Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS
This week’s issue of Famitsu magazine featured several creator interviews, and one of these is a conversation with Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai (right side) and well-known Square Enix developer Tetsuya Nomura (left side). As expected, the conversation was focused around Cloud’s appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, and the story and challenges behind it. It also has some cool moments of conversation between the developers, which let us get to know them better and how they have potentially influenced each other and the industry. You can find both parts of the translated interview on SourceGaming’s website, over here. Check it out, it’s pretty interesting.
Splatoon
Another Splatoon patch was launched during this week, bringing the game up to version 2.5.0. The 124MB update adds some stage and battle adjustments and fixes.
Here’s all the patch notes:
Stage Adjustments:
– Walleye Warehouse: Adjustments will be made to object placement in Rainmaker Mode.
– Arowana Mall: Adjustments will be made to prevent users from taking certain shortcuts in all modes.
– Piranha Pit: Adjustments will be made to prevent users from taking certain shortcuts in Tower Control Mode.Battle Adjustments
– Museum D’Alfonsino: Fix the issue in modes other than Tower Control in which the area around the central rotating platform was registering as being inked in unintended ways.
– Mahi-Mahi Resort: Fix the issue In Rainmaker Mode in which breaking the Rainmaker barrier while in the central area caused the special gauge to fill more than intended.Other
– Adjustments have been made to make for a more pleasant gaming experience.
Moreover, this week also marks the addition of the last new map “Ancho-V Games”. You can find some screenshots and a video overview of it below:
When it comes to Splatfests, the results of the 10th Japanese Splatfest are now available, which you can check below.
Japan (10th Splatfest) – Perfect Body vs. Perfect Mind
– Votes – 44% / 56%
– Wins – 53% / 47%
– Final Results – 362 / 338 – Perfect Body Wins
Additionally, the 10th European Splatfest has been announced and is taking place next weekend. In this Splatfest, players can choose between Team Barbarian or Team Ninja. The event will take place on January 30 at 6 PM in the UK / 7 PM in Europe.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam just launched in North America and Nintendo released a new trailer to promote it. You can view it below:
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
A special episode of Game Center DX dedicated to Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash has recently been uploaded to Nintendo’s Japanese YouTube page. Check it out below:
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
Nintendo finally started to officially talk about The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD in more detail.
The series’ Japanese Twitter account was updated early in the week with a brief introduction from Eiji Aonuna, as well as Malo, a character in the game.
Some art was posted, which you can see below, together with the translation of the compiled tweets:
“Hello, this is Aonuma. This year the world of Twilight returns in HD after 10 years. From today we’d like to introduce information on Twilight Princess for a while.
Twilight Princess is a story about the 2 worlds of ‘Light’ and ‘Darkness’. The game’s scale was getting bigger, and at the early stages of the original [GameCube version], we drew a lot of setting scenes. We also plan to publish [things like] discussions and [hidden] treasured images at times, so please look forward to them!
The introductions from now on will be brought by Malo who appears in this game. Malo, I’m leaving it to you!
…I’m Malo. I may look like this, but I’m the owner of ‘Malo Mart’, the hero of prices. …I won’t forgive you if you think I’m a child and ridicule me [because of that]…”
During the week, Malo posted another two times, showing a timeline infographic and a new screenshot from the game. Here’s the contents of both tweets:
“…it’s Malo. This is a rare article brought by the pops with mustache… (note: likely Aonuma) So according to this, this story is the era of victory of the Hero of Time. The Hero of Time? …I don’t know the details, but why is everyone wearing green clothes? …if they’re of the same brand. That’s gotta be really good product appeal.”
“…It’s Malo. While in human form, you can do various techniques with the sword and shield, use things like arrows and bombs, and even attack while being mounted on a horse!? …Hey you… don’t push yourself too hard. Humans are still alive even if they have a weakness or two, aren’t they?”
A few other gameplay and amiibo related details were also revealed during the middle of the week by Nintendo and Famitsu magazine.
Nintendo recently released a new video showcasing the amiibo functionality, which you can watch below:
Here’s a roundup of the details mentioned in the video and Famitsu magazine:
– The Wolf Link amiibo unlocks the Cave of Shadows, which has players taking on waves of enemies while playing as Wolf Link;
– There are 40 floors with various enemies. Depending on the floor, there might be not only enemies, but some gimmicks as well such as tiles that spout lava. The lower you progress, the stronger the enemies will become;
– Clearing this challenge while owning the “Giant Wallet”, will earn you the “Bottomless Wallet”, which lets you hold up to 9,999 Rupees instead of te Giant Wallet’s maximum of 1,000. Famitsu points out how this will make it easier to use the Magic Armor;
– You can save a record of your remaining hearts to the Wolf Link amiibo and attempt to beat your score whenever you want;
– You can import some sort of data from Twilight Princess HD into the upcoming new Zelda game for Wii U. The importable content is currently unknown, but only the Wolf Link amiibo is capable of storing the data to import;
– Other Zelda related amiibo can be tapped on the Gamepad once a day with varying effects;
– The Link and Toon Link amiibo fully restore arrows;
– The Zelda and Sheik amiibo fully restores hearts;
– The Ganondorf amiibo causes Link to take twice the amount of damage from enemies for an extra challenging gameplay, which lasts until your session ends or you are defeated;
– The inventory screen has been revised, and now features an icon for Miiverse Stamps, meaning you will probably be able to unlock them in-game now;
Later in the week, the weekly Nintendo Minute episode was uploaded, with this one being a special episode dedicated to Zelda fans. In it, Kit and Krysta show off the Wolf Link amiibo features as well as brand new footage from Twilight Princess HD. You can watch it below:
This episode was relatively relevant because it clarified some details about the game while unveiling some new ones.
