Hyrule Warriors Legends
Nintendo and Koei Tecmo held a Hyrule Warriors Legends panel last weekend at WonderCon, which included a Q&A session. Gamer Splash caught the full Q&A in video form and uploaded it to Youtube, which you can find below. Nintendo should be uploading the full panel to their own channel soon.
We also have another look at the Marin announcement art that was shown during this panel, in which we can see that she will apparently be using the Sea Lily’s Bell as a weapon. The Sea Lily’s Bell is one of eight instruments you can find in Link’s Awakening, which are collectively known as the Eight Instruments of the Sirens. These are collected after defeating the dungeon’s bosses and are needed to awaken the Wind Fish.
Star Fox Zero
Nintendo has released a new trailer for Star Fox Zero. You can find it below:
JC Rodrigo from the Nintendo Treehouse hosted a panel with demos for both Star Fox Zero and Star Fox Guard at WonderCon. Check them out below, courtesy of Gamer Splash.
GameXplain also took some footage of Star Fox Zero at WonderCon, which you can find next.
Finally, thanks to a recent livestream by AbdallahSmash026, we now know that scanning the Falco amiibo, unlocks a Black Arwing. This Arwing not only features an original color scheme, but also has some new functionality. Using it allows players to lock on to two enemies at once, and enemies will dish out three times the damage.
Kirby: Planet Robobot
IGN has released five minutes of Kirby: Planet Robobot footage from the game’s demo at WonderCon. Check it out below:
Super Mario Maker
A new event course and costume have been announced for Super Mario Maker.
This time around, by completing the Event Course “Starfy: Prince of Pufftop” you will unlock a Mystery Mushroom costume based on Starfy.
Here’s an overview of the course and some footage from both the course and the costume.
“Starfy: Prince of Pufftop”
The legendary Starfy has discovered a mysterious lift in Pufftop Palace, his royal home in the skies, and riding it has landed him in the world of Super Mario Maker. “This is freakin’ me out… I wanna go home!’ Can our hero avoid the aquatic baddies and reach his goal safely? Go, Starfy, go!
Also of note, on March 31st, Nintendo held a special event for kids at the San Francisco Public Library to teach them about the basics of video game design. Special workshops were hosted by game experts from Nintendo in which they introduced children to level design using Super Mario Maker.
According to the company, “Kids were split into groups and given hands-on time with the game and shown the ins and outs of video game level design”. They were also “encouraged to work together to design their own courses in the game, producing some remarkably creative results”.
Players can try out one of the created levels by entering the following code in the game’s Course World: E02B-0000-020F-B9DA. It can also be found by visiting the Super Mario Maker Bookmark site.
Here’s some photos from the event:
Finally, in this week’s episode of Nintendo Minute, Kit and Krysta invited SethBling for a Super Mario Maker play session. You can watch the episode below:
Pokkén Tournament
Nintendo has recently announced that even if you buy a digital version of Pokkén Tournament you are still entitled to an amiibo card for Shadow Mewtwo.
Here are the steps you will need to take, directly from Nintendo:
- Register for our Nintendo Store. This is how we’ll make sure that your shipping address in our system.
- If you have registered before, please make sure that we have your recent shipping address by signing in to update your profile.
- If you live in the US, click here.
- If you live in Canada, click here.
- If you live in Mexico, click here to contact us.
- Email our support team. In order to qualify for this free offer, we’ll need to verify your purchase history to confirm that Pokkén Tournament has been purchased. You’ll be asked for the following information:
- You’ll be asked to provide the information below.
- Email address – be sure to use the same email address you provided in your Nintendo Store registration from step 1.
- Nintendo Network ID
- Serial Number
- To email us, click here.
- Wait for us to review and process your request. After we confirm your Nintendo eShop purchase, we’ll reply to your email with shipping information for your order. Please allow up to two weeks for processing time.
It has also been announced that Pokkén Tournament will be getting a patch for version 1.2 sometime in April. While the full extent of the patch is not yet known, it will fix bugs, adjust the Reshiram support, and remove the dreaded Shadow Mewtwo’s infinite combo.
Finally, DigitalFoundry has put together another performance analysis video, this time for Pokkén Tournament, of course. You can watch it below:
Pokémon X & Y, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
If you own a copy of Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire you can now get a Jirachi through Mystery Gift, as part of Pokémon’s 20th anniversary celebration. Jirachi will only be available until April 24th. To get it, start your Pokémon game, go to Mystery Gift, then select Receive Gift, and choose Get Via Internet.
Pokémon GO
The Pokémon GO field test recently went live in Japan, so new details and screenshots have been leaked from the event. You can find a round up of the known information at Nintendo Inquirer, and a few screenshots in the gallery below. You can also find a video by GAME Previews after that, covering most of what has been data mined so far, and some gameplay footage by Sam Clark.
Finally, we have some music clips from Pokémon GO too, courtesy of pokemonblack1000 (it’s a playlist with 5 tracks).
Virtual Console
Below you can find a trailer for the Japanese Virtual Console version of Mario Party 2 for the N64.
Miitomo, My Nintendo
Miitomo and My Nintendo officially launched this past week in North America and Europe, on March 31.
Thanks to My Nintendo, users can redeem Platinum and Gold Points for rewards that include games, download content, in-app items and eShop discount coupons. Platinum Points can be obtained by interacting with Nintendo apps and services like Miitomo. Gold Points are collected after purchasing digital versions of games from Nintendo.com or the eShop.
In Europe, users who sign up for a Nintendo Account by the end of April will be able to download Flipnote Studio 3D for free. The download can be claimed by linking a Nintendo Account to the Nintendo Network ID used on a 3DS. The download option on the Flipnote Studio 3D page will then be available between March 31 and April 30.
Also worth noting is the fact that Nintendo debuted an enhanced Wii U and 3DS shop on Nintendo.com and the Nintendo of Europe website on March 31, that allows users with a Nintendo Account to purchase digital games online. It has over 2,000 games that can be accessed on personal computers or smart devices. All purchases can be sent directly to a 3DS or Wii U for download. Additionally, it will be possible to “easily find and purchase games that are new, popular and on sale, as well as use filters to search by genre”.
Here’s the full announcement by Nintendo:
REDMOND, Wash., March 29, 2016 – Don’t miss out on being a part of a Nintendo first! On March 31, Miitomo, the company’s first-ever smart device application, is launching in the United States and several other countries. Miitomo is a free-to-start social experience that lets users spark one-of-a-kind conversations with friends in a whole new way using Mii characters. The app recently launched in Japan and was downloaded more than 1 million times in its first three days of availability, while achieving the #1 most downloaded free app status in both the App Store and Google Play storefronts.
“With Miitomo, Nintendo takes its first step into the world of smart devices,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Miitomo brings the special Nintendo charm and polish that people around the world love to an entirely new format and audience.”
Getting started with Miitomo and being a part of this Nintendo milestone is easy: After downloading the application for free on the App Store for iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, along with Android devices, users create a Mii character and customize facial features like eyes and hair, as well as voice and personality. Users can also use the camera on their smart devices to snap a photo of themselves, which can be used to create a Mii, or they can simply import their Mii from their Wii U or Nintendo 3DS systems using a QR Code.
Once their Mii is ready, users can add friends who already have the app in person, or by linking the app with their existing Facebook or Twitter accounts. After that step is complete, it’s time to answer some questions! Miitomo creates conversations and turns discussions into a form of play by prompting users to answer all kinds of fun questions. How would you define your fashion style? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? If you were given ten grand to spend in one day, what would you do? The answers get shared among friends, sparking interesting conversations – part of the fun is discovering unexpected facts about your friends. When users hear how their friends responded to questions, they can give answers a “heart” or a written or picture comment.
To preregister for Miitomo, users can sign up for a Nintendo Account at https://miitomo.com before March 31 to receive an email when the app is ready to download. People that create their Nintendo Account and preregister before March 31 will also receive Platinum Points for the new My Nintendo rewards program, which will simultaneously launch with Miitomo. Aiming to be much more than a standard rewards program, My Nintendo is a comprehensive service that rewards users for interacting with Nintendo products and services in a variety of ways. Miitomo users who link the app to their Nintendo Account will be able to take advantage of My Nintendo to enhance their experience. Platinum Points can be earned by interacting with Nintendo apps and services, including Miitomo. Gold Points are earned when purchasing digital versions of games from Nintendo.com or Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Both Platinum and Gold Points can be redeemed for rewards like games, download content, in-app items and eShop discount coupons.
In addition to Miitomo and the My Nintendo program, Nintendo is also launching an enhanced Wii U and Nintendo 3DS shop on Nintendo.com on March 31 for users with a Nintendo Account to purchase digital games. Featuring an expanded catalog of more than 2,000 games, this digital store can be accessed on personal computers or smart devices. The shop serves as an additional purchase option to Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, with all purchases being sent directly to users’ Nintendo 3DS or Wii U systems for download. Users can now easily find and purchase games that are new, popular and on sale, as well as use filters to search by genre. Purchases of games from this site, as well as Nintendo eShop, will earn My Nintendo Gold Points.
Extra notes:
– Miitomo launched in the following countries so far: UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, U.S, Canada. Other countries will be coming later.
– Miitomo supports the following languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Japanese.
– My Nintendo is available in the following countries so far: UK, Ireland, France, Belgium. Germany. Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Italy, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Malta, Greece, Sweden, Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, U.S, Canada, Mexico, Brazil.
Meanwhile, Nintendo has released an update for Miitomo in Japan, bringing the game up to version 1.1.0, which is the one available in western countries from launch. This update introduces a number of new features, which are as follows:
– Added feature for making friends with friends of your friends
– Mutual friends will now appear in the list of suggested friends
– Added the “View online answers” button to the All Answers screen
– Changed hashtag and image for sharing an answer to the event version
– Fixed other issues
When it comes to adoption, based on a report from market-tracking firm Sensor Tower (as relayed by GamesBeat), Miitomo is currently the most-downloaded game for iPhone and iPad in the United States (this was true as of the launch day).
Nintendo of America also confirms that the game has been downloaded by more than 3 million users worldwide.
#Miitomo has reached 3 million users worldwide! We hope you are enjoying the app with your friends!
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) 1 April 2016
Nintendo has also prepared some promotional material for Miitomo, which you can watch below:
https://youtu.be/GjwVr1pY9tc
https://youtu.be/If9TbwwLyTk
Finally, we have an interview with Bill Trinen by IGN. In it, Trinen talks about various topics related to Miitomo and My Nintendo, like future mobile plans and updates to Miitomo, how Yoshio Sakamoto was involved with the app, and how there’s a possibility that My Nintendo will eventually reward physical purchases and give out physical prizes. You can find the interview over here.
Nintendo Badge Arcade
A physical sticker book based on Nintendo Badge Arcade has just been released in Japan. It’s a 32-page book, featuring 301 stickers of popular badges from the likes of Mario, Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Splatoon, Animal Crossing, Nikki, Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball, and much more.
Here’s a look at some of the available stickers:
Yoshinori Ono on Smash Bros., Street Fighter and Nintendo vs. Capcom
StreetPass UK recently spoke with Capcom’s Yoshinori Ono, the Street Fighter series producer. During the quick conversation, Ono was asked about which other characters from the series he would have liked to see in Smash. He also showed some interest in making something like a Nintendo vs. Capcom when asked about Super Smash Bros. characters that could be a good fit in Street Fighter.
Here’s the full interview:
#3DSAdventures Campaign
Last time, we covered a promotional trailer from Nintendo UK’s new marketing campaign focused on adventure and RPG games for 3DS.
Chandra Nair, marketing manager of Nintendo UK, has since spoken with MCV about the initiviate. He says it’ll be a “stellar year for RPG adventure fans” on the 3DS, and that he believes “RPG adventure fans will look back on Nintendo 3DS as having one of the best line-ups of all time”.
Here’s Nair’s words in full:
“It might be late in the Nintendo 3DS’ life cycle, but 2016 looks like it’ll be another stellar year for RPG adventure fans with an unparalleled and exclusive line-up spanning from January through to December. I think in years to come RPG adventure fans will look back on Nintendo 3DS as having one of the best line-ups of all time. And we’re celebrating it right now.”
DSi Shop shutting down in 2017
Nintendo has announced it will be shutting down the DSi shop on March 31st, 2017. Furthermore, no points can be added to the shop after September 30th, 2016.
Nintendo also released a FAQ to clear away any confusions users might have. You can find it quoted below:
General Questions:
Why is the Nintendo DSi Shop closing?
Now that customers have shifted to the Nintendo 3DS family of systems and Nintendo eShop, we plan to focus our efforts in those areas. As such, the Nintendo DSi Shop will close in 2017 after eight years of operation. We sincerely thank our loyal customers for supporting the Nintendo DSi Shop on both Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL systems. Note that most Nintendo DSiWare will continue to be sold in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS family systems.
When will all Nintendo DSi Shop services (including the ability to re-download) be terminated?
The Nintendo DSi Shop will close in 2017. You can still add Nintendo DSi Points until September 30th 2016 and purchase content in the Nintendo DSi Shop until March 31st 2017. Please be aware that the ability to re-download Nintendo DSiWare games will stop at some point. More details will be available soon.
Nintendo DSiWare:
Will I still be able to purchase Nintendo DSiWare?
You can continue to purchase Nintendo DSiWare through the Nintendo DSi Shop until March 31st 2017. Some Nintendo DSiWare is also to available to purchase through Nintendo eShop, available on Nintendo 3DS family systems.
Can I still play the Nintendo DSiWare I’ve purchased?
You may continue to play the software you have downloaded as long as you do not delete your Nintendo DSi Shop Account.
You can also transfer your Nintendo DSi content to a Nintendo 3DS family system and continue playing it there. To learn more, click here.
Can I still re-download Nintendo DSiWare that I’ve purchased?
For now, you can continue to re-download purchased Nintendo DSiWare, but please be aware that this ability will stop at some point. More details will be available soon.
If you transfer your content to a newer system in the Nintendo 3DS family, you can continue to access and re-download it there as well. To learn more, click here.
Can I transfer Nintendo DSiWare to a Nintendo 3DS family system?`
To learn how to transfer your Nintendo DSi Shop content to a Nintendo 3DS family system, click here. Please be aware that the ability to transfer will stop at some point. More details will be available soon.
How many Nintendo DSiWare titles have been released so far?
We have released over 500 titles (games + applications) combined in Europe.
Nintendo DSi Points:
What do I do with the Nintendo DSi points I haven’t spent?
You may want to use any remaining Nintendo DSi points you might have before the purchase function in Nintendo DSi Shop is closed on March 31st 2017.
Can I get my unused Nintendo DSi points refunded?
For now you can continue to purchase and redeem Nintendo DSi points in the Nintendo DSi Shop as normal, but you may want to spend any unused Nintendo DSi points before the purchase function in Nintendo DSi Shop is closed on March 31st 2017. More details will be announced in the near future.
I still have an unused Nintendo Points Card. Can I still redeem it?
For now, it is still possible to redeem Nintendo Points Cards in the Nintendo DSi Shop until that functionality ends on September 30th 2016. You may also redeem them in the Wii Shop on either a Wii or Wii U console (in Wii mode).
Can I use my Nintendo DSi points to fund my Nintendo eShop account?
Not at this time.
Nintendo invested $527 million in R&D
Market research company Technavio’s recent report indicates that Nintendo invested close to $527 million in research and development during the past fiscal year. In addition, the company generated $5 billion in revenue.
Technavio’s report reveals a list of the top five leading vendors in the global motion-controlled remote market, which includes Nintendo. Hillcrest Labs, LG, Samsung, and SMK are also named.
The large investment is speculated to have been used in Nintendo’s upcoming console, the NX, the company’s recent endeavours in the mobile and smart device application market, and the still rather secretive Quality of Life project.
Nintendo of Korea lays off near 50 employees. No plans to pull out of the Korean market.
As part of a large-scale restructure, Nintendo of Korea has laid off nearly 50 employees (close to 80% of its workers). Only ten employees are now with the company, and this comes after Nintendo of Korea suffered financial losses during the past four years. Nintendo of Korea’s restructuring decision was apparently made due to the current business environment.
Nintendo of Korea plans to relocate an office to outside of Seoul. Fukuda Hiroyuki, the current CEO, will hold his current position.
Nintendo has no plans to pull out of the Korean market, and all games currently planned will be released in South Korea as scheduled.