinking about releasing it during Winter, it should be ready by the middle/end of March at the latest.
XSEED also released the following screenshots from the game:
Yo-Kai Watch
The Play Nintendo YouTube channel recently published another promotional video for Yo-kai Watch. You can view the “Fidgephant Pool Party” below:
Yo-kai Watch Busters
Meanwhile in Japan, Level-5 is continuing its promotional efforts related to Yo-kai Watch Busters with a new commercial. You can check that out below:
https://youtu.be/4eK-PsDoBvc
Monster Strike
A new gameplay video for the recently-released Japanese title Monster Strike has been upoaded by NihongoGamer. If you are curious to check out the game better, watch the 27 minute video below:
Medabots 9
Medabots 9 recently came out in Japan. We can now get an extensive look at the game thanks to the video featured below:
Medabots Girls Mission
This week’s issue of Famitsu revealed that Medabots Girls Mission is in development for the 3DS. It will be sold in “Kabuto” and “Kuwagata” versions much like other entries in the series, for 6,264 yen. The game launches in Japan on March 10.
Kabuto version features a story in Joyou Agricultural High School whereas Kuwagata version takes place in Teikou High School. The former stars Minori Houjou (voiced by Ibuki Kido) and has Metabee, while the later focuses on Kaidou Megumi (voiced by Aya Suzaki) and has Rokusho.
More than 20 girls are included in Medabots Girl Mission. It’ll follow the path that players take to compete in the Artemis Cup tournament.
Here’s a roundup of all the characters and medabots confirmed in Famitsu:
– Mizuho Tanigawa (VA: Saki Ogasawara), medabot: Pompom Mates, Kabuto exclusive (Minori’s buddy);
– Tsubasa Nanahoshi (VA: Ayane Sakura), medabot: Pepper Cat;
– Ichiko Tsurugi (VA: Sarah Emi Bridcutt), medabot: Blues Dog;
– Rico Sakata (VA: Minami Fujii), medabot: Mad Juggler;
– Sakura Gotou (VA: Shiki Aoki), medabot: Kanehachi mark 2;
– Shouko Shiratori (VA: Yu Asakawa), medabot: Daichanko;
– Koi Nishikino (VA: Mari Shiraishi), medabot: Gokudo;
– Shikkoku no Yami [Pitch-Black Darkness] (VA: Eriko Nakamura ), medabot: Mineruver;
– Asumi Naruko (VA: Kana Asumi), medabot: Ninninja;
– Sayuri Kunishiro (VA: Rina Kitagawa), medabot: Scimitar Tooth;
– Kiyomi Shigeno (VA: Hiromi Igarashi), medabot: Top Gunner;
– Kei Musumi (VA: Nao Touyama), medabot: Steinberger;
– Yuri Yasuragi (VA: Sayaka Gomi), medabot: Brynhildr;
– Arisu Tsuchimikado (VA: Ai Kakuma), medabot: Arachno Spider;
– Shizuka Minamoto (VA: Lynn) medabot: Samurai;
– Laura Bathory (VA: Ayumi Fujimura), medabot: Whip World;
– Ran Suzukaze (VA: Yu Kobayashi), medabot: Bulb Blue;
– Toki Masou (VA: Izumi Chiba), medabot: Roll Beauty, Kuwagata exclusive (Megumi’s childhood friend);
Medabots Girl Mission is considered to be a spin-off of the main series games. Unlike the numbered series which have been command-based RPGs, this one will be action-based instead, where you can actually control the Medabots’ movements and attacks. Players will compete in Robattles in 2 vs. 2 matches, while controlling their Medabot with the A, B, X, and Y buttons.
In terms of features, local and online multiplayer is planned. The game supports up to four players in wireless team battles as well as co-op play for the story mode. Players can also partake in battles through the Internet, with two players squaring off against each other. These can be done either with friends or other random players.
More than 100 Medabots and customization parts will be included in the game. Players will be able to use different parts for the head, arms and legs of their Medabot, with each of them having its own skills. By winning a fight, you’ll receive new parts and points that can be used to enhance a Medabots abilities.
Work on Medabots Girl Mission is 90 percent complete so far.
While you wait for it to release, take a look at the first screenshots from the game published by Famitsu, below:
Slice It!
Aksys Games has announced that it will be bringing Slice It! to the 3DS eShop on January 14.
Here’s an overview of the game:
Slice It! is a puzzle game that requires players to slice a number of different shapes into same-sized smaller shapes. Slice It! is developed by Arc System Works and Com2uS. Slice It! will be available on the Nintendo eShop this fall.
Seisen Chronicle
Kemco and Hit-Point will be bringing Seisen Chronicle to the Japanese 3DS eShop during this week. You can find a few promotional videos below:
Protect Me Knight 2
Although Ancient has been quite silent about the status of the Protect Me Knight 2 localization since February 2015, they have finally revealed on Twitter that it remains on track for the west, and even shared a screenshot showing the game running in English, which you can find below. Hopefully this means that the North American and European audiences won’t have to wait long for the game to come out.
Virtual Console Trailers
Below you can find a couple of trailers for titles that were recently released on the Virtual Console.
Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls (Japan, GBA, Square Enix)
The Adventures of Bayou Billy (North America, NES, Konami)
Curve Digital acquired by Catalis, forms group with Kuju Entertainment
The Catalis Group recently announced that it has acquired the leading British independent games publisher and developer Curve Digital. Catalis is currently backed by Private Equity and is the parent company of Kuju Entertainment and Testronic.
With this acquisition, a new combined development group has been formed within Catalis known as Curve Digital Entertainment. The group will be comprised of Curve Digital Publishing as well as Kuju Entertainment, the latter of which encompasses the Zoe Mode and Headstrong Games studios. Kuju is said to be working on titles for Nintendo, Activision and Ubisoft, among others.
Catalis CEO Dominic Wheatley has taken hold of the new UK games powerhouse. Stuart Dinsey, a major investor in Curve Digital at its formation, will now be the Chairman of the Curve Digital Entertainment group.
Just in case you don’t remember, Curve Digital were behind eShop games like Fluidity and Olli Olli. I think it will be pretty interesting to see to what new frontiers this decision will take them.
Kaga Create closes down
Since all news can’t be good, we also got a sad announcement this past week.
Kaga Create has closed its doors. The Kaga Electronics video game division started out by creating various titles for the PC Engine, eventually moving on to other platforms such as the Game Boy and Super Nintendo.
Kaga Create shutdown on December 31, 2015, and the company cited a lack of profit in today’s game market that is centered around smartphone applications as the primary reason for its closure.
Some of you might remember them for being involved with the games on this list.
Seems like the growing mobile market and the difficult of certain companies to adapt to the new and ever changing industry tendencies has made yet another victim…