Kit and Krysta explicitly stated that you can now transform into Wolf Link (and back to regular Link) by simply tapping the GamePad, so you no longer need to talk to Midna to make this happen, making things more convenient compared to the original release on Wii and GameCube.
You can also clearly see Krysta moving the GamePad to aim the Clawshot, confirming that gyroscope aiming does indeed make a return from Wind Waker HD.
Finally, a new type of lantern item, similar to a poe’s lantern, can be spotted in Link’s inventory in the gameplay footage. Perhaps this item could be used to help Link see Poes while in human form or something similar.
Finally, you can find more comparison videos made by GameXplain below, showcasing the graphical and loading time differences between this version of the game and the original ones.
Hyrule Warriors Legends
Most of this week’s coverage pertaining to Hyrule Warriors Legends is just video footage, but we do have some new details.
First, the release date of the game in Europe has been brought one day forward to March 24, due to Good Friday taking place the very next day.
It was also revealed that players can unlock enhanced weapons for Midna by tapping the new Wolf Link amiibo on the New 3DS or using Nintendo’s amiibo NFC Reader.
A curious new detail is that Aryll, Toon Link’s sister, seems to talk for him in Hyrule Warriors Legends, since Toon Link never had a fairy companion in the Wind Waker. This can be seen below, around the middle of the first video.
You can also check Famitsu’s translated review of the game at Nintendo Everything, over here.
Finally, we have a new batch of gameplay videos below, showcasing the new characters both on the 3DS and Wii U. Go ahead and give some of them a look.
https://youtu.be/kuzx7OKR40Y
https://youtu.be/duZTdZI8k5U
https://youtu.be/WCWAq3IU4pg
3DS RPG Presentation Recap
Late in the week, Nintendo held a special presentation in North America to showcase upcoming 3DS RPG games.
Below you can find a summary of the announced details which mostly pertain to Fire Emblem Fates and Bravely Second: End Layer. Do keep in mind these details pertain to North America only and may vary in other regions.
Also, any extra information revealed about these games will be covered in their respective sections in each post.
Nintendo Provides New Details about Upcoming RPGs for Nintendo 3DS
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nintendo provided new details about several of its upcoming role-playing games for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. This included the announcement of a special Fire Emblem Fates Edition New Nintendo 3DS XL system launching Feb. 19 and the reveal of a Collector’s Edition for Bravely Second: End Layer, which includes the upcoming sequel to the acclaimed Bravely Default game that launches on April 15.
“Fans of role-playing games have just received a boost to their excitement stat,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Nintendo platforms have always been home to high-quality RPGs, and with even more games launching in 2016, this trend is set to continue in a big way.”
The Fire Emblem Fates Edition New Nintendo 3DS XL system (game sold separately) launches on Feb. 19 at a suggested retail price of $199.99 and features gorgeous art inspired by the game on the front of the hardware. Players can choose to purchase one of two versions when the Fire Emblem Fates games launch on Feb. 19 at a suggested retail price of $39.99 each. In Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, players battle a corrupted king. And in Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest, a misguided kingdom must be changed from within. Each path is a complete story and a complete game. Playing both will show players two different sides of one brutal conflict. After completing Chapter 6, players will have the option to download the other version of the game and experience a new adventure for only $19.99. In addition, a third story, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation, which finds the game’s main character choosing neither the “Conquest” nor “Birthright” path in the story, launches as DLC on March 10 for $19.99 for players that already own the “Conquest” or “Birthright” version of the game. A special edition will also be available that includes all three games on a single game card, an artbook and a Nintendo 3DS XL pouch at a suggested retail price of $79.99. When the game launches, further downloadable content in the form of new maps will also be released on a regular basis, with the first map launching on Feb. 19. Players can choose to buy each of these maps individually, or purchase Map Pack 1 for $17.99 to get access to them all at a discount once they are released. For more information about Fire Emblem Fates, visit http://fireemblemfates.nintendo.com/.
When Bravely Second: End Layer launches exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems on April 15, a Collector’s Edition will also launch alongside it at a suggested retail price of $69.99. The Collector’s Edition includes the massive game, a 10-song original soundtrack and gorgeous 250-page deluxe art book. A demo version of the game, Bravely Second: End Layer – The Ballad of the Three Cavaliers, will launch in the Nintendo eShop prior to the full game’s launch. This demo includes a unique story different than the one found in Bravely Second: End Layer, as well as new jobs and areas to explore. StreetPass tags and bonuses from the demo will also carry over to the main game.
