Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

German website Nintendo-Online published a new piece about the development of the Game Boy. It’s an interesting recap of how the system came together, which includes information about a partnership with Sharp and more.

Here’s a brief summary Nintendo-Online passed along:

– developed by the 40-man R&D1 team with Gunpei Yokoi handling the system’s design and Satoru Okada working on the hardware
– goal was to combine the concepts behind Game & Watch and NES
– system had to be small, technically on par with the NES and cheaper than the NES
– to archive this, the team had to use a black & white LCD display; a color screen would have increased the power consumption and thus made the system more expensive
– system was codenamed “Dot Matrix Game”, hence the console’s model no. starting with “DMG”
– Sharp was approached to manufacture the screens of the DMG because it already supplied the Game & Watch displays
– Sharp was unable to produce the screens at a price low enough for Nintendo so that development of the console reached a dead point
– R&D1 learned about the “Chip on Glass” technique which would make a cheap production possible and approached TV maker Citizen to produce the Game Boy’s screens using this technique
– in the end, Sharp was also able to use the CoG technique and was thus chosen to produce the screens and made a four billion yen investment for that
– the screens Sharp produced at the beginning were of a wrong type and were next to useless for the Game Boy project
– Yokoi remembers Hiroshi Yamauchi’s reaction on Game Boy prototype with wrong screen type: “What the hell is this? I can’t see a damn thing. What’re you thinking? No one’s gonna buy a game they can’t see. Forget it.”
– finally Sharp produced Super-Twisted Nematic displays with decreased motion blur effect

Source, Image source

More: Game Boy

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Wii U | 10 Comments

Splatoon is doing very, very well in Japan. Because of the game’s strong sales, the game has been tough to find on store shelves. Nintendo even issued an apology on its Twitter account last week, and vowed to ship more copies in the coming days.

We’re now hearing that Splatoon managed to sell through over 90 percent of its initial shipment in Japan. That isn’t confirmed just yet, but it wouldn’t be terribly shocking based on reports of how its selling out at various stores. This would also likely mean that Splatoon sold somewhere in the range of 150,000 copies in Japan. We should be receiving official data on Wednesday!

Source

More: Media Create, sales, Splatoon

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, Videos | 0 comments

Court Records nabbed a live stream recording of The Great Ace Attorney’s demo on NicoNico. Check out the third part of the demo below.

More: Capcom, Japan, The Great Ace Attorney

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U eShop | 5 Comments

Bandai Namco opened a Japanese teaser site for Project Treasure today. Access it here.

There’s not much to see at the moment other than the gameplay trailer that debuted during yesterday’s Japanese Nintendo Direct. There’s also a confirmation that Project Treasure is built with Unreal Engine, thanks to a logo included on the page.

More: Bandai Namco, Project Treasure

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News, Wii U | 1 Comment

It’s time for the latest Famitsu’s most wanted games chart! With the latest chart, Fire Emblem If has moved up to the first spot.

Head past the break for the full chart. All votes were cast between May 14 and May 20.

Read More

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Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News, Wii U | 1 Comment

The latest issue of Famitsu has shared a listing of the top 30 best-selling games in Japan for the month of April 2015. You can check out the full results below.

1. [PS4] Bloodborne – 234,515 (189,159 physical, 45,353 digital)
2. [PSV] Sword Art Online: Lost Song – 172,936 (162,805 physical, 10,131 digital)
3. [PS3] Dai-3-Ji Super Robot Taisen Z Tengoku-hen – 130,341 (126,346 physical, 3,995 digital)
4. [PS3] One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 – 129,588 (126,121 physical, 3,467 digital)
5. [PSV] Dai-3-Ji Super Robot Taisen Z Tengoku-hen – 127,928 (117,031 physical, 10,897 digital)
6. [PS3] Pro Yakyuu Spirits 2015 – 97,059 (93,196 physical, 3,863 digital)
7. [3DS] Theatrhythm Dragon Quest – 89,699 (86,171 physical, 3,528 digital)
8. [PSV] Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition – 77,409 (65,511 physical, 11,898 digital)
9. [PSV] One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 – 73,070 (69,218 physical, 3,852 digital)
10. [PSV] Senran Kagura: Estival Versus – 69,665 (62,373 physical, 7,292 digital)
11. [PS3] Sword Art Online: Lost Song – 65,280 (62,213 physical, 3,067 digital)
12. [3DS] Xenoblade Chronicles 3D – 63,301 (60,823 physical, 2,478 digital)
13. [PSV] Pro Yakyuu Spirits 2015 – 61,533 (57,823 physical, 3,710 digital)
14. [3DS] Girls Mode 3 – 61,006 (58,965 physical, 2,041 digital)
15. [PS4] One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 – 59,733 (55,936 physical, 3,797 digital)
16. [WIU] Mario Party 10 – 50,395 (48,820 physical, 1,575 digital)
17. [3DS] Kuroko’s Basketball: Ties to the Future – 43,119 (42,326 psychical, 793 digital)
18. [PS4] Earth Defense Force 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair – 42,731 (32,587 physical, 10,144 digital)
19. [3DS] Yo-Kai Watch 2: Shinuchi – 40,803 (39,693 physical, 1,110 digital)
20. [PS3] Resident Evil: Revelations 2 – 39,065 (34,679 physical, 4,386 digital)
21. [PS4] Battlefield Hardline – 37,670 (30,580 physical, 7,090 digital)
22. [PS4] Senran Kagura: Estival Versus – 36,710 (32,018 physical, 4,692 digital)
23. [PS3] Yakuza Zero – 34,462 (33,342 physical, 1,120 digital)
24. [PS4] Disgaea 5 – 33,713 (29,742 physical, 3,971 digital)
25. [PS4] Final Fantasy Type-0 HD – 29,365 (27,746 physical, 1,619 digital)
26. [PS4] Dying Light – 28,608 (25,046 physical, 3,562 digital)
27. [PSV] Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – 28,301 (24,506 physical, 3,795 digital)
28. [PS4] Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin – 28,011 (21,558 physical, 6,453 digital)
29. [3DS] Super Smash Bros. for 3DS – 23,927 (22,341 physical, 1,586 digital)
30. [3DS] Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire – 23,401 (22,467 physical, 934 digital)

Note that these sales are based on data between March 23 and April 19.

More: Famitsu, Japan, sales

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 5 Comments

Nintendo has revealed a new costume (along with a corresponding hat) for the Mii Gunner in Smash Bros., which is coming to both the Wii U and 3DS versions of the game. This one is based on K.K. Slider from the Animal Crossing series.

In Japan, the costume will be distributed via 7-Eleven between June 19 and July 11. Players will need to visit their local outlet with their 3DS system.

The K.K. Slider costume also seems to be heading west, but the Smash Bros. website simply lists a “TBD” date for its availability.

Source 1, Source 2

More: DLC, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS, top

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News | 3 Comments

Nintendo initiated the pre-load for Fire Emblem If in Japan. Those with Japanese 3DS systems can purchase and download a large bulk of the game from the 3DS eShop now. When Fire Emblem If launches, they’ll only need to obtain a tiny bit of extra data. This is basically a way to begin playing the digital version as fast as possible once it becomes available.

Fire Emblem If’s pre-load weighs in at 24,666 blocks (roughly 3.083 GB). The game itself costs 5,076 yen.

Thanks to maikantopia for the tip.

More: Fire Emblem If, Japan

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U eShop | 1 Comment

There are plenty of Kickstarter projects that feature Wii U in one form or another. For the latest look at which games are seeking funding, check out our roundup below.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (new) – already funded, coming to Wii U

An exploration-focused, side-scrolling platformer featuring RPG and crafting elements.

Koji Igarashi, the namesake of “Igavania”-style games, is leading the project, with Michiru Yamane composing the music and Inti Creates leading the development.

You are Miriam, an orphan scarred by an alchemist curse which slowly crystallizes your skin. You must battle your way through a demon-filled castle summoned by Gebel, your old friend whose body has become more crystal than flesh.

LOUD on Planet X – $50,000 CAD for funding, Wii U stretch goal at $75,000 CAD

LOUD on Planet X is an arcade-style indie music game featuring Tegan and Sara, METZ, Metric, Lights, July Talk, F*cked Up, Cadence Weapon, Austra and more.

Choose from a cross-section of top current indie music artists, then defend your stage from hordes of quirky aliens by tapping to the music and using a fun assortment of makeshift weapons like speakers, strobe lights, fog machines, amplifiers, bouncers and custom special attacks!

LOUD on Planet X is an exciting new indie alternative to Rock Band or Guitar Hero with a splash of Plants vs Zombies – a new hybrid of rhythm game and classic shooter with tower defence elements.

Yooka-Laylee – already funded at $270,041, coming to Wii U

Yooka-Laylee is an all-new 3D platformer from the creative talent behind the Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country games. We’ve come together to form Playtonic Games and create a spiritual successor to our most cherished work from the past!

Our new heroes, Yooka (the green bloke with no pants) and Laylee (the wisecracking lady-bat with the big nose) were conceptualised from the ground up for stellar platforming gameplay, created by the same character artist behind the rebooted Donkey Kong family and legendary N64 heroes Banjo and Kazooie.

Using an arsenal of special moves like Yooka’s tongue grapple and Laylee’s tactical sonar blast, players will explore – and expand – gorgeous 3D worlds drawn up by esteemed environment artist Steven Hurst (Banjo-Kazooie series, Viva Pinata) and through skill discover the plethora of delicious collectibles hidden within.

More: indie, Kickstarter

Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS eShop, News | 5 Comments

When Koei Tecmo officially announced Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3 for the west a few days ago, there was a hint that it would be a digital-only release. Based on the wording, it was unclear if that news only applied to the PS Vita version or both the 3DS and PS Vita versions. We now have the answer.

A graphic shared by Koei Tecmo’s Chin Soon Sun confirms that Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3 is digital-only for both releases, which obviously includes 3DS. That’s a bit of a shame, but at least we’re getting the game overseas!

Source

More: Koei Tecmo, Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3