Bayonetta Amiibo
Bayonetta 2 director Yusuke Hashimoto recently made a new post on PlatinumGames’ website teasing the Bayonetta amiibo, and noted that the team is “still working hard to get her just right”. For now, we’re only left with the image below, but perhaps this is a sign we might get a release date for the remaining amiibo in the Smash line soon.
Hashimoto’s full message is as follows:
Hello everyone! How’re you doing? This is Yusuke Hashimoto (@PG_y_hashimoto), director of Bayonetta 2, with some exciting news for Bayonetta fans. We’re coming up on Bayonetta 2’s second anniversary, and what better way to commemorate the occasion than with a new figure?
And what better figure than an amiibo?
I’m afraid that this little taste is all I can give you right now, since we’re still working hard to get her just right. But I assure you that we’re going to capture everything you know and love about Bayonetta – every detail down to the exact sizes of her glasses and eyes – and bring you an amiibo that’ll meet your every expectation.
Back when we were making Bayonetta 2, there wasn’t any talk of bringing the game to life in three dimensions like this. In fact, this is the first time a character from a game I’ve directed has been made into a figure. I’m shocked by how well Bayonetta’s essence has been shrunk down to fit in the palm of your hand! What an amazing era…
I’m really looking forward to the full unveiling of the Bayonetta amiibo, and I hope you’re as excited as I am.
Between the announcement of her amiibo and her Super Smash Bros. debut, 2016 has been quite a year for our favorite witch. It’s a dream come true to see her fighting alongside such storied and beloved characters as Mario and Fox McCloud in Smash Bros.
I’d love to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of Bayonetta’s fans for all the love and support you’ve shown her up to now! I hope she stays in your heart for years to come.
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is now out, but Nintendo is is still running its introduction video series. This time we have a new episode focusing on connections. Check it out.
Megami Meguri
Capcom has now published a new proper trailer for Megami Meguri following the recent teaser video shown at TGS. You can find it below.
Monster Hunter Stories
The latest issue of Famitsu contains another batch of details about Monster Hunter Stories. This information covers some game modes and StreetPass functionality, among other things.
Tournament Mode is said to be an offline mode where players fight other Riders in a tournament format. There are two categories:
– Normal Tournaments, which can be accessed anytime
– Download Tournaments, which can be obtained as DLC
Tournaments have difficulty classes like bronze and silver, and by clearing existing tournaments, you can unlock higher difficulty classes.
Next Famitsu goes over the online 1-on-1 versus mode, which can be held via both local and internet play. It’s implied that three rules will be available by default, while more special ones for online will be added later. The three rules introduced so far are:
– Earnest: Almost no restrictions
– Flat: Levels are made the same for more balanced play
– One Game Match: Decided by just a single round
Up to three Otoman may form a party for online versus.
Some tips for enjoying player-versus-player battles:
1. Utilize the “Managing Party for Versus” menu, which lets you save several party compositions for versus mode
2. Choose the correct weapons and armor in accordance with the party selected
3. Prepare stamps for chatting during versus battles
Famitsu continues with details on the Ability Test Mode, which is a training mode where you can fight against party data obtained from StreetPass or QR codes. The party data can also be sorted by Versus Rank, which measures the party’s strength. The biggest merit of Ability Test Mode is that you can enjoy versus matches anytime you wish, and there are no rank restrictions like in Tournament Mode.
StreetPass is handled by couriers at places like Hakumu Village and Girudekaran. There are three things that can be accessed through the StreetPass Courier:
– Rider Card: Edit your own Rider Card, or receive up to 100 cards where you can view other player’s data
– StreetPass Party: Edit your own party, or receive up to 100 parties from other players
– StreetPass Dungeon: Set up your own dungeon, or receive up to 100 dungeons from other players
StreetPass Dungeons can consist of either caves with hidden items, or monster nests. If you’re lucky, you can get a StreetPass Dungeon with a rare egg from the story prologue.
Furthermore, Monster Hunter Stories supports QR codes to read party data from other players as mentioned above, or even obtain bonuses from the official site which will be published at a later date.
Lastly, we have a summary of the previously announced collaborations:
1. Kumamoto Prefecture mascot Kumamon
– Nabiru costume: Kumamon’s head
– Otoman: Kumazuros
2. Puzzle & Dragons X
– Player costume: Kurenai Goukami armor
– Nabiru costume: Nabiru x Tamazo
– Otoman: Kurenai Goukami
3. Chibi Maruko-chan
– Nabiru costume: Maru-chan’s costume
Capcom themselves later announced another partnership with the Japanese publication Dengeki.
Players will be able to obtain a weapon in-game: sword and shield Inazuma Works, which will be upgraded to Ikazuchi Works when maxed out. A Nabiru costume will also be included as the Dengeki Politan, and will also be available as post-release DLC.
You can take a closer look at the Dengeki collaboration in the gallery below.
Finally, you can take a look at more gameplay footage from TGS and V Jump, and another trailer for the Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On anime. Check those out below.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice
Capcom recently published a new development blog entry for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice. You can read this seventh entry over here.
In this one, Capcom discusses how the character models were created and animated. Model lead Keiji Ueda and character animator Ryota Fujii both share some thoughts about the process.
Besides that, Siliconera also published an interesting interview excerpt with game and scenario director Takeshi Yamazaki. When asked about ideas that were considered for the game’s plot, Yamazaki revealed that the team had thought about having Phoeinx act “as a lawyer in an underground court that served the likes of the mafia and other underworld inhabitants”.
Here are his words on the matter:
“There was one real sticking point while I was writing the design document for Spirit of Justice, and that was how were we going to put Phoenix in a corner, given that he’d become this legendary lawyer in the course of this series.
One idea was to have Phoenix stand as a lawyer in an underground court that served the likes of the mafia and other underworld inhabitants. That underground court would hold trials and render judgment on those who’d broken the rules of the underworld, meaning that even Phoenix would have a tough time believing in his own clients. Furthermore, everyone involved in the trials would be members of the underworld, including witnesses and prosecutors, so naturally, there would be false testimonies, forged evidence, bribes, blackmail, and other dirty dealings going on. Under those circumstances, we figured even Phoenix would feel incredibly like a fish out of water.”
It’s fun to see how different the game could have been, had they just chosen a slightly different approach to things, right?
The Great Ace Attorney 2
Capcom recently announced at Tokyo Game Show that The Great Ace Attorney 2 is in production as a sequel to the original game. You can now find the first trailer for this with english subtitles below.
Dragon Ball Fusions
Bandai Namco has officially confirmed the localization of Dragon Ball Fusions. The game will be released in North America on December 13, and in Europe sometime in February.
Dragon Ball Fusions is an action-RPG that provides a mix of fighting, customization, and collecting elements. Fans can look forward to a roster with many different characters from the Dragon Ball manga, anime and movies. It’s possible to come up with various combinations of powerful characters, and the game sports functionality so that you can use the 3DS camera to take pictures with friends and fuse them with Dragon Ball characters or trade special moves with nearby players. You’ll also be able to take on an original story in Adventure mode, as well as a fight friends in Multiplayer Battle mode.
You can find a trailer, screenshots, and some gameplay footage below.
Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters Cyber Arena
Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters Cyber Arena is now available in Japan, and Bandai Namco put out a new trailer to promote the game. Check it out below.
https://youtu.be/780Nm6vMYkA
Disney Magical World 2
Nintendo recently released a new trailer for Disney Magical World 2. You can watch it below.
One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum
One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum is now out in Japan, so you can find the opening cinematic and some gameplay footage below thanks to ShonenGameZ.
Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan: Shijou Psi-dai no Psi-nan!?
Bandai Namco has put up a second commercial for Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan: Shijou Psi-dai no Psi-nan!?. Check it out below.
https://youtu.be/US7l6PoP7KA
Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice
SEGA has put up some new Japanese Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice videos covering the action skills for Amy, Sticks, Tails, and Knuckles. You can watch them below.
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
Atlus recently shared in an update that the localization team accidentally left a tiny bit of Japanese text in the western version of Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse. You can find it towards the end of the game, but only in rare instances as you need to trigger a certain set of circumstances. Atlus apologized for not seeing this, but it’s unclear if they’ll be able to patch the game in the near future to correct the issue.
Here’s the full explanation:
Gather around folks, we’ve got a story to tell, capped off with an apology for the upcoming RPG, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
As a bunch of people pointed out, an image circulated this weekend of our English build having some unlocalized Japanese text still in it. I’m not gonna link it here because it’s from the battle at the end of the game and could definitely spoil some details for people. Let that also serve as your warning before you go looking for it.
Nevertheless, I asked our localization team about it, and they pored over the game’s text files looking to find out what happened.
And…?
…Yep, it’s in there, along with one other instance of Japanese text. It’s an oversight on our part, and we’re deeply sorry about it. We’ve discussed internally about the possibility of correcting it, and while fixing it is not off the table yet, if it does happen, it won’t be in a timely manner.
But if the burning question you’ve got is “ATLUS! How did you let this happen?” Let me try to explain.
First, we’re human. This is important, so before you start writing that angry comment down below, please remember this point.
Second, and this is the funny part, it turns out our QA department is actually too good. The two instances of Japanese text left in the game happen during a boss battle near the end of the game. As you may know, SMTIV:A has partners that are permanently with you throughout the game, and you can select the partner based on what abilities they have that complement your play style. (No more worrying about a randomly chosen Walter casting Agi on demons that resist fire. WALTEERRRRRR!)
Anyhow, just like in SMTIV, partners can get attacked and knocked out. In this particular battle, partners will return after 3 turns, and the errant Japanese text only shows up if you get to a point where the boss gives you a dialogue option WHILE your partner is KO’d. Our testers, who have been with the company for quite awhile, and who are well-versed in all things SMT (I think a few of them also were QA for the original SMTIV) were so good, they never ran into the situation of having an unconscious partner during the fight, and henceforth the dialogue in question.
We never realized that there was a specific set of circumstances for the text to appear in-game, and so it never got localized. And unfortunately, it will still be in there by the time the game hits shelves tomorrow. BUT! As our QA testers and reviewers in the media have shown, it’s a relatively rare set of circumstances that will lead players to encounter the aberrant text, and hopefully won’t even be discovered by the vast majority of players. (Of course, now that I told you how to find it, you’re probably all going to go out and test it, aren’t you?)
So where do we go from here? Well, first – a sincere thank you to those who brought it to our attention. While it might be too late for SMTIVA, we’re now poring through the Persona 5 script and other active localization titles to check for any conditional text we may have missed. Second, we’re going to look into being able to fix it, but we don’t know if it’s feasible or if we even have a timetable for it, but as soon as we know something one way or the other, we’ll let you know.
So, bottom line, we’re truly regretful this bit of dialogue slipped through the cracks, and hope it doesn’t impact your gameplay at all!
Besides this, you can also find a good amount of gameplay footage below showcasing the starting minutes of the game, thanks to justonegamr.
Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits & Fleshy Souls
Nintendo will be holding another National StreetPass Weekend dedicated to Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits & Fleshy Souls, between September 30 and October 1.
Those participating in the National StreetPass Weekend can connect with other 3DS owners to discover new Yo-kai at Nintendo Zone locations. Also, if you have Dragon Quest VII, you can receive traveller’s tablets to explore original dungeons that provide rare monsters and unique equipment.
Nintendo has also released a new commercial for the game, which you can watch below.
Finally, you can take a look at some gameplay footage in the videos below.
Inazuma Eleven Ares
Level-5 has announced it will be holding a live broadcast for Inazuma Eleven Ares on September 30. The stream will start at 9 PM JST and will be viewable on YouTube and NicoNico.
This event will reveal new information about the upcoming game, Inazuma Eleven Ares, as well as contain a discussion with series developers, an announcement about the Inazuma Eleven Ares anime, and a broadcast of the anime’s first episode with commentary.
The event will be hosted by Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino and employee Moochan. Inazuma Eleven Ares currently has no announced platforms, but this event could certainly change that, so stay tuned for further news.
Senran Kagura 5th Anniversary
Senran Kagura is currently celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, so a new website is now online over here to honor of the occasion.
There have been several titles in the Senran Kagura series over the past few years, including three on 3DS and, interestingly, it sounds like one more is planned for next year. After listing Senran Kagura’s history, the website teases a new title with the text: “and… in 2017 the girls’ battle will continue”.
Seems like 2017 might hold good news for fans of the series.
Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure
MonsterVine recently interviewed Bill Schwartz and David Bruno, the President and CEO of Mastiff respectively, about their upcoming title Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure.
The interview mostly covers the many details and nuances of translating a game from Japanese to English and how Mastiff in specific takes on localization jobs.
You can read the full interview over here.
River City Ransom SP
Arc System Works has now given River City Ransom SP a solid release date for Japan, with that being October 27.
Alongside this announcement, Arc System Works also shared that the planned local co-op play will not be included, and that the game will have a small price drop to compensate for it. The new pricing is of 3,780/3,700 yen for the physical/download versions respectively, as opposed to the previously announced price of 4,860/4,500.
Noah’s Cradle
Noah’s Cradle is now out on North America and Europe, as Circle Entertainment has localized the game originally released by Silver Star in Japan.
You can find a trailer for it below.
Bases Loaded 2016
According to the latest issue of Famitsu, Mebius has Bases Loaded 2016 in the works for 3DS.
Bases Loaded 2016 seems to retain the 8-bit graphics that the 1987 game is known for, but it will have new features like supporting versus matches through local play. You’ll also be able to create your own athlete and team. The athlete’s name, uniform, hairstyle, and stats can all be freely edited.
Bases Loaded 2016 launches later this year in Japan as an eShop download, costing 864 yen.
You can find the Famitsu scans in question below.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
The Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night team has released a new Kickstarter update, and in it shares four tracks that will be included in the game. Each is composed by Michiru Yamane, who is well known for her work on the Castlevania series.
You can listen to the four tracks over here. Each one also comes with a bit of commentary from Yamane. The team has a tentative plan in mind for when each one will be played, though things may shift around after all stage tracks are finalized.
Yooka-Laylee
During a developer panel at EGX, a short new trailer was shown for Yooka-Laylee, revealing that Shovel Knight will be joining the game as a special guest character.
Apparently, Playtonic and Team17, who is working with Playtonic on Yooka-Laylee, discussed the idea of featuring a guest character. Playtonic then turned to Yacht Club Games’ Shovel Knight after thinking about how it was a “much-loved game” with a team that “shares the same kinds of values we do as developers and has created something fantastic in the past”. It was also important to include a character that could appear on all platforms.
Shovel Knight’s way of speaking in Yooka-Laylee will be “authentic”. After receiving an explanation and practicing on a Skype call, Yacht Club went through the steps of how Playtonic creates the mumbling voices, and the result was added to the title directly.
Playtonic also indicated that there aren’t any other guest characters in Yooka-Laylee, but the studio is open to the idea.
You can find the trailer and some more gameplay footage from EGX below.
LEGO Dimensions
Warner Bros. has announced three new packs are on the way to LEGO Dimensions. The LEGO Batman Movie Story Pack, Excalibur Batman Fun Pack, and Knight Rider Fun Pack will all arrive on February 10, 2017.
You can find more information and screenshots below.
Coinciding with the release of the upcoming film on which it’s based, The LEGO Batman Movie Story Pack, will provide a deep, story-driven gameplay experience with iconic DC characters in six puzzle-packed levels and new LEGO Gateway bricks that allow players to build the Bat-Computer atop the LEGO Toy Pad. The pack comes with buildable Batgirl and Robin minifigures and the 3-in-1 buildable Batwing which can be rebuilt into The Black Thunder and Bat-Tank. Gamers can play the complete movie and band together with Batgirl and Robin to fight off the Joker and his team of villains. Batgirl’s batarang, glide and stealth abilities can reach areas with high security access and Robin’s agility and dive skills provide sneak access. Players can also transform Robin into the Nightwing, utilize his vine cut, and deflect moves for more crime-fighting adventures. Batgirl and Robin provide access to the new The LEGO Batman Movie Adventure World with its own unique Battle Arena with competitive split-screen local gameplay for up to four players.
Batman fans can broaden their LEGO Dimensions gameplay with Excalibur Batman from The LEGO Batman Movie. The Fun Pack comes with a buildable Batman minifigure and a 3-in-1 buildable Bionic Steed which can be rebuilt into the Bat-Raptor and Ultrabat for additional in-game abilities. Players can use Batman’s Master Builder and Sword Switching abilities to solve puzzles and take down enemies. Batman also provides access to The LEGO Batman Movie Adventure World and Battle Arena. The Excalibur Batman Fun Pack will release in North America first at Target.
Michael Knight and K.I.T.T. from the classic 80s TV series, Knight Rider, are also coming to LEGO Dimensions. Players can add the iconic duo with the Knight Rider Fun Pack featuring a buildable Michael Knight minifigure, and a rebuildable 3-in-1 K.I.T.T., that can be rebuilt into the K.I.T.T. Jet and Goliath Armored Semi for upgraded in-game powers.
In the game, players can activate Michael Knight’s dodging and dash abilities to solve puzzles and overpower enemies or use his Wrist Watch to uncover secrets behind x-ray walls and outsmart enemies by hacking into terminals and following trails. Players can also fight crime on four wheels with K.I.T.T., the highly advanced, artificially intelligent robotic vehicle, to boost their gameplay. Michael Knight provides access to a new Knight Rider Adventure World with its own unique Battle Arena. The Knight Rider Fun Pack will release in North America first at GameStop.
Nintendo also released a new trailer promoting this new content, while GameSpot and IGN released new gameplay videos. You can find all of it below.
Minecraft: Wii U Edition
At Minecon 2016, new DLC was revealed for the console versions of Minecraft. All platforms, including Wii U, will be receiving a new Chinese Mythology Mash-Up Pack.
Here’s an overview of the DLC:
“In the new Minecraft: Console Edition Chinese Mythology Mash-Up, come explore ancient temples hidden among the cherry blossoms and survive the night at the Great Wall. In this new mash-up, you will be able to visit an exquisitely created pre-made world. Wander through the streets of an ancient great city, marvel at the dragons that dwell around the high mountains, contemplate on your crafting within a mythical monastery and just enjoy the view as you walk through fields and discover how mobs would look in ancient China. This mash-up also brings you 41 new skins to choose from and 13 themed music tracks for your worlds made using this pack.”
The Chinese Mythology Mash-up also packs in a special map for use in the Battle mini game.
You can learn more abou it and watch a trailer below.
Update features
- Polar bears and their adorable offspring are to be found wandering frozen biomes.
- Banners! Spruce the place up with your personalised drapery.
- New terrain generation: Igloos now appear in Arctic biomes, and gargantuan fossils lie beneath the earth awaiting your discovery.
- Beetroots! You can farm them and turn them into a restorative soup. Delish!
- Other new blocks: End Bricks, Grass Path, Frosted Ice, Magma, Nether Wart Block, Red Nether Brick and Bone Block.
Besides that, Mojang and 4J Studios have also released the Minecon 2016 Skin Pack, which provides access to “four biome-themed adventures and a mysterious Enderman cape”.
Virtual Console Trailers
Below you can find the official trailers for several games recently released on the Nintendo eShop for the Wii U and New 3DS Virtual Consoles.
Mad City (Konami, Famicom, Wii U)
Hiryu no Ken II: Dragon no Tsubasa (Culture Brain, Famicom, Wii U)
Final Fight 2 and Final Fight 3 (Capcom, SNES, New 3DS)