In addition to Fire Emblem Fates and Bravely Second: End Layer, role-playing fans are in for an absolute treat in the first part of the year, as a wide variety of RPGs will soon launch for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. These games include FINAL FANTASY Fantasy Explorers from Square Enix on Jan. 26, Project X Zone 2 from Bandai Namco Entertainment America, Inc. on Feb. 16 and the original Pokémon games (Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version, as well as Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition) in the Nintendo eShop on Feb. 27. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past will launch this summer, with Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King launching later this year.
Note: Fire Emblem Fates DLC being released on a regular basis means it’s to be released weekly.
Fire Emblem Fates
Below you can find a new batch of screenshots from Fire Emblem Fates, and pictures of the special edition New 3DS XL, that were released after the 3DS RPGs Presentation.
Additionally, Nintendo published a few statements regarding the removal of some possibly controversial dialogue from the game’s Western version.
The conversation in question is the chain of support conversations between the Avatar and the female character Soleil, who is stated in-game to be attracted to women. When paired with the male version of the avatar character, he drops some powder inside her drink at a later point in their support chain with the intent of helping her overcome her problem of fainting near cute girls, however she ultimately finds herself attracted to him instead because of this. Based on the statement, the localization team was probably trying to avoid any possible repercussions related to both drugs or Soleil’s sexual orientation. If you don’t mind spoilers, you can take a look at the fan-translated conversations over here, for reference.
Here’s the official statement:
“In the version of the game that ships in the U.S. and Europe, there is no expression which might be considered as gay conversion or drugging that occurs between characters.”
Siliconera also reached out to Nintendo and received a lengthier comment about Fire Emblem Fates’ localization. Here’s the response, which mostly relates to same-sex marriages:
“Making changes is not unusual when we localize games, and we have indeed made changes in these games. When we localize a game we do so in order to make it appropriate for that particular territory. All our choices were made from that point of view.”
“In the Conquest edition a male main character created by the gamer can pair up with another male character (Niles) which ultimately leads to marriage. Similarly, in the Birthright edition, a female main character created by the gamer can pair up with and eventually marry another female character (Rhajat). Like married couples of the opposite gender, these same-sex couples enjoy the stat boosts that come with marriage, which means when they are paired up in battle they are stronger than when they are apart or paired up with another character.”
“In the third edition, Revelation, that will be released as DLC in the eShop on March 10, a same-sex marriage is possible regardless of the sex of your main character, as both Niles and Rhajat can be encountered in this edition.”
From this we also got to know that Siyalla’s localized name is Rhajat, which makes sense, since much like Siyalla is an anagram of Salliya, Rhajat is also an anagram of Tharja.
(Personal Note: Chances are the removal of those support conversations won’t even matter much since Soleil’s character is pretty silly to begin with. However, if they completely rewrite her character into a better one, it might become a significant and possible even positive change.)
Genei Ibun Roku #FE
Nintendo Dream recently caught up with some Genei Ibun Roku #FE staff, including producer Hitoshi Yamagami (Nintendo), director Kaori Ando (Nintendo), producer Shinjiro Takata (Atlus), director Eiji Ishida (Atlus), chief director Wataru Hirata (Atlus), and art director Fumitaka Yano (Atlus), to discuss the game’s early development now that it’s complete.
The excerpts translated by Nintendo Everything are rather interesting, since the developers talk about their initial plans for the game and how they thought about different game genres for the project, and also how they even considered the 3DS as a possible platform for it, to the point of making a project plan at the time.
You can read up on the translated excerpts over here.
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon
In a continued effort to promote Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon the Play Nintendo YouTube account has recently added another comical video dedicated to the game. You can check it out below:
New Amiibo Announced
Nintendo announced a new wave of Animal Crossing amiibo figures during the week, which includes Isabelle in her Summer Outfit, Timmy & Tommy, Rover and Kapp’n.
This new wave of amiibo will be releasing on the following dates:
Japan – March 24 2016
Europe – March 18 2016
Australasia – March 19 2016
North America – March 18 2016 (except for the Isabelle amiibo, which isn’t confirmed as of yet)
Japan will also be getting the 4th series of Animal Crossing amiibo cards on March 24, together with a new Happy Home Designer bundle featuring the new Isabelle (Summer Outfit) amiibo figure.
You can find the package shots for these amiibo below:
Furthermore, Nintendo also stated that the Pokémon amiibo based on Charizard, Jigglypuff, Lucario and Greninja will be seeing some new stock to help celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Pokémon series.
The company also confirmed that Star Fox Zero will indeed support amiibo functionality, but no extra details were mentioned.
Virtual Console Trailers
Below you can find some trailers for recently released Virtual Console games.
1080° Snowboarding (Japan, N64)
Mario Kart 64 (Europe, N64)
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (North America, GBA)
And here’s an extra video showing off all the e-Reader levels in Super Mario Advance 4: