August 5th and 6th News Roundup

Gamescom 2015

Nintendo released an official overview of their booth activities and the available games at Gamescom. You can read it below, and take a video look at the booth too.

With Mario, Zelda, Xenoblade, Star Fox and more, Cologne plays host to Nintendo’s biggest games coming in 2015

5th August, 2015 – Nintendo has opened a booth full of current and coming-soon titles for its Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family systems at gamescom – the world’s largest annual trade fair for video games, held in Cologne, Germany. With several days of fun events ahead, Nintendo kicks off the show with a string of launch dates and newly revealed special editions for some key 2015 titles.

Super Mario Maker for Wii U is the star of the show at Nintendo’s booth in Hall 9.1 A10/B10 as we gear up for the 30th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Attendees will be able to play and create unique 2D courses, or take part in daily Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U contests throughout the show. The first 111 Mario fans can get a Mario goodie bag if they come dressed as Mario and bring a Mario amiibo on Thursday 6th August at 12:00 CEST.

Zelda fans will be happy to hear that The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is set to launch on 23rd October on Nintendo 3DS family systems. Gamescom visitors will be able to form teams of three and work together to solve unique Zelda-style puzzles and boss fights. With one life meter to share, working together will be key to overcome the game’s many dungeons…

Xenoblade Chronicles X for Wii U is playable for the first time in Europe at gamescom, as Nintendo reveals two limited edition bundles launching alongside the game in December:

· Xenoblade Chronicles X Wii U Premium Pack: features a black premium Wii U console, a physical copy of the game, an Artbook and a World Map poster

· Xenoblade Chronicles X Limited Edition Pack: features a physical copy of the game, a SteelBook™ cover, a World Map poster, a Cover Art Poster and the Artbook

Can’t make it to gamescom? Those at home can tune into a special Xenoblade Chronicles X Twitch.tv/twitch live stream broadcast on Saturday 8th August between 16.00 – 17.00 CEST to get a sneak peak at the game. In addition the original Wii classic Xenoblade Chronicles is to be made available on Nintendo eShop on Wii U right now! Those who purchase this game will be eligible for a £9.00 GBP discount on Xenoblade Chronicles X if they buy it on Nintendo eShop on the same Wii U console* within two weeks of the game’s launch in December.

Gamescom attendees can also grab the GamePad and take Star Fox Zero for a spin, while anyone at home can tune in to IGN Live on Saturday 8th August at approximately 18.45 CEST for a fresh look at the Area 3 and Titania levels in this action-packed title coming to Wii U in Q4 2015.

Fans of limited edition offerings should keep an eye out for Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water, coming to Wii U on 30th October. From that day, Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water – trial version creeps onto Nintendo eShop, giving players the opportunity to sample action from the game’s prologue and first two chapters at no cost before choosing whether to purchase all remaining chapters. At retail, the game will only be released as the Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water – Limited Edition bundle, featuring a copy of the game in its standalone packaging, a double-sided poster, an art book, four Spirit Photographs, and a SteelBook™ cover.

In another reveal taking place off the showfloor, today marks the premiere of the European launch trailer for Devil’s Third, now showing on YouTube. Action game guru Tomonobu Itagaki’s unique combination of shooting and melee combat launches on 28th August with an off-the-wall single player campaign as well as online multiplayer modes allowing for intense 16 player battles.

At the other end of Nintendo’s varied spectrum of offerings comes the Animal Crossing amiibo cards Collectors Album, which fits the entire Series 1 collection of cards and comes with a 3-card pack to get started, and is set to launch on 2nd October alongside Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Animal Crossing series fans are in for a special treat at gamescom, as they can get a free download code for Photos with Animal Crossing as well as an AR Card to use with this download-exclusive Nintendo 3DS title, which lets fans take photos of some of their favourite Animal Crossing friends in real world settings.

Owners of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire who stop by the booth are also in for a treat as they can collect a card with codes that, when inputted into their copy of either game, will unlock two of four exciting Pokémon. These special Pokémon were hand-picked and primed for battle by GAME FREAK’s Shigeki Morimoto himself and include Aromatisse, Bouffalant, Malamar and Sableye. Which pair will you be lucky enough to receive? For more details (in German) visit www.pokemon.de/gamescom.

Last but not least, a large part of Nintendo’s booth at gamescom 2015 is dedicated to “Nindies”: talented indie developers showcasing their most recent work for Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. From new tracks in Shin’en Multimedia’s FAST Racing Neo to the first hands-on with Plague of Shadows, the upcoming free DLC for all Shovel Knight owners, a new Nindies @ gamescom 2015 trailer showcases all indie games at the booth** – and a whole lot more!

With daily shows, tournaments, surprise guests and a host of games to get hands-on with before they launch later this year, check out Nintendo’s booth at gamescom 2015 in Cologne for a gaming good time! For the German livestream, tune in at twitch.tv/nintendodeutschland from Thursday 6th until Saturday 8th August.

* An additional storage device is required to install both games on the same Wii U console.

Retail titles for Nintendo systems playable at gamescom 2015:

Wii U

Nintendo 3DS

Mario Kart 8

Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash

Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash

Little Battlers eXperience

Skylanders SuperChargers™ (Activision)

Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition

Splatoon

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

Star Fox Zero

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Super Mario Maker

Xenoblade Chronicles X

**Indie games playable at gamescom 2015:

Wii U

Nintendo 3DS

Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians (THREAKS)

Mutant Mudds Super Challenge (Renegade Kid)***

Extreme Exorcism (Ripstone Publishing)

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows (Yacht Club Games)***

FAST Racing Neo (Shin’en Multimedia)

SteamWorld Heist (Image & Form International AB)

Mighty No. 9 (Deep Silver)***

Terraria (505 Games)***

Poncho (Rising Star Games)

RIVE (Two Tribes Publishing)

Runbow (13AM Games)

Soul Axiom (Wales Interactive)

Typoman (Headup Games)

Year Walk (Simogo)

***Please note that Mighty No. 9 will also be released for Nintendo 3DS and will also be available at retail, while the Plague of Shadows DLC for Shovel Knight and Mutant Mudds Super Challenge will also be released for Wii U. Terraria will also be released for Wii U and will also be available at retail.

Amiibo

Nintendo also announced some launch dates for several amiibo to be released in the North American region.

In addition to the dates you can find in the image below, Nintendo will launch a Mii Fighters 3 Pack in November and will announce more details regarding the Modern Colours Mario amiibo in the near future.

Star Fox Zero

Nintendo released some new artwork from Star Fox Zero. Check it out below:

Super Mario Maker

According to Nintendo France, it seems like the final level count for Super Mario Maker currently sits at over 60 levels.

Additionaly, Michel Ancel, the creator of Rayman, has designed one of the courses.

You can watch a video of him talking about the game below, but it’s only available in French, unfortunately.

Splatoon

With the arrival of Splatoon 2.0.0. version, two new weapons have been added to the game. Here’s Nintendo’s official overview of them:

On the 6th of August 11am Japan time, the new weapon “Barrel Spinner” = Splatling will be added.

This will be the standard Spinner type weapon, where a charging mechanic allows it to have better range and fire rate than regular shooter type weapons.

Its sub will be Splash Wall, and its special will be Inkstrike.

At the same time, the new weapon “Bucket Slosher” will be added. It will be able to spread a lot of ink in a line, while bypassing obstacles and height differences for the purposes of attacking an opponent.

It will have the Splat Burst Bomb as sub, and Inkstrike as special.

Slosher:

This might look like an ordinary bucket, but it’s actually a weapons-grade bucket! Hurl ink straight ahead over an impressive range, and adjust your angles to hit opponents above you or behind walls. The Slosher comes with Burst Bombs and the special is a hot pastrami on rye! Er, wait. Sorry. I mean Inkstrike. Got a little excited about today’s lunch delivery.

Heavy Splatling:

This baby packs six barrels full of ink. Charge it up and let your enemies have it! Need some cover? Not a problem. Throw down your Splash Wall! This bad boy also comes with the Inkzooka Inkstrike (Sorry squidfriends, I am too excited to read properly) as a special weapon. It might just be the best weapon for squids that have watched too many 80′s action movies!

You can find some screenshots of the new weapons below:

In addition to this, Nintendo of America has confirmed that the Squid Girl gear is coming to the West.

Nintendo Japan also launched a new Splatoon App. After logging in with your Nintendo Network ID, there are several options available to you:

Friends List: See which of your friends are online and send messages to your friends inviting them to play Splatoon with you.

Ranking: View your friends’ current ranks, levels, gear and how many points they’ve scored with each weapon.

Equipment: View your own profile. Only works if you’ve updated your game to version 2.0.

Schedule: Check out the current and upcoming map rotation.

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer

Nintendo announced today they will be launching an “Animal Crossing amiibo cards Collectors Album” in Europe. The special folder can hold the entire Series 1 collection of cards, and those who purchase the album will receive a 3-card pack. It will be available to buy on the same day the game releases, October 2.

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

Nintendo has now announced that Tri Force Heroes is launching in Europe and North America on the 23rd of October.

You can find the official overview and some new artwork below:

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nintendo 3DS owners looking to embark on a legendary adventure will get their chance when The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes launches for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems on Oct. 23. One of Nintendo’s biggest critical hits at this summer’s E3 video game trade show, The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes lets up to three players team up locally, via Download Play with one game card or online using a wireless Internet connection to cooperatively explore inventive dungeons and battle bosses.

The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most storied and beloved franchises, selling more than 30 million games in the U.S. alone. In The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, up to three players play as Link, with each hero selecting a different outfit equipped with a special boost or ability. One outfit might grant the wearer the ability to shoot arrows, for example, while another could provide more life-saving hearts. A new Totem mechanic allows three Link characters to stack on top of each other to reach higher ground and solve puzzles. The game can also be played solo, allowing one player to rent two paper dolls to take along to complete the legendary team of three.

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is one of many fun Nintendo 3DS games launching between now and the end of the year, including Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon (Holiday), Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (Sept. 25), Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash (Oct. 9) and Japanese sensation YO-KAI WATCH (Holiday).

For more information about The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, visit http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/pjaS5nCJ1sYFb-zGXsyzBQ_dfKQkN2mn.

Metroid Prime: Federation Force

Kensuke Tanabe gave an interview about Federation Force to US Gamer.

It’s very interesting, so I recommend you give it a look here.

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Nintendo of Europe has announced two special bundles for Xenoblade Chronicles X. You can check out the contents of each one in the image below. Nintendo of America will also be sharing details about these soon.

Devil’s Third

Nintendo of Europe uploaded a new launch trailer for Devil’s Third. You can watch it below:

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

Nintendo of Europe announced that Project Zero (Fatal Frame): Maiden of Black Water is launching on October 30 in the region.

A Limited Edition will be made available at retail, featuring a copy of the game, a double-sided poster, an art book, four Spirit Photographs and a SteelBook cover.

Additionally, the title will be receiving a trial/demo version at launch, that comes with the prologue and first two chapters of the game.

You can find the new trailer and screenshots below:

Nindies @ Gamescom 2015

Below you can find an overview video of the various indie titles present at Gamescom. In addition, you can find some new trailers for certain titles.

Monster Hunter X and Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village DX

Capcom has released another four weapon trailers for Monster Hunter X. These cover the Slash Axe, Charge Axe, Insect Glaive and Light Bowgun. They also release a new batch of screenshots. You can find all of this below:

When it comes to Monster Hunter Diary, Capcom also shared some connectivity related details and screenshots.

According to the company, one activity allows you to invite friends and go harvesting or fishing with them. There are cases in which some villages have certain items that aren’t available in others. Moreover, players can also participate in Poogie races or take on expedition quests with monster battles.

You can find the new screenshots below:

The Great Ace Attorney

Capcom has released the fourth Randst Magazine DLC for The Great Ace Attorney in Japan, featuring a Barok theme, Iris voice clips/art/beta theme music, case 2 commentary from director Shu Takumi and Ryuu vs. the 5 orange pips.

You can view some screenshots from this DLC below:

Mega Man Legacy Collection

Capcom recently announced that Mega Man Legacy Collection is scheduled for an early 2016 release on 3DS, and that during this period, a physical version of the title will be made available.

The digital release appears to be set at $14.99 / €14.99 / £11.99, while the retail version will cost $29.99.

Here’s an official overview and some new screenshots:

This collection celebrates a piece of video game history by not only featuring the series’ origins with all six of the 8-bit classics, it also collects hundreds of high-resolution scans of vintage concept sketches, production art, unused Robot Master designs, a database of enemy information, a robust Challenge Mode full of remixed gameplay sections, plus a music player with all the games’ soundtracks—more than 100 songs!

Challenge Mode remixes gameplay segments from all six games, with plenty of scaling difficulty objectives for experienced players to conquer yet serves as a good starting point for new players, too. All six of the classic games will retain their retro 8-bit style with a newly added HD finish, giving all of the original sprites the crispest look fans have ever seen.

Project X Zone 2

A new article from the latest issue of Famitsu confirms seven returning characters for Project X Zone 2. They are as follows:

Chun-Li (Street Fighter)
Ling Xiaoyu (Tekken)
Demetri Maximoff (Darkstalkers)
Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers)
Pai Chan (Virtua Fighter)
Hibana (Nightshade)
Alisa Illinichina Amiella (God Eater 2)

You can find some new screenshots of these characters in the gallery below:

Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden

Bandai Namco uploaded a new trailer for Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden. You can watch it below:

7th Dragon III Code: VFD

SEGA has released another batch of screenshots and artwork from 7th Dragon III. You can view them in the gallery below:

Dragon Quest VIII

According to the latest issue of Jump magazine, Dragon Quest VIII will have a new original ending. The magazine only provides clues of “a surprising development”, “furious King Clavius” and “the protagonist gets depressed”.

In addition to this, after completing Dragon Quest VIII, players can apparently take on a new dungeon called “The Ultimate Trial”, which has players looking for a never-before-seen “purple treasure chest”.

LEGO Dimensions

Warner Bros. Interactive recently announced a new element to be included in the LEGO Dimensions game, known as “Adventure Worlds”.

Adventure Worlds will offer something different than the main story stages, containing open-world environments. There are 14 of these in total, all of which are unlocked by any of that respective property’s characters. DC Comics, Lord of the Rings and The LEGO Movie can be unlocked with the Starter Pack thanks to Batman, Gandalf and Wildstyle. It’s possible to unlock other environments with characters from LEGO Dimensions Level Packs, Team Packs and Fun Packs, too.

You can find a new trailer showcasing this new feature below:

Mighty No. 9

The team behind Mighty No. 9 has recently announced the game’s release will be delayed to Q1 2016.

Here’s what they had to say:

Of course, it is important to explain why exactly the game is being delayed. As we have communicated in the updates to our backers, all of the core content for the game is developed and in a complete state. However, there are still bugs and issues pertaining to the online features that are included in the game. These bugs and issues have a direct affect on enjoyment of the game, so a decision was made to work these issues out before release. Currently, comcept and their partners are working at full capacity to resolve these issues and fix any remaining bugs.

Moco Moco Friends

Aksys Games recently announced that it’s localizing The Apprentice Witch and Fluffy Friends for North America. It will apparently be known as “Moco Moco Friends” in the West.

Moco Moco Friends released in Japan back in April. It’s a fantasy RPG where humans and creatures with mysterious powers known as Moppets coexist. In the game, players will go through a comical story of a young girl who aims to be the Moppet Master.

Here are some additional details from Amazon’s current listing:

– Battle against your rivals, scavenge items, venture through massive dungeons;
– Evolve your Moppet monsters and travel with your companions across the magical realm of Dreamt ropy;
– Lead your Moppets to victory in turn based battles. Fight, befriend and evolve Moppets on your quest to banish evil from Dreamtopia;
– 120 types of Moppet monsters to collect;
– Teleport to dungeons using the town portal/gate. The garden allows the player to grow crops or collect items;

Amazon lists a tentative November 17 release date for Moco Moco Friends, and you can find the official website by Aksys here.

August 6th Famitsu Scans Roundup

This week’s Famitsu scans are now available online. Covered games include Devil’s Third, Nobunaga’s Amibition 2, Romance of the Three Kingdoms II, Monster Strike, Splatoon and Super Robot Wars BX. You can find them all in the gallery below: