Nintendo News Roundup March 27 2016 Feature

Mar. 21 to 27 Nintendo News Roundup

Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors Legends

Hyrule Warriors Legends is now out, so Nintendo of America released a new launch trailer for the game, which you can find below.

Nintendo UK also shared an infographic showcasing the various features of the game. Take a look:

hyrule-warriors-legends-infographicThe original Hyrule Warriors on Wii U has now received a new update that brings the game up to version 1.8.0. This makes it so players can use the new characters Linkle, Skull Kid, Toon Link, Tetra, and King Daphnes. These characters can be unlocked with a code included in Hyrule Warriors Legends. The 1.8.0 update takes 276MB of free space to download.

hyrule-warriors-update-1Similarly, Hyrule Warriors Legends has received its first update, bringing the game up to version 1.2.0, which takes 221 blocks (or 27.6MB) of free space. This update adds a few elements, like letting players clear all save data and purchase add-on content. Ganondorf’s Wind Waker Robes have also been added in for those who purchase the Legends of Hyrule Pack, and overall stability has been improved.

w3z1r lubdxKoei Tecmo has also published various images from Hyrule Warriors Legends’ first DLC, the Master Wind Waker Pack. We even got a first looks at Medli on the official website. Check them out in the gallery below:

Furthermore, a panel for Hyrule Warriors Legends was held at WonderCon 2016.

In it, developers Yosuke Hayashi and Hiroya Usuda from Koei Tecmo talked about the game, and even shared some entirely new information.

It was revealed that Marin will be added to Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors Legends for one of the upcoming DLC packs. She’ll be the star of the Link’s Awakening Pack, which launches in July. (Personal note: Wouldn’t be surprised if she uses singing and seagulls as a weapon, since that’s what she is known for in Link’s Awakening.)

The developers also discussed the designs of Skull Kid and Linkle, and mentioned a part of Linkle’s story involving Tingle that got cut from the final version of the game.

You can take a look at these moments from the panel via Nintendo of America’s recent tweets, which I embedded below:

Finally, you can find some footage of the game by NintenDaan below, followed by a frame rate comparison between the different versions and hardware by DigitalFoundry.

Pokkén Tournament

Nintendo UK’s Pokken Tournament Countdown Clash came to an end last week with the Grand Final. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U experts J. Miller and Michael St. Louis took on the roles of Gengar and Garchomp, in a best out of five set to decide the overall winner. You can watch the match below:

According to Media Create, Pokkén Tournament sold just under 70,000 in its first week in Japan, between the game’s launch on March 18 up through March 20.

Media Create states that Pokkén Tournament sold through 36.65% of its initial shipment, which may seem low for a collaboration title between Pokémon and Tekken. Pokkén Tournament’s near term sales future may depend on families who are familiar with Pokémon and how much this new game appeals to them during spring break.

On the topic of Wii U hardware, the Pokkén Tournament bundle sold 4,000 units, which made the console surpass 10,000 units in Japan for the first time in eight weeks.

Pokémon GO

During the week, the Pokémon Company has shared an overview of Pokémon GO with some new details, while Niantic posted the first official screenshots of the game. You can find it all below:

Travel between the real world and the virtual world of Pokémon with Pokémon GO for iPhone and Android devices! With Pokémon GO, you’ll discover Pokémon in a whole new world—your own! Pokémon GO will use real locations to encourage players to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokémon.

The Pokémon video game series has used real-world locations such as the Hokkaido and Kanto regions of Japan, New York, and Paris as inspiration for the fantasy settings in which its games take place. Now the real world will be the setting!

Get on your feet and step outside to find and catch wild Pokémon. Explore cities and towns around where you live and even around the globe to capture as many Pokémon as you can. As you move around, your smartphone will vibrate to let you know you’re near a Pokémon. Once you’ve encountered a Pokémon, take aim on your smartphone’s touch screen and throw a Poké Ball to catch it. Be careful when you try to catch it, or it might run away! Also look for PokéStops located at interesting places, such as public art installations, historical markers, and monuments, where you can collect more Poké Balls and other items.

In Pokémon GO, you will gain levels as a Trainer, and at higher levels you will be able to catch more powerful Pokémon to complete your Pokédex. You’ll also have access to more powerful items, such as Great Balls, to give you a better shot at catching Pokémon. Keep exploring and encountering Pokémon to raise your level!

There are other ways to add Pokémon to your roster, too. If you catch the same species of Pokémon enough times, you’ll get the opportunity to evolve one of them. And as you explore, you may find Pokémon Eggs at PokéStops, which will hatch after you’ve walked a certain distance. When they hatch, you may find Pokémon you’ve never seen before!

Some wild Pokémon will appear only in certain places near where you live or around the world. For example, some Water-type Pokémon may appear only near lakes and oceans. If you’re away from home, be sure to stay alert for Pokémon you wouldn’t normally encounter!

At a certain point in the game, you’ll be asked to join one of three teams. Once you join a team, you’ll gain the ability to assign Pokémon you’ve caught to empty Gym locations or to a location where a team member has placed one of his or her Pokémon. Like PokéStops, Gyms can be found at real locations in the world. Each player can place only one Pokémon at a particular Gym, so you’re encouraged to work with others on the team to build up a strong defense.

If a Gym is already claimed by another team, you can challenge that Gym using your own Pokémon. Using the Pokémon you’ve caught, engage in battle with the defending Pokémon at the Gym to claim control.

A wide variety of challenges are available that highlight many different categories, such as catching Pokémon and exploration. By completing these challenges, you’ll unlock achievement medals that will appear in your player profile. Try your best to unlock as many medals as you can!

A portable device called the Pokémon GO Plus will enable Pokémon GO players to enjoy the game even while they’re not looking at their smartphones. The device connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth and notifies the player about events in the game—such as the appearance of a Pokémon nearby—using an LED and vibration. In addition, players can catch Pokémon or perform other simple actions by pressing the button on the device. Pokémon GO Plus will be available soon. Check back for more details.

An early field test limited to Japan only is planned for Pokémon GO while the game is still in active development. The features, available languages, design, and overall appearance are not final. Please stay tuned for information about expansion of the field test to other markets.

Pokémon GO will be available for download at no charge on the App Store and Google Play. In-app purchases will also be available.

Pokémon Sun & Moon

sun-moon-169-enIt has recently been announced that next week’s episode of the Japanese variety show Pokenchi (Gathering at the Pokémon House), airing on Sunday, April 3, is confirmed to show the first TV aired footage of Pokémon Sun & Moon. Game Freak director Junichi Masuda is also making a special appearence to talk about the new games, alongside battle director Shigeki Morimoto, and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire game director Shigeru Ohmori.

It’s not known if this new footage will be officially released on the internet beforehand, but taking into account previous games it’s a possiblity. Be on alert towards the end of the week though, because of April 1st pranks.

Pokémon TCG gets new Guinness World Record

The Pokémon Company International has recently teamed up with British artist Quentin Devine to create the largest trading card mosaic ever.

The art piece in question was unveiled in Paris on March 21, and is comprised of 12,987 individual Pokémon Trading Card Game cards, measures 71.54 square meters, and is over 10 meters tall and 7 meters wide. It has even managed to secure a new Guinness World Record.

The newly-unveiled mosaic features an image of Pikachu, depicting the original iconic pose drawn by Game Freak illustrator Ken Sugimori.

You can find an official video below, showcasing the construction of the mosaic.

Star Fox Zero and Star Fox Guard

Nintendo recently updated the Japanese website for Star Fox Zero with new info on the game’s locations. Here’s a list of the planets you’ll be visiting in the game:

  • Corneria
  • Meteo α
  • Area 3
  • Zoness
  • Sector β
  • Titania
  • Sector γ
  • Fichina
  • Fortuna
  • Sector Ω
  • Venom

Some of these places should sound familiar if you’ve played Star Fox 64, since just like in that game, you’ll be able to choose between different routes while moving towards your final goal of Venom, depending on your decisions in missions. For example, switching to the Walker on Corneria can lead you to a secret boss and a new route.

Moreover, Nintendo has now opened the North American website for Star Fox Zero, which you can check out here.

In it, you can find Star Fox Zero’s story intro, and a promo for Star Fox Guard, both of which you can watch below:

Nintendo UK has also released a new trailer for Star Fox Zero showcasing the series history. Check it out:

Kirby: Planet Robobot

Nintendo recently updated the Japanese Kirby: Planet Robobot website with the latest information and footage, showcasing two sub-games: Kirby 3D Rumble and Team Kirby Clash.

Kirby 3D Rumble is called Kirby 3D Challenge in Japanese, but the former name should be used in the English version based on what was mentioned in Nintendo’s english page for the game, even though it has since been removed. The game is a 3D action spin-off that takes place on a 3D plane. The goal on each stage is to clear out all the enemies, which is done by picking them up and spitting them out, instead of absorbing their powers like usual. Taking out multiple enemies with one shot increases Kirby’s combo and helps wracks up your total score. There are various kinds of terrains and placements in each stage.

Team Kirby Clash is more well-known, since it was given a bit of screen time during the latest Nintendo Direct. This is an RPG-esque brawl which supports up to four players, including Download Play. You can pick from one of four roles and cooperate with other Kirbys to fight against bosses. It’s also possible to level up and take on more difficult quests. During battle, there will be collectable tablets (Power Tablets) that appear on the screen, and if all tablets have been collected you can activate the co-op skill Team Meteor.

Here’s a video look at both sub-games:

GameXplain has also put together another two videos showcasing gameplay footage from Kirby: Planet Robobot. You can find them below:

Finally, we have a look at the new Kirby amiibo from the Dutch Comic Con thanks to NintenDaan. Check out his tweets below:

Metroid Prime: Federation Force

New gameplay footage for Metroid Prime: Federation Force has been captured at WonderCon 2016 this weekend. You can find a couple of videos by GameXplain below:

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Play Nintendo is continuing its video series to promote the launch of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. You can find episode 2 below:

Mini Mario & Friends amiibo Challenge

Nintendo has recently debuted the North American Mini Mario & Friends amiibo Challenge website, which you can access here.

You can also check out GameXplain‘s preview of Mini Mario & Friends amiibo Challenge in the video below:

Splatoon

splatoon-squid-sisters-performanceIt has been confirmed by Nintendo that towards the end of April, Callie and Marie will be back with another performance at Niconico Chokaigi. We’re still waiting for more concrete information, but additional details will be shared at a later date. NicoNico Choukagi will run between April 29 and April 30.

RPGs & Epic Quests for Nintendo 3DS in 2016

Nintendo UK has released a new video to promote some of the big RPG and adventure games coming to the 3DS this year. Check it out below:

Virtual Console Trailers

Below you can find recent trailers for various Virtual Console titles that were released on the Nintendo eShop.

Star Fox 64 (Europe, N64, Wii U)

Donkey Kong Country, Earthbound, Super Mario Kart (North America, SNES, New 3DS)

Yoshi’s Story (North America, N64, Wii U)

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team (Japan, DS, Wii U)

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team (Japan, GBA, Wii U)

Miitomo

It has been discovered that Nintendo is planning an update for Miitomo that will come out in the near future. When the update is made available, it will be possible to send friend requests to friends of your friends, there will be “Everybody Answers” events in which users will answer the same featured question, and finally, Miitomo will have an “Online Answers” feature where you can view answers shared on Twitter.

Miitomo also continues to ascertain its dominance of the Japanese mobile market. After the previously reported success on Apple’s devices, Miitomo is now sitting at the top of the charts as the top free download for Android apps.

Bloomberg also reported that Nintendo’s stocks recently rose by 8.2 %, being valued at 16,515 yen as of March 22nd. This is the biggest jump Nintendo’s stocks have seen since February 2015. Thanks to this, Nintendo’s partner and mutual shareholder DeNA saw a similar increase in their stocks, which went up by 6.5 %.

Even though stocks, by nature, see a constant up-and-down, it’s still good news for Nintendo that Miitomo has seen a successful launch. Hopefully, the app’s launch in western countries will reach a similar success.

Finally, on a gameplay note, you can check out this video below that GameXplain put together showcasing some Nintendo easter eggs you can find in Miitomo.

2016 Nintendo company handbook

Below you can find some photos from the Nintendo company handbook for the year of 2016. These were shared by @natuboshi_sasu and @NintendoMemo.

The first of these two also did a basic translation of Kimishima’s message found in the book, which you can find below:

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