It’s amazing how things work out sometimes. Before Conker’s Bad Fur Day became the title we know of today, it started out as “Twelve Tales”, a more conventional and family-friendly platformer.

Eventually, development took a complete 180, and Rare instead made the mature-rated Conker’s Bad Fur Day – one of the N64’s most-beloved games.

Rare was essentially a subsidiary of Nintendo at the time. Apparently the Big N didn’t have any issues with the studio’s change in direction for Conker’s Bad Fur Day, which may surprise some.

Former Rare employee Donnchadh Murphy told Not Enough Shaders:

“Back in those days Rare was the golden child, so when they announced that we were changing direction there was no objections, none that I knew about anyway. I’m so glad it did change, because ‘Twelve Tales’, to put it politely, was not a good game. Chris Seavor took the reins in BFD and took it a direction nobody expected.”

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Japanese Yoshi 3DS VC trailer

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, Videos | 0 comments

Japanese The Last Blade 2 Wii VC trailer

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Videos, Wii | 0 comments

First screenshots: Viking Invasion 2

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, Screenshots | 0 comments

BiP Media has shared the first screenshots of its DSiWare sequel and eShop title, Viking Invasion 2: Olaf’s Return. You can read up on gameplay details here.

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EA wants to take advantage of Wii U’s “unique capabilities”

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 0 comments

EA is bringing Mass Effect 3 to the Wii U. FIFA 13 and Madden NFL 13 are also planned. The question is, what is EA planning for the console beyond these three games?

Executive vice president Patrick Soderlund gave a cryptic answer in an interview with CVG.

Soderlund said that the company “doesn’t make ports at all anymore”. There is Mass Effect 3, but I suppose he doesn’t count that game as a port since it’s a BioWare title and a third-party is handling the porting process.

He explained that EA “will always try to take an approach about what is unique for that platform.” Soderlund also noted how the “Wii U has many unique capabilities so you have to embrace the unique elements of the platform otherwise there’s not much point doing it at all.”

“Well I would say EA doesn’t make ports at all anymore. We try to make games that are ideal for each platform as much as possible. Obviously for PS3 and Xbox 360 the systems are similar, so we cross-develop. But we will always try to take an approach about what is unique for that platform. Wii U has many unique capabilities so you have to embrace the unique elements of the platform otherwise there’s not much point doing it at all. There is no general rule for developing a game. We custom tailor for each one, so everything is a bit chaotic, but it’s worth it.”

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Famitsu review scores (8/21/12)

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News | 0 comments

This week’s Famisu review scores are as follows:

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F (PSV) – 9/8/9/8
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS) – 8/9/7/8
Mobile Suit Gundam AGE (PSP) – 8/9/7/8
DiRT Showdown (PS3/360) – 8/8/8/7
Spec Ops: The Line (PS3/360) – 8/8/7/8
Senran Kagura Burst (3DS) – 8/7/7/8
Kami Jigen Game Neptune V (PS3) – 8/8/7/7
Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan Kansei (PSP) – 8/7/7/7
Custom Drive (PSP) – 8/7/7/6
Aqua Pazza: Aquaplus Dream Match (PS3) – 7/7/6/6
Bakemonogatari Portable (PSP) – 6/6/4/7

Why Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate is on the 3DS

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News | 0 comments

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate is on the 3DS. Why did MercurySteam decide to make the game for the platform?

Producer David Cox explained to the Official Nintendo Magazine that the team was very interested in creating a title for a handheld. Regarding the specific choice to go with the 3DS, Cox made note of the fact that the 3D effect and overall hardware fit in well with MercurySteam’s vision.

According to Cox:

“We knew we wanted to do a game on a handheld. Castlevania has traditionally done well on handhelds. And when we looked at different formats, we really liked the 3DS because we knew we could do a really cool 2.5D side-scroller, but with 3DS we had the advantage of layers and layers of 3D and using the stereoscopic camera to go into the world; a dynamism that wouldn’t be on other handhelds. And once we got hold of the hardware, we realised what we could do with it. We essentially built an engine from the ground up for the 3DS, we felt that this was the right format. Traditionally Castlevania has always appeared on Nintendo formats and that appealed to us as fans of the classic.”

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CVG says final decision hasn’t been made for Nintendo Power, small chance of digital release

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

Ars Technica says Nintendo Power is dead. The print magazine itself will be shutting down, and the site indicated that a digital version wouldn’t be happening – partially due to a reluctance on Nintendo’s part.

CVG’s sources, weighing in on the matter, claim that a final decision hasn’t been reached. The situation looks very bleak at the moment, but the site writes that Future Publishing “is also considering how and if it should take Nintendo Power in a new digital direction”.